- Bonneville (crater)
MarsGeo-Crater
name=Bonneville Crater
region=Gusev Crater
latitude = 14.6
N_or_S = S
longitude = 175.5
E_or_W = E
diameter=210 m
depth= 14 m
discoverer=Spirit rover
eponym=Lake Bonneville Bonneville Crater is an
impact crater on Mars. It is located within the much largerGusev crater . Bonneville was visited by the Mars Exploration Rover 'Spirit' in 2004, during its exploration of the floor of Gusev. Bonneville is also the final resting place of Spirit'sheat shield , jettisoned during the landing procedure; the heat-shield could be seen glinting on the opposite wall when Spirit photographed the crater. The crater is 210 meters in diameter, 14 meters deep and its rim rises 6.4 meters above the surrounding terrain. cite journal|title=Surficial Deposits at Gusev Crater Along Spirit Rover Traverses|journal=Science|author=Squyres, et al|volume=305|issue=5685|pages=807–810|doi=10.1126/science.1099849|accessdate=2008-04-24|year=2004|pmid=15297659]Bonneville Crater is named after
Lake Bonneville , an ancient lake inUtah .Formation and geology
The strata into which Bonneville formed is thought to be loose debris, although some of the ejecta may have originated from more competent rocks. No underlying bedrock was exposed in the crater or the numerous craterlets in Bonneville's walls. The crater is relatively pristine and in particular has not been affected by water based erosion. [cite web|title=Surfical geology of the Spirit rover traverse in Gusev Crater: dry and desiccating since the Hesperian|url=http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/earlymars2004/pdf/8055.pdf|accessdate=2008-04-24|author=Golombek, et al]
It is likely that Bonneville is a
secondary crater , given its low depth to diameter ratio.References
External links
* [http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/ Official Mars Rovers site]
* [http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap040318.html Astronomy Picture of the Day for March 18, 2004]
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