Curiosity at Gale Crater, Mars: Characterization and Analysis of the Rocknest Sand Shadow
Authors: Blake D. F. , Morris R. V. , Kocurek G. , Morrison S. M. , Downs R. T. , Bish D. , Ming D. W. , Edgett K. S. , Rubin D. , Goetz W. , Madsen M. B. , Sullivan R. , Gellert R. , Campbell I. , Treiman A. H. , McLennan S. M. , Yen A. S. , Grotzinger J. , Vaniman D. T. , Chipera S. J. , Achilles C. N. , Rampe E. B. , Sumner D. , Meslin P.-Y. , Maurice S. , Forni O. , Gasnault O. , Fisk M. , Schmidt M. , Mahaffy P. , Leshin L. A. , Glavin D. , Steele A. , Freissinet C. , Navarro-González R. , Yingst R. A. , Kah L. C. , Bridges N. , Lewis K. W. , Bristow T. F. , Farmer J. D. , Crisp J. A. , Stolper E. M. , Des Marais D. J. , Sarrazin P. ,   MSL Science Team, Agard Christophe , Alves Verdasca José Alexandre , 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 , Blanco Avalos Juan Jose , 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 , Brinckerhoff William , Brinza David , Brunet Claude , Brunner Anna , Brunner Will , Buch Arnaud , Bullock Mark , Burmeister Sönke , Cabane Michel , Calef Fred , Cameron James , Cantor Bruce , Caplinger Michael , Rodríguez Javier Caride , Carmosino Marco , Blázquez Isaías Carrasco , 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 , Juarez Manuel de la Torre , 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 , Ehlmann Bethany , 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 , Fitzgibbon Mike , Flesch Greg , Floyd Melissa , Flückiger Lorenzo , Fraeman Abby , Francis Raymond , François Pascaline , Franz Heather , French Katherine Louise , Frydenvang Jens , Gaboriaud Alain , Gailhanou Marc , Garvin James , Geffroy Claude , Genzer Maria , Godber Austin , Goesmann Fred , Golovin Dmitry , Gómez Felipe Gómez , Gómez-Elvira Javier , Gondet Brigitte , Gordon Suzanne , Gorevan Stephen , Grant John , Griffes Jennifer , Grinspoon David , 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 , 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 , 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 , Lepinette Malvitte Alain , Léveillé Richard , Lewin-Carpintier Éric , Li Shuai , Lipkaman Leslie , Little Cynthia , Litvak Maxim , Lorigny Eric , Lugmair Guenter , Lundberg Angela , Lyness Eric , Maki Justin , Malakhov Alexey , Malespin Charles , Malin Michael , Mangold Nicolas , 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 , Meyer Michael , Mezzacappa Alissa , Miller Hayden , Miller Kristen , Milliken Ralph , Minitti Michelle , Mischna Michael , Mitrofanov Igor , Moersch Jeff , Mokrousov Maxim , Molina Jurado Antonio , Moores John , Mora-Sotomayor Luis , Morookian John Michael , Mueller-Mellin Reinhold , Muller Jan-Peter , Muñoz Caro Guillermo , Nachon Marion , Navarro López Sara , 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 , Pablo Hernández , 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 , 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 , Rice Melissa , Richardson Mark , Robert François , Rodriguez Manfredi José Antonio , Romeral-Planelló Julio J. , Rowland Scott , Saccoccio Muriel , Salamon Andrew , Sandoval Jennifer , Sanin Anton , Sans Fuentes Sara Alejandra , Saper Lee , Sautter Violaine , Savijärvi Hannu , Schieber Juergen , Schmidt Walter , Scholes Daniel , Schoppers Marcel , Schröder 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 , Spanovich Nicole , Spray John , Squyres Steven , Stack Katie , Stalport Fabien , Stein Thomas , Stern Jennifer , Stewart Noel , Stipp Susan Louise Svane , Stoiber Kevin , Sucharski Bob , Summons Roger , Sun Vivian , Supulver Kimberley , Sutter Brad , Szopa Cyril , Tate Christopher , Teinturier Samuel , ten Kate Inge Loes , 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 Joshua , Williams Rebecca , Williams Richard B. , Wilson Mike , Wimmer-Schweingruber Robert , Wolff Mike , Wong Mike , Wray James , Wu Megan , Yana Charles , Zeitlin Cary , Zimdar Robert , Zorzano Mier María-Paz 
Published: September 2013

The Rocknest aeolian deposit is similar to aeolian features analyzed by the Mars Exploration Rovers (MERs) Spirit and Opportunity. The fraction of sand <150 micrometers in size contains ~55% crystalline material consistent with a basaltic heritage and ~45% x-ray amorphous material. The amorphous component of Rocknest is iron-rich and silicon-poor and is the host of the volatiles (water, oxygen, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and chlorine) detected by the Sample Analysis at Mars instrument and of the fine-grained nanophase oxide component first described from basaltic soils analyzed by MERs. The similarity between soils and aeolian materials analyzed at Gusev Crater, Meridiani Planum, and Gale Crater implies locally sourced, globally similar basaltic materials or globally and regionally sourced basaltic components deposited locally at all three locations.