Sponsors —
California Institute of Technology
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Lunar and Planetary Institute
Mars Exploration Program
National Aeronautics and
   Space Administration
Society for Sedimentary Geology

Conveners —
John Grotzinger,
   California Institute of Technology
David Beaty,
   Mars Program Office,
   Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Scientific Organizing Committee —
Gilles Dromart,
   Lyon, France
John Grant,
   Smithsonian Institution
Sanjeev Gupta,
   Imperial College London
Mitch Harris
   Chevron
Gary Kocurek,
   University of Texas
Scott McLennan,
   SUNY Stony Brook
Ralph Milliken,
   Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Gian Gabrielle Ori,
   IRPS, Italy
Dawn Sumner,
   University of California, Davis

MEETING LOCATION AND DATE

KEY POINTS:
  When:  April 19–21, 2010
  Where:  El Paso, Texas

Mars has preserved sedimentary rocks that record the evolution of its early surface environments. The oldest sedimentary rocks likely exceed 4 billion years and significantly predate the stabilization of the Archean cratons on Earth, which preserve the oldest sedimentary rocks on Earth. Thus, the martian sedimentary record may provide a unique opportunity to study the early environmental evolution of a terrestrial planet. It is during this key time interval that prebiotic chemistry and the origin of life appear to have taken place on Earth. The absence of well-preserved terrestrial sedimentary rocks are a significant barrier to investigating the earliest tectonic, climatic, and biologic processes, and are a powerful motivation for studying such rocks on Mars.

This conference seeks to stimulate the exchange of ideas among the community of scientists with common interests in sedimentary processes and the stratigraphic record of sedimentary rocks on Mars. Topical sessions will include weathering processes, provenance, and diagenesis of sediments; transport and depositional processes (fluvial, eolian, lacustrine, evaporitic, volcaniclastic, and impact), both past and present; characterization and origin of vast exposures of layered bedrock; controls on stratigraphic stacking patterns and stratal geometry; and the evolution of sedimentary basins, including patterns of deformation.

The two-and-a-half day meeting will consist of the following session topics:

Physical/Mineralogic/Chemical Stratigraphy
Stratal geometries
Bed thickness distributions
Spatial distribution of "facies"
Vertical and lateral distribution of minerals within bedded deposits
In situ analysis of chemical/mineralogic variability in stratified rocks

Secular Evolution of Sedimentary Rock Types
Local, regional, and global reference sections
Identification of key stratigraphic transitions
Correlation, dating, timescales
Paleoenvironmental reconstructions

Erosional/Depositional Processes
Field-based models for sedimentology and stratigraphy
Numerical/physical modeling of sedimentologic/stratigraphic processes
Source-to-sink systems

Diagenetic Processes and Geochemistry
Mars processes
Paragenetic sequences
Terrestrial analogs

Sedimentologic Boundary Conditions:  Mars vs. Earth
Sediment transport/erosion/deposition
Precipitation of salts
Fluid properties

Sedimentary Rocks and Astrobiology
Habitable sedimentary environments
Diagenetic regimes and taphonomic windows
Promising landing sites for future missions

The program will consist of invited and contributed talks, discussions, and poster presentations.

After the meeting concludes mid-day on Wednesday, April 21, field trip participants will leave El Paso for Carlsbad, New Mexico, via bus. The field trip will focus on the sedimentary rocks that have filled the western part of the Permian Basin. The group will stay in Carlsbad for the nights of April 21 and 22.

What we will see:
The Guadalupe and Delaware Mountain outcrops located 2.5 hrs east of El Paso represent one of the world’s best exposed and best studied basin-fill successions. A remarkable spectrum of shallow and deep-water evaporites, eolian, shallow shelf and basinal sandstones, and shelf, slope, and basinal carbonate strata can be found in near-original depositional setting. These strata are both mineralogically diverse and exhibit a remarkable range of physical stratal geometries and stacking patterns. The 1700 m local relief produced by the Basin-and-Range age normal fault system is on par with that observed in the Grand Canyon, making it possible to observe in one vantage point the entire shelf to basin Permian paleobathymetry.

These outcrops present very useful partial analogs for what might be present in the sedimentary rock record of Mars. Many of the martian sedimentary rocks also fill large basins, and are either observed or are presumed to show systematic variations from basin margin to basin interior as well as from oldest to youngest unit. Both systems show a mixture of sulfate and phyllosilicate minerals, along with other sedimentary components. Part of the value of exploring this analog in the field is that there are key general lessons to be learned about how sedimentary strata in general are formed, and what techniques and approaches are used by terrestrial geologists to study them; how, for example, paleobathymetry could be reconstructed based on observation of specific types of stratal geometries. Indeed, the rocks that will be seen on this field trip are possibly the most visited on Earth for the purpose of education, so participants with less experience in sedimentology and stratigraphy will find the stops to be very instructive.

Stops on the field trip will be designed to highlight

• Tectonic setting and overview of the shelf-to-basin profile of the Permian Basin (Salt Flat Graben floor)
• Style and occurrence of basinal sulfates (anhydrite) of the Castile Formation sitting in an estimated 600–700 m of paleo-water depth (Castile escarpment on Permian Basin floor)
• Mixed carbonate-evaporite-siliciclastic mudstone facies transitions of the restricted shelf, and their recognition through remote sensing using AVIRIS data (Rocky Arroyo transect)
• Stratal geometries of a mixed siliciclastic-carbonate prograding shelf deposit with well-exposed clinoforms (Last Chance Canyon)
• Basinal sandstone turbidite slope channels of the Brushy Canyon Formation (Guadalupe Canyon)
• A stop at the world-famous Carlsbad Caverns to examine the geologic processes associated with cave formation in this environment

Departure from Doubletree Hotel:   Wednesday, April 21, noon.
Return to El Paso International Airport:   Friday, April 23, by 3:00 p.m. (don’t make departure flight reservations for earlier than 4:30 p.m.)
Cost:   $550.00 (cost includes hotel stay in Carlsbad, transportation, and all meals)
Special Note:   Non-U.S. citizens will need to bring passports, because we need to pass through a border-related checkpoint.

Participation is capped at 80 people. We expect this trip to be full and encourage early registration.

Researchers in scientific disciplines appropriate to the purpose and scope of this workshop are invited to submit abstracts for oral or poster presentations.

All abstracts, whether invited or contributed, must be submitted electronically to the Lunar and Planetary Institute via the electronic submission form by 5:00 p.m. U.S. Central Standard Time on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 (see timezone map). Abstracts will be limited to one page, including graphics, tables, and references, and MUST be submitted in PDF format. Templates and detailed instructions for formatting and submitting your abstract are provided.

Note:  It is in your best interest to submit early to allow for possible technical problems or delays in transmission. Please do not wait until the last minute to access the system; access to the web form will terminate at 5:00 p.m. CST.

The program and abstracts will be available via the meeting website by March 4, 2010. These files will be in PDF format. Authors should check the online program to find out when their abstract has been scheduled.

KEY POINTS:
Deadline:  
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
5:00 p.m. U.S. CST

(see timezone map)

The NASA Mars Program Office has announced that travel funding will be made available for approximately five students who are U.S. citizens, with Mars-related interests, to attend the workshop and associated field trip. students must submit the electronic student travel application by Wednesday, February 10, 2010, to be considered for this funding. NASA will make the selections and students will be notified no later than Tuesday, March 23, 2010.

Reimbursable costs include transportation (airfare, mileage to/from airport, parking, rental car) and lodging/per diem. In most cases, actual expenses will exceed the funding provided.

Note:  Students who are applying for travel assistance should not pay the registration fee until they (1) have been notified that they have not received an award or (2) have been notified that they have received an award. Failure to comply with this requirement may prohibit reimbursement.

Travel costs up to $600.00 plus conference and field trip registration fees will be reimbursed according to JPL/government-specified allowances. For reference, hotel/per diem rates can be found at www.gsa.gov (see per diem).

Eligibility:  Students must be U.S. citizens.

Students must be enrolled at a university at the time of the conference or the semester immediately following the conference (if during break).

Credit card registrations:  Participants registering by credit card must use the secure electronic registration form.

Other methods of payment:  Those registering using any method of payment (check, money order, or traveler’s checks) must use the downloadable registration form.

Cancellations:  Requests for cancellation with a fee refund (less a $25.00 processing fee) will only be accepted through April 2, 2010. Those who fail to attend and do not notify the LPI prior to the April 2 deadline will forfeit their full fees.

KEY POINTS:
Registration Deadlines —
Reduced rate:
   March 18
Preregistration:
   March 19–April 9

The Doubletree Hotel El Paso Downtown/City Center is holding a block of rooms at a special rate of $92.00, plus tax, single or double occupancy. The hotel is located at 600 N. El Paso Street, El Paso, Texas, just six miles from the El Paso International Airport.

To ensure a room at the special rate, reservations MUST be made by March 16, 2010. Participants are encouraged to make their reservations early.

Room Reservations –
Reservations may be made by one of the following ways:

The Doubletree Hotel El Paso Downtown/City Center Online Reservations
Upon submission of the requested dates, enter the group/convention code:  SRA. The next page will indicate the special rate of $92.00.

Doubletree telephone reservations at 1-800-445-8667.
Specify “Universities Space Research Association” and group code:  SRA.

Reservations must be guaranteed with a major credit card. All reserved guest rooms are guaranteed until 6:00 p.m. on day of arrival. Guests planning to arrive after 6:00 p.m. should notify the hotel at the time the room is booked. If travel plans should change due to delayed flights or other circumstances, guests should contact the hotel directly at 915-532-8733.

Cancellation Policy –
If you wish to cancel your reservation, you will need to do so at least 24 hours before scheduled arrival to avoid cancellation penalties.

For further information regarding the scientific objectives and field trip, contact

John Grotzinger
California Institute of Technology
phone:  626-395-6785
e-mail:  grotz@gps.caltech.edu

David Beaty
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
phone:  818-354-7968
e-mail:  david.beaty@jpl.nasa.gov

For further information regarding conference logistics and announcements, contact

Kimberly Taylor
Lunar and Planetary Institute
phone:  281-486-2151
e-mail:  taylor@lpi.usra.edu

For further information regarding abstract submission or registration, contact

Linda Tanner
Lunar and Planetary Institute
phone:  281-486-2142
e-mail: tanner@lpi.usra.edu