In situ radiometric and exposure age dating of the martian surface

K. A. Farley; C. Malespin; P. Mahaffy; J. P. Grotzinger; P. M. Vasconcelos; R. E. Milliken; M. Malin; K. S. Edgett; A. A. Pavlov; J. A. Hurowitz; J. A. Grant; H. B. Miller; R. Arvidson; L. Beegle; F. Calef; P. G. Conrad; W. E. Dietrich; J. Eigenbrode; R. Gellert; S. Gupta; V. Hamilton; D. M. Hassler; K. W. Lewis; S. M. McLennan; D. Ming; R. Navarro-González; S. P. Schwenzer; A. Steele; E. M. Stolper; D. Y. Sumner; D. Vaniman; A. Vasavada; K. Williford; R. F. Wimmer-Schweingruber

doi:10.1126/science.1247166

In situ radiometric and exposure age dating of the martian surface

K. A. Farley
, C. Malespin
, P. Mahaffy
, J. P. Grotzinger
, P. M. Vasconcelos
, R. E. Milliken
, M. Malin
, K. S. Edgett
, A. A. Pavlov
, J. A. Hurowitz
, J. A. Grant
, H. B. Miller
, R. Arvidson
, L. Beegle
, F. Calef
, P. G. Conrad
, W. E. Dietrich
, J. Eigenbrode
, R. Gellert
, S. Gupta

V. Hamilton, D. M. Hassler, K. W. Lewis, S. M. McLennan, D. Ming, R. Navarro-González, S. P. Schwenzer, A. Steele, E. M. Stolper, D. Y. Sumner, D. Vaniman, A. Vasavada, K. Williford, R. F. Wimmer-Schweingruber

Geosciences

California Institute of Technology
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
University of Queensland
Brown University
Malin Space Science Systems
Smithsonian Institution
Washington University St. Louis
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
University of California at Berkeley
University of Guelph
Imperial College London
Southwest Research Institute
Princeton University
Stony Brook University
NASA Johnson Space Center
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Open University Milton Keynes
Carnegie Institution of Washington
University of California at Davis
Planetary Science Institute
Kiel University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

269 Scopus citations

Abstract

We determined radiogenic and cosmogenic noble gases in a mudstone on the floor of Gale Crater. A K-Ar age of 4.21 ± 0.35 billion years represents a mixture of detrital and authigenic components and confirms the expected antiquity of rocks comprising the crater rim. Cosmic-ray-produced ³He, ²¹Ne, and ³⁶Ar yield concordant surface exposure ages of 78 ± 30 million years. Surface exposure occurred mainly in the present geomorphic setting rather than during primary erosion and transport. Our observations are consistent with mudstone deposition shortly after the Gale impact or possibly in a later event of rapid erosion and deposition. The mudstone remained buried until recent exposure by wind-driven scarp retreat. Sedimentary rocks exposed by this mechanism may thus offer the best potential for organic biomarker preservation against destruction by cosmic radiation.

Original language	English
Article number	1247166
Journal	Science
Volume	343
Issue number	6169
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1247166
State	Published - 2014

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Farley, K. A., Malespin, C., Mahaffy, P., Grotzinger, J. P., Vasconcelos, P. M., Milliken, R. E., Malin, M., Edgett, K. S., Pavlov, A. A., Hurowitz, J. A., Grant, J. A., Miller, H. B., Arvidson, R., Beegle, L., Calef, F., Conrad, P. G., Dietrich, W. E., Eigenbrode, J., Gellert, R., ... Wimmer-Schweingruber, R. F. (2014). In situ radiometric and exposure age dating of the martian surface. Science, 343(6169), Article 1247166. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1247166

@article{1d1c2529a7c249ccafa28e069388e45d,

title = "In situ radiometric and exposure age dating of the martian surface",

abstract = "We determined radiogenic and cosmogenic noble gases in a mudstone on the floor of Gale Crater. A K-Ar age of 4.21 ± 0.35 billion years represents a mixture of detrital and authigenic components and confirms the expected antiquity of rocks comprising the crater rim. Cosmic-ray-produced 3He, 21Ne, and 36Ar yield concordant surface exposure ages of 78 ± 30 million years. Surface exposure occurred mainly in the present geomorphic setting rather than during primary erosion and transport. Our observations are consistent with mudstone deposition shortly after the Gale impact or possibly in a later event of rapid erosion and deposition. The mudstone remained buried until recent exposure by wind-driven scarp retreat. Sedimentary rocks exposed by this mechanism may thus offer the best potential for organic biomarker preservation against destruction by cosmic radiation.",

author = "Farley, \{K. A.\} and C. Malespin and P. Mahaffy and Grotzinger, \{J. P.\} and Vasconcelos, \{P. M.\} and Milliken, \{R. E.\} and M. Malin and Edgett, \{K. S.\} and Pavlov, \{A. A.\} and Hurowitz, \{J. A.\} and Grant, \{J. A.\} and Miller, \{H. B.\} and R. Arvidson and L. Beegle and F. Calef and Conrad, \{P. G.\} and Dietrich, \{W. E.\} and J. Eigenbrode and R. Gellert and S. Gupta and V. Hamilton and Hassler, \{D. M.\} and Lewis, \{K. W.\} and McLennan, \{S. M.\} and D. Ming and R. Navarro-Gonz{\'a}lez and Schwenzer, \{S. P.\} and A. Steele and Stolper, \{E. M.\} and Sumner, \{D. Y.\} and D. Vaniman and A. Vasavada and K. Williford and Wimmer-Schweingruber, \{R. F.\}",

year = "2014",

doi = "10.1126/science.1247166",

language = "English",

volume = "343",

journal = "Science",

issn = "0036-8075",

number = "6169",

}

Farley, KA, Malespin, C, Mahaffy, P, Grotzinger, JP, Vasconcelos, PM, Milliken, RE, Malin, M, Edgett, KS, Pavlov, AA, Hurowitz, JA, Grant, JA, Miller, HB, Arvidson, R, Beegle, L, Calef, F, Conrad, PG, Dietrich, WE, Eigenbrode, J, Gellert, R, Gupta, S, Hamilton, V, Hassler, DM, Lewis, KW, McLennan, SM, Ming, D, Navarro-González, R, Schwenzer, SP, Steele, A, Stolper, EM, Sumner, DY, Vaniman, D, Vasavada, A, Williford, K & Wimmer-Schweingruber, RF 2014, 'In situ radiometric and exposure age dating of the martian surface', Science, vol. 343, no. 6169, 1247166. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1247166

TY - JOUR

T1 - In situ radiometric and exposure age dating of the martian surface

AU - Farley, K. A.

AU - Malespin, C.

AU - Mahaffy, P.

AU - Grotzinger, J. P.

AU - Vasconcelos, P. M.

AU - Milliken, R. E.

AU - Malin, M.

AU - Edgett, K. S.

AU - Pavlov, A. A.

AU - Hurowitz, J. A.

AU - Grant, J. A.

AU - Miller, H. B.

AU - Arvidson, R.

AU - Beegle, L.

AU - Calef, F.

AU - Conrad, P. G.

AU - Dietrich, W. E.

AU - Eigenbrode, J.

AU - Gellert, R.

AU - Gupta, S.

AU - Hamilton, V.

AU - Hassler, D. M.

AU - Lewis, K. W.

AU - McLennan, S. M.

AU - Ming, D.

AU - Navarro-González, R.

AU - Schwenzer, S. P.

AU - Steele, A.

AU - Stolper, E. M.

AU - Sumner, D. Y.

AU - Vaniman, D.

AU - Vasavada, A.

AU - Williford, K.

AU - Wimmer-Schweingruber, R. F.

PY - 2014

Y1 - 2014

N2 - We determined radiogenic and cosmogenic noble gases in a mudstone on the floor of Gale Crater. A K-Ar age of 4.21 ± 0.35 billion years represents a mixture of detrital and authigenic components and confirms the expected antiquity of rocks comprising the crater rim. Cosmic-ray-produced 3He, 21Ne, and 36Ar yield concordant surface exposure ages of 78 ± 30 million years. Surface exposure occurred mainly in the present geomorphic setting rather than during primary erosion and transport. Our observations are consistent with mudstone deposition shortly after the Gale impact or possibly in a later event of rapid erosion and deposition. The mudstone remained buried until recent exposure by wind-driven scarp retreat. Sedimentary rocks exposed by this mechanism may thus offer the best potential for organic biomarker preservation against destruction by cosmic radiation.

AB - We determined radiogenic and cosmogenic noble gases in a mudstone on the floor of Gale Crater. A K-Ar age of 4.21 ± 0.35 billion years represents a mixture of detrital and authigenic components and confirms the expected antiquity of rocks comprising the crater rim. Cosmic-ray-produced 3He, 21Ne, and 36Ar yield concordant surface exposure ages of 78 ± 30 million years. Surface exposure occurred mainly in the present geomorphic setting rather than during primary erosion and transport. Our observations are consistent with mudstone deposition shortly after the Gale impact or possibly in a later event of rapid erosion and deposition. The mudstone remained buried until recent exposure by wind-driven scarp retreat. Sedimentary rocks exposed by this mechanism may thus offer the best potential for organic biomarker preservation against destruction by cosmic radiation.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84892930409

U2 - 10.1126/science.1247166

DO - 10.1126/science.1247166

M3 - Article

C2 - 24324273

AN - SCOPUS:84892930409

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 343

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 6169

M1 - 1247166

ER -

In situ radiometric and exposure age dating of the martian surface

Abstract

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