Mineralogy of a Mudstone at Yellowknife Bay, Gale Crater, Mars
Authors: Vaniman D. T. , Bish D. L. , Ming D. W. , Bristow T. F. , Morris R. V. , Blake D. F. , Chipera S. J. , Morrison S. M. , Treiman A. H. , Rampe E. B. , Rice M. , Achilles C. N. , Grotzinger J. P. , McLennan S. M. , Williams J. , Bell J. F. , Newsom H. E. , Downs R. T. , Maurice S. , Sarrazin P. , Yen A. S. , Morookian J. M. , Farmer J. D. , Stack K. , Milliken R. E. , Ehlmann B. L. , Sumner D. Y. , Berger G. , Crisp J. A. , Hurowitz J. A. , Anderson R. , Des Marais D. J. , Stolper E. M. , Edgett K. S. , Gupta S. , Spanovich N. ,   MSL Science Team, Agard Christophe , Alves Verdasca José Alexandre , 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 , Bender Steve , Benna Mehdi , Bentz Jennifer , Berger Jeff , Berman Daniel , Blanco Avalos Juan J. , 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 , 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 , Caride Rodríguez Javier , Carmosino Marco , Carrasco Blázquez Isaías , Charpentier Antoine , Choi David , Clark Benton , Clegg Sam , Cleghorn Timothy , Cloutis Ed , Cody George , Coll Patrice , Conrad Pamela , Coscia David , Cousin Agnès , Cremers David , Cros Alain , Cucinotta Frank , d’Uston Claude , Davis Scott , Day Mackenzie “Kenzie” , de la Torre Juarez Manuel , DeFlores Lauren , DeLapp Dorothea , DeMarines Julia , Dietrich William , Dingler Robert , Donny Christophe , Drake Darrell , Dromart Gilles , Dupont Audrey , Duston Brian , Dworkin Jason , Dyar M. Darby , Edgar Lauren , Edwards Christopher , Edwards Laurence , Ehresmann Bent , Eigenbrode Jen , Elliott Beverley , Elliott Harvey , Ewing Ryan , Fabre Cécile , Fairén Alberto , Farley Ken , 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 Gómez Felipe , Gómez-Elvira Javier , Gondet Brigitte , Gordon Suzanne , Gorevan Stephen , Grant John , Griffes Jennifer , Grinspoon David , Guillemot Philippe , Guo Jingnan , 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 , 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 , Marín Jiménez Mercedes , Martín García César , Martin Dave , Martin Mildred , Martínez-Frías Jesús , Martín-Soler Javier , Martín-Torres F. Javier , Mauchien Patrick , McAdam Amy , McCartney Elaina , McConnochie Timothy , McCullough Emily , McEwan Ian , McKay Christopher , McNair Sean , Melikechi Noureddine , Meslin Pierre-Yves , Meyer Michael , Mezzacappa Alissa , Miller Hayden , Miller Kristen , Minitti Michelle , Mischna Michael , Mitrofanov Igor , Moersch Jeff , Mokrousov Maxim , Molina Jurado Antonio , Moores John , Mora-Sotomayor Luis , Mueller-Mellin Reinhold , Muller Jan-Peter , Muñoz Caro Guillermo , Nachon Marion , Navarro López Sara , Navarro-González Rafael , Nealson Kenneth , Nefian Ara , Nelson Tony , Newcombe Megan , Newman Claire , Nikiforov Sergey , Niles Paul , Nixon Brian , Noe Dobrea Eldar , Nolan Thomas , Oehler Dorothy , Ollila Ann , Olson Timothy , Owen Tobias , de Pablo Hernández Miguel Ángel , 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 , Raulin François , Ravine Michael , Reitz Günther , Rennó Nilton , Richardson Mark , Robert François , Robertson Kevin , Rodriguez Manfredi José Antonio , Romeral-Planelló Julio J. , Rowland Scott , Rubin David , Saccoccio Muriel , Salamon Andrew , Sandoval Jennifer , Sanin Anton , Sans Fuentes Sara Alejandra , Saper Lee , Sautter Violaine , Savijärvi Hannu , Schieber Juergen , Schmidt Mariek , Schmidt Walter , Scholes Daniel “Dan” , Schoppers Marcel , Schröder Susanne , Schwenzer Susanne , Sebastian Martinez Eduardo , Sengstacken Aaron , Shterts Ruslan , Siebach Kirsten , Siili Tero , Simmonds Jeff , Sirven Jean-Baptiste , Slavney Susie , Sletten Ronald , Smith Michael , Sobrón Sánchez Pablo , Spray John , Squyres Steven , Stalport Fabien , Steele Andrew , Stein Thomas , Stern Jennifer , Stewart Noel , Stipp Susan Louise Svane , Stoiber Kevin , Sucharski Bob , Sullivan Rob , Summons Roger , 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 , Torres Redondo Josefina , Trainer Melissa , Tretyakov Vladislav , Urqui-O’Callaghan Roser , Van Beek Jason , Van Beek Tessa , VanBommel Scott , 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 Rebecca , Williams Richard B. “Mouser” , Wilson Mike , Wimmer-Schweingruber Robert , Wolff Mike , Wong Mike , Wray James , Wu Megan , Yana Charles , Yingst Aileen , Zeitlin Cary , Zimdar Robert , Zorzano Mier María-Paz 
Published: December 2013

Sedimentary rocks at Yellowknife Bay (Gale crater) on Mars include mudstone sampled by the Curiosity rover. The samples, John Klein and Cumberland, contain detrital basaltic minerals, calcium sulfates, iron oxide or hydroxides, iron sulfides, amorphous material, and trioctahedral smectites. The John Klein smectite has basal spacing of ~10 angstroms, indicating little interlayer hydration. The Cumberland smectite has basal spacing at both ~13.2 and ~10 angstroms. The larger spacing suggests a partially chloritized interlayer or interlayer magnesium or calcium facilitating H
2
O retention. Basaltic minerals in the mudstone are similar to those in nearby eolian deposits. However, the mudstone has far less Fe-forsterite, possibly lost with formation of smectite plus magnetite. Late Noachian/Early Hesperian or younger age indicates that clay mineral formation on Mars extended beyond Noachian time.