X-ray Diffraction Results from Mars Science Laboratory: Mineralogy of Rocknest at Gale Crater
Authors: Bish D. L. , Blake D. F. , Vaniman D. T. , Chipera S. J. , Morris R. V. , Ming D. W. , Treiman A. H. , Sarrazin P. , Morrison S. M. , Downs R. T. , Achilles C. N. , Yen A. S. , Bristow T. F. , Crisp J. A. , Morookian J. M. , Farmer J. D. , Rampe E. B. , Stolper E. M. , Spanovich N. ,   MSL Science Team, Achilles Cherie , Agard Christophe , Verdasca José Alexandre Alves , Anderson Robert , Anderson Ryan , Archer Doug , Armiens-Aparicio Carlos , Arvidson Ray , Atlaskin Evgeny , Atreya Sushil , Aubrey Andrew , Baker Burt , Baker Michael , Balic-Zunic Tonci , Baratoux David , Baroukh Julien , Barraclough Bruce , Bean Keri , Beegle Luther , Behar Alberto , Bell James , Bender Steve , Benna Mehdi , Bentz Jennifer , Berger Gilles , Berger Jeff , Berman Daniel , Bish David , Blake David F. , Avalos Juan J. Blanco , Blaney Diana , Blank Jen , Blau Hannah , Bleacher Lora , Boehm Eckart , Botta Oliver , Böttcher Stephan , Boucher Thomas , Bower Hannah , Boyd Nick , Boynton Bill , Breves Elly , Bridges John , Bridges Nathan , Brinckerhoff William , Brinza David , Bristow Thomas , Brunet Claude , Brunner Anna , Brunner Will , Buch Arnaud , Bullock Mark , Burmeister Sönke , Cabane Michel , Calef Fred , Cameron James , Campbell John "Iain" , Cantor Bruce , Caplinger Michael , Rodríguez Javier Caride , Carmosino Marco , Blázquez Isaías Carrasco , Charpentier Antoine , Chipera Steve , Choi David , Clark Benton , Clegg Sam , Cleghorn Timothy , Cloutis Ed , Cody George , Coll Patrice , Conrad Pamela , Coscia David , Cousin Agnès , Cremers David , Crisp Joy , Cros Alain , Cucinotta Frank , d'Uston Claude , Davis Scott , Day Mackenzie "Kenzie" , Juarez Manuel de la Torre , DeFlores Lauren , DeLapp Dorothea , DeMarines Julia , DesMarais David , Dietrich William , Dingler Robert , Donny Christophe , Downs Bob , Drake Darrell , Dromart Gilles , Dupont Audrey , Duston Brian , Dworkin Jason , Dyar M. Darby , Edgar Lauren , Edgett Kenneth , Edwards Christopher , Edwards Laurence , Ehlmann Bethany , Ehresmann Bent , Eigenbrode Jen , Elliott Beverley , Elliott Harvey , Ewing Ryan , Fabre Cécile , Fairén Alberto , Farley Ken , Farmer Jack , Fassett Caleb , Favot Laurent , Fay Donald , Fedosov Fedor , Feldman Jason , Feldman Sabrina , Fisk Marty , Fitzgibbon Mike , Flesch Greg , Floyd Melissa , Flückiger Lorenzo , Forni Olivier , Fraeman Abby , Francis Raymond , François Pascaline , Franz Heather , Freissinet Caroline , French Katherine Louise , Frydenvang Jens , Gaboriaud Alain , Gailhanou Marc , Garvin James , Gasnault Olivier , Geffroy Claude , Gellert Ralf , Genzer Maria , Glavin Daniel , Godber Austin , Goesmann Fred , Goetz Walter , Golovin Dmitry , Gómez Felipe Gómez , Gómez-Elvira Javier , Gondet Brigitte , Gordon Suzanne , Gorevan Stephen , Grant John , Griffes Jennifer , Grinspoon David , Grotzinger John , Guillemot Philippe , Guo Jingnan , Gupta Sanjeev , Guzewich Scott , Haberle Robert , Halleaux Douglas , Hallet Bernard , Hamilton Vicky , Hardgrove Craig , Harker David , Harpold Daniel , Harri Ari-Matti , Harshman Karl , Hassler Donald , Haukka Harri , Hayes Alex , Herkenhoff Ken , Herrera Paul , Hettrich Sebastian , Heydari Ezat , Hipkin Victoria , Hoehler Tori , Hollingsworth Jeff , Hudgins Judy , Huntress Wesley , Hurowitz Joel , Hviid Stubbe , Iagnemma Karl , Indyk Steve , Israël Guy , Jackson Ryan , Jacob Samantha , Jakosky Bruce , Jensen Elsa , Jensen Jaqueline Kløvgaard , Johnson Jeffrey , Johnson Micah , Johnstone Steve , Jones Andrea , Jones John , Joseph Jonathan , Jun Insoo , Kah Linda , Kahanpää Henrik , Kahre Melinda , Karpushkina Natalya , Kasprzak Wayne , Kauhanen Janne , Keely Leslie , Kemppinen Osku , Keymeulen Didier , Kim Myung-Hee , Kinch Kjartan , King Penny , Kirkland Laurel , Kocurek Gary , Koefoed Asmus , Köhler Jan , Kortmann Onno , Kozyrev Alexander , Krezoski Jill , Krysak Daniel , Kuzmin Ruslan , Lacour Jean Luc , Lafaille Vivian , Langevin Yves , Lanza Nina , Lasue Jeremie , Le Mouélic Stéphane , Lee Ella Mae , Lee Qiu-Mei , Lees David , Lefavor Matthew , Lemmon Mark , Malvitte Alain Lepinette , Leshin Laurie , Léveillé Richard , Lewin-Carpintier Éric , Lewis Kevin , Li Shuai , Lipkaman Leslie , Little Cynthia , Litvak Maxim , Lorigny Eric , Lugmair Guenter , Lundberg Angela , Lyness Eric , Madsen Morten , Mahaffy Paul , Maki Justin , Malakhov Alexey , Malespin Charles , Malin Michael , Mangold Nicolas , Manhes Gérard , Manning Heidi , Marchand Geneviève , Jiménez Mercedes Marín , García César Martín , Martin Dave , Martin Mildred , Martínez-Frías Jesús , Martín-Soler Javier , Martín-Torres F. Javier , Mauchien Patrick , Maurice Sylvestre , McAdam Amy , McCartney Elaina , McConnochie Timothy , McCullough Emily , McEwan Ian , McKay Christopher , McLennan Scott , McNair Sean , Melikechi Noureddine , Meslin Pierre-Yves , Meyer Michael , Mezzacappa Alissa , Miller Hayden , Miller Kristen , Milliken Ralph , Ming Douglas , Minitti Michelle , Mischna Michael , Mitrofanov Igor , Moersch Jeff , Mokrousov Maxim , Jurado Antonio Molina , Moores John , Mora-Sotomayor Luis , Morookian John Michael , Morris Richard , Morrison Shaunna , Mueller-Mellin Reinhold , Muller Jan-Peter , Caro Guillermo Muñoz , Nachon Marion , López Sara Navarro , Navarro-González Rafael , Nealson Kenneth , Nefian Ara , Nelson Tony , Newcombe Megan , Newman Claire , Newsom Horton , Nikiforov Sergey , Niles Paul , Nixon Brian , Dobrea Eldar Noe , Nolan Thomas , Oehler Dorothy , Ollila Ann , Olson Timothy , Owen Tobias , Hernández Miguel Ángel de Pablo , Paillet Alexis , Pallier Etienne , Palucis Marisa , Parker Timothy , Parot Yann , Patel Kiran , Paton Mark , Paulsen Gale , Pavlov Alex , Pavri Betina , Peinado-González Verónica , Pepin Robert , Peret Laurent , Perez Rene , Perrett Glynis , Peterson Joe , Pilorget Cedric , Pinet Patrick , Pla-García Jorge , Plante Ianik , Poitrasson Franck , Polkko Jouni , Popa Radu , Posiolova Liliya , Posner Arik , Pradler Irina , Prats Benito , Prokhorov Vasily , Purdy Sharon Wilson , Raaen Eric , Radziemski Leon , Rafkin Scot , Ramos Miguel , Rampe Elizabeth , Raulin François , Ravine Michael , Reitz Günther , Rennó Nilton , Rice Melissa , Richardson Mark , Robert François , Robertson Kevin , Manfredi José Antonio Rodriguez , Romeral-Planelló Julio J. , Rowland Scott , Rubin David , Saccoccio Muriel , Salamon Andrew , Sandoval Jennifer , Sanin Anton , Fuentes Sara Alejandra Sans , Saper Lee , Sarrazin Philippe , Sautter Violaine , Savijärvi Hannu , Schieber Juergen , Schmidt Mariek , Schmidt Walter , Scholes Daniel "Dan" , Schoppers Marcel , Schröder Susanne , Schwenzer Susanne , Martinez Eduardo Sebastian , Sengstacken Aaron , Shterts Ruslan , Siebach Kirsten , Siili Tero , Simmonds Jeff , Sirven Jean-Baptiste , Slavney Susie , Sletten Ronald , Smith Michael , Sánchez Pablo Sobrón , Spanovich Nicole , Spray John , Squyres Steven , Stack Katie , Stalport Fabien , Steele Andrew , Stein Thomas , Stern Jennifer , Stewart Noel , Stipp Susan Louise Svane , Stoiber Kevin , Stolper Ed , Sucharski Bob , Sullivan Rob , Summons Roger , Sumner Dawn , Sun Vivian , Supulver Kimberley , Sutter Brad , Szopa Cyril , Tan Florence , Tate Christopher , Teinturier Samuel , ten Kate Inge , Thomas Peter , Thompson Lucy , Tokar Robert , Toplis Mike , Redondo Josefina Torres , Trainer Melissa , Treiman Allan , Tretyakov Vladislav , Urqui-O'Callaghan Roser , Van Beek Jason , Van Beek Tessa , VanBommel Scott , Vaniman David , Varenikov Alexey , Vasavada Ashwin , Vasconcelos Paulo , Vicenzi Edward , Vostrukhin Andrey , Voytek Mary , Wadhwa Meenakshi , Ward Jennifer , Webster Chris , Weigle Eddie , Wellington Danika , Westall Frances , Wiens Roger Craig , Wilhelm Mary Beth , Williams Amy , Williams Joshua , Williams Rebecca , Williams Richard B. "Mouser" , Wilson Mike , Wimmer-Schweingruber Robert , Wolff Mike , Wong Mike , Wray James , Wu Megan , Yana Charles , Yen Albert , Yingst Aileen , Zeitlin Cary , Zimdar Robert , Mier María-Paz Zorzano 
Published: September 2013

The Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity scooped samples of soil from the Rocknest aeolian bedform in Gale crater. Analysis of the soil with the Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) x-ray diffraction (XRD) instrument revealed plagioclase (~An57), forsteritic olivine (~Fo62), augite, and pigeonite, with minor K-feldspar, magnetite, quartz, anhydrite, hematite, and ilmenite. The minor phases are present at, or near, detection limits. The soil also contains 27 ± 14 weight percent x-ray amorphous material, likely containing multiple Fe
3+
- and volatile-bearing phases, including possibly a substance resembling hisingerite. The crystalline component is similar to the normative mineralogy of certain basaltic rocks from Gusev crater on Mars and of martian basaltic meteorites. The amorphous component is similar to that found on Earth in places such as soils on the Mauna Kea volcano, Hawaii.