View in EDS

Distribution of Subsurface Water in the Sulfate‐Bearing Unit at Gale Crater, Mars, as Measured by the DAN Instrument on the Curiosity Rover.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Distribution of Subsurface Water in the Sulfate‐Bearing Unit at Gale Crater, Mars, as Measured by the DAN Instrument on the Curiosity Rover.
Authors: Litvak, M. L.1 (AUTHOR) litvak@iki.rssi.ru, Mitrofanov, I. G.1 (AUTHOR), Djachkova, M. V.1 (AUTHOR), Lisov, D. I.1 (AUTHOR), Nikiforov, S. Y.1 (AUTHOR), Hardgrove, C.2 (AUTHOR), Fraeman, A. A.3 (AUTHOR), Hallet, B.4 (AUTHOR), Vasavada, A. R.3 (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets. Sep2025, Vol. 130 Issue 9, p1-14. 14p.
Subject Terms: *Soil moisture, Gale Crater (Mars), Magnesium sulfate, Mars rovers, Sulfate minerals, Neutron reflectivity, Mars (Planet), Minerals in water
Company/Entity: Curiosity (Spacecraft)
Abstract: The Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) instrument onboard the Curiosity rover has been used to study subsurface water distribution in the Canaima drill site region, where polyhydrated Mg sulfate (starkeyite) was identified in Martian soil for the first time. Multiple DAN measurements acquired in this local sulfate rich area (SRA) have shown unusually high concentrations of subsurface water. The distribution of subsurface water, likely bound in sulfate minerals, is heterogeneous both laterally and with depth. 60% of the surface area around the drill site can be characterized by a layered structure, with a more hydrated, sulfate rich layer (10–30 cm) above the material that is relatively dry. These straightforward calculations suggest that the total number of Mg‐sulfates in this 220 × 250 m area could be as high as 2,600 metric tons. Plain Language Summary: The Curiosity rover has been exploring layered sediments enriched with hydrated minerals in Gale crater, Mars. The rover previously traversed hematite‐ and clay‐rich regions before entering the sulfate‐bearing unit, where starkeyite, a polyhydrated Mg sulfate mineral, was detected in soil samples at the Canaima drilling site for the first time on Mars. The presence of Mg‐sulfates at this site correlates with subsurface water observations from the Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) instrument onboard Curiosity. According to DAN measurements, the local sulfate rich area (∼220 × 250 m) around the Canaima drilling cite observed by the IR spectrometer Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is heterogeneous laterally and vertically. 60% of its surface area overlies Mg‐sulfates in the upper 20 cm of soil, and the total amount of near surface Mg‐sulfates is estimated to be 2,600 metric tons. Key Points: The Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons instrument onboard Curiosity rover has detected co‐occurrence of high subsurface water concentrations with sulfate‐rich lithologiesIt was found that the distribution of hydrated sulfates around the Canaima drill site is heterogenous laterally and verticallyThe local sulfate rich area around the Canaima drill site can contain up 2,600 metric tons of amorphous and polyhydrated Mg‐sulfates [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: GreenFILE
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: 8gh
DbLabel: GreenFILE
An: 188294947
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Distribution of Subsurface Water in the Sulfate‐Bearing Unit at Gale Crater, Mars, as Measured by the DAN Instrument on the Curiosity Rover.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Litvak%2C+M%2E+L%2E%22">Litvak, M. L.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> litvak@iki.rssi.ru</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mitrofanov%2C+I%2E+G%2E%22">Mitrofanov, I. G.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Djachkova%2C+M%2E+V%2E%22">Djachkova, M. V.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lisov%2C+D%2E+I%2E%22">Lisov, D. I.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Nikiforov%2C+S%2E+Y%2E%22">Nikiforov, S. Y.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hardgrove%2C+C%2E%22">Hardgrove, C.</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Fraeman%2C+A%2E+A%2E%22">Fraeman, A. A.</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hallet%2C+B%2E%22">Hallet, B.</searchLink><relatesTo>4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Vasavada%2C+A%2E+R%2E%22">Vasavada, A. R.</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Geophysical+Research%2E+Planets%22">Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets</searchLink>. Sep2025, Vol. 130 Issue 9, p1-14. 14p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subject Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Soil+moisture%22">Soil moisture</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gale+Crater+%28Mars%29%22">Gale Crater (Mars)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Magnesium+sulfate%22">Magnesium sulfate</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mars+rovers%22">Mars rovers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sulfate+minerals%22">Sulfate minerals</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Neutron+reflectivity%22">Neutron reflectivity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mars+%28Planet%29%22">Mars (Planet)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Minerals+in+water%22">Minerals in water</searchLink>
– Name: SubjectCompany
  Label: Company/Entity
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Curiosity+%28Spacecraft%29%22">Curiosity (Spacecraft)</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: The Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) instrument onboard the Curiosity rover has been used to study subsurface water distribution in the Canaima drill site region, where polyhydrated Mg sulfate (starkeyite) was identified in Martian soil for the first time. Multiple DAN measurements acquired in this local sulfate rich area (SRA) have shown unusually high concentrations of subsurface water. The distribution of subsurface water, likely bound in sulfate minerals, is heterogeneous both laterally and with depth. 60% of the surface area around the drill site can be characterized by a layered structure, with a more hydrated, sulfate rich layer (10–30 cm) above the material that is relatively dry. These straightforward calculations suggest that the total number of Mg‐sulfates in this 220 × 250 m area could be as high as 2,600 metric tons. Plain Language Summary: The Curiosity rover has been exploring layered sediments enriched with hydrated minerals in Gale crater, Mars. The rover previously traversed hematite‐ and clay‐rich regions before entering the sulfate‐bearing unit, where starkeyite, a polyhydrated Mg sulfate mineral, was detected in soil samples at the Canaima drilling site for the first time on Mars. The presence of Mg‐sulfates at this site correlates with subsurface water observations from the Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) instrument onboard Curiosity. According to DAN measurements, the local sulfate rich area (∼220 × 250 m) around the Canaima drilling cite observed by the IR spectrometer Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is heterogeneous laterally and vertically. 60% of its surface area overlies Mg‐sulfates in the upper 20 cm of soil, and the total amount of near surface Mg‐sulfates is estimated to be 2,600 metric tons. Key Points: The Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons instrument onboard Curiosity rover has detected co‐occurrence of high subsurface water concentrations with sulfate‐rich lithologiesIt was found that the distribution of hydrated sulfates around the Canaima drill site is heterogenous laterally and verticallyThe local sulfate rich area around the Canaima drill site can contain up 2,600 metric tons of amorphous and polyhydrated Mg‐sulfates [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=8gh&AN=188294947
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1029/2025JE009089
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 14
        StartPage: 1
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Soil moisture
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Gale Crater (Mars)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Magnesium sulfate
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mars rovers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sulfate minerals
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Neutron reflectivity
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mars (Planet)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Minerals in water
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Curiosity (Spacecraft)
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Distribution of Subsurface Water in the Sulfate‐Bearing Unit at Gale Crater, Mars, as Measured by the DAN Instrument on the Curiosity Rover.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Litvak, M. L.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Mitrofanov, I. G.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Djachkova, M. V.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Lisov, D. I.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Nikiforov, S. Y.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Hardgrove, C.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Fraeman, A. A.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Hallet, B.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Vasavada, A. R.
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 09
              Text: Sep2025
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 21699097
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 130
            – Type: issue
              Value: 9
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets
              Type: main
ResultId 1