45-3 Comparative Analysis of Stromatolite-Like Structures in Gale Crater, Mars

Session: Surface Processes Across the Solar System (Posters)

Presenting Author:

Author:

Abstract:

Layered rock formations imaged by NASA’s Curiosity rover in Gale Crater, Mars, display sedimentary structures that resemble terrestrial stromatolites, characterized by laminated accretionary features commonly produced by microbial mat communities. On Earth, stromatolites represent some of the oldest preserved biosignatures, recording interactions among microorganisms, sediments, and mineral precipitation in shallow aqueous environments. This study examines rover-based imaging and mineralogical data from wavy-laminated structures observed within the “Garden City” vein complex on the lower slopes of Mount Sharp and compares them with well-characterized Archean stromatolites from the Pilbara Craton, Western Australia, as well as Early Paleozoic stromatolites from the Petrified Sea Gardens of Saratoga County, New York. The association of these Martian structures with fluorite, sulfates, iron-bearing minerals, carbonates, and clay-rich sediments indicates sustained aqueous alteration under geochemical conditions that may have been conducive to microbial ecosystems. While abiotic processes remain viable explanations for the observed textures, the combined morphological and mineralogical similarities support the hypothesis that early Martian environments may have been capable of sustaining microbial life.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 58, No. 2, 2026

© Copyright 2026 The Geological Society of America (GSA), all rights reserved.