Pyroclastic activity at home plate in Gusev Crater, Mars

Citation

Squyres SW, Aharonson O, Clark BC, Cohen BA, Crumpler LS, de Souza Jr PA, Farrand WH, Gellert R, Grant JA, Grotzinger JP, Haldemann AFC, Johnson JR, Klingelhoefer G, Lewis KW & Schröder C (2007) Pyroclastic activity at home plate in Gusev Crater, Mars. Science, 316 (5825), pp. 738-742. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1139045

Abstract
Home Plate is a layered plateau in Gusev crater on Mars. It is composed of clastic rocks of moderately altered alkali basalt composition, enriched in some highly volatile elements. A coarsegrained lower unit lies under a finer-grained upper unit. Textural observations indicate that the lower strata were emplaced in an explosive event, and geochemical considerations favor an explosive volcanic origin over an impact origin. The lower unit likely represents accumulation of pyroclastic materials, whereas the upper unit may represent eolian reworking of the same pyroclastic materials.

Notes
Additional co-authors: R Li, T McCoy, AS McEwen, HY McSween, DW Ming, JM Moore, RV Morris, TJ Parker, JW Rice Jr, S Ruff, M Schmidt, LA Soderblom, A Yen

Journal
Science: Volume 316, Issue 5825