Geological field trip to Gale crater, Mars: a view from the ChemCam on MSL

Located on Curiosity's mast, the ChemCam instrument ("Chemistry and Camera") uses a laser to provide the elemental composition of geological features along the rover's path. Since 2012, it has contributed to the investigation of geological units that record a time when on Mars, at Gale crater, liquid water was present at the surface. 

Dr. Marion Nachon's talk will focus on the ChemCam analysis of geological features embedded or cross-cutting sedimentary rocks that have formed in a fluvial-lacustrine complex. These geological features correspond to a "late" stage of the history of sedimentary rocks at Gale, after their deposition in the fluvial-lacustrine environment.