A lacustrine paleoenvironment recorded at Vera Rubin ridge, Gale crater: Overview of the sedimentology and stratigraphy observed by the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover

For ~ 500 sols, the Mars Science Laboratory team explored Vera Rubin ridge (VRR), a topographic feature on the northwest slope of Aeolis Mons. Here we review the sedimentary facies and stratigraphy observed during sols 1800-2300, covering more than 100 m of stratigraphic thickness. Curiosity's traverse includes two transects across the ridge, which enables studies of lateral variability over a distance of ~ 300 m. Three informally named stratigraphic members of the Murray formation are described: Blunts Point, Pettegrove Point, and Jura, with the latter two forming the ridge. The Blunts Point member, exposed just below the ridge, is characterized by a recessive, fine-grained facies that exhibits extensive planar lamination and is crosscut by abundant curviplanar veins. The Pettegrove Point member is more resistant, fine-grained, thinly planar laminated, and contains a higher abundance of diagenetic concretions. Conformable above the Pettegrove Point member is the Jura member, which is also fine-grained an...