Friday 28th September Sol 52

A group us have been on a field trip between the San Andreas and San Gabriel faults, about an hour’s drive north of JPL.  Movement between these faults within the last 10 million years created a large basin filled with alluvial and marine sediments.  This is stimulating for our current science discussions about the outcrops we have driving past and studying on our way to Glenelg.  It makes us think of the structures and processes associated with sedimentary rocks and the measurements we need to make. 

Trough studying outcrops like ‘Link’ we can learn about the environment within which the water flowed to carry down and abrade the clasts.  It can also tell us about source regions for the clasts at the margins of Gale Crater.  Happily we have fresh surfaces which are not covered by dust, that will make our job a lot easier.