Mariek E. Schmidt

Professor, Earth Sciences

Office: Mackenzie Chown D414
905 688 5550 x3527
mschmidt2@brocku.ca

Mariek Schmidt is a Professor of Earth Sciences at Brock University and a geologist who studies igneous and volcanic rocks on both Earth and Mars. She received a BA in Geology from Colby College in Maine before going to Oregon State University where she got a PhD researching the eruptive history and geochemistry of volcanic rocks in the Oregon Cascade Range. Professor Schmidt first started working on Mars in 2005 when she was hired as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.. For this position, she was a Postdoctoral Collaborator on the Mars Exploration Rover mission and worked with data from both the Spirit and Opportunity rovers. She joined the Earth Science Department at Brock University in 2009 and established a research program investigating the eruptive and environmental histories of volcanic fields on Earth and Mars. In 2012, Professor Schmidt was selected by NASA to be a Participating Scientist on the Mars Science Laboratory mission, working with the Curiosity rover, a project that is ongoing. And in late 2020, she was selected by NASA to be a Participating Scientist on the Mars 2020 rover mission and will get to work with data from the Perseverance rover. Schmidt also keeps active in terrestrial research with ongoing projects on the histories of volcanic fields in central Oregon, New Mexico, Nevada, and Iceland.

Career History

  • 2022 – present Professor, Department of Earth Sciences, Brock University
  • 2014 – 2022 Associate Professor, Department of Earth Sciences, Brock University.
  • 2013 – Special Graduate Faculty, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph
  • 2012 – 2017 Adjunct Research Associate, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario
  • 2011 – 2016 Research Associate, Department of Mineral Sciences, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution
  • 2010 to 2014 Assistant Professor, Department of Earth Sciences, Brock University.
  • 2009 to 2010 Post-doctoral Fellow and Instructor, Department of Earth Sciences, Brock
  • 2005 to 2009 Post-doctoral Fellow, Department of Mineral Sciences, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution; Supervisor: Dr. Timothy J. McCoy; Collaborator on Mars Exploration Rover Science Team.

Qualifications

  • Ph.D. Oregon State University
  • B.A. Colby College

Activities

Editorial activities

  • 2020 – Associate Editor, Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets
  • 2007 to 2016 Editorial Board, Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research Planetary and Analog Mission Participation

Planetary and Analog Mission Participation

  • 2020 – Participating Scientist and PIXL Science Team Member, Mars 2020 Rover mission, supported by the Canadian Space Agency. Operational roles: PIXL Science Payload Uplink Lead Co-Investigator, iSXRD Planetary Instrument Development; Canadian Space Agency (CSA); Principle Investigator: Dr. Roberta Flemming
  • 2018 – 2020 Co-Investigator, iSXRD Planetary Instrument Concept; Canadian Space Agency (CSA); Principle Investigator: Dr. Roberta Flemming
  • 2017 to 2019 Co-Investigator, NeMO SAR Instrument, Canadian Space Agency; Principle Investigator: Dr. Gordon Osinski
  • 2011 – Participating Scientist and Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) Team Member, Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), supported by the Canadian Space Agency. Operational roles: APXS Science Planner, Payload Uplink/Downlink Lead, Geology Science Theme Group Lead (GSTL), Geology Keeper of the Plan (GKOP)
  • 2011 to 2013 MDA Mars Exploration Science Rover Science Team
  • 2010 to 2014 GeoHeuristic Operational Strategies Test (GHOST) Rover Science Team
  • 2005 to 2009 Collaborator on the Athena Science Team (NASA Mars Exploration Rover), Participating Scientist: Dr. Timothy McCoy. Operational roles: Pancam payload downlink lead (PDL), APXS and Mössbauer payload downlink and uplink lead (PUDL), Documentarian (Doc)

Teaching

  • ERSC 1F01 Planet Earth
  • ERSC 1P94 Planetary Science (online course)
  • ERSC 2P21 Introduction to Mineralogy and Mineral Association
  • ERSC 2P23 Mineralogy I: Minerals, Rocks, and their Geologic Context
  • ERSC 2P24 Mineralogy II: Crystallography and Optics
  • ERSC 3P90 Volcanology
  • ERSC 3P99 Field Camp-Solid Earth
  • ERSC 4P21 Advanced Igneous Petrology
  • ERSC 3P96 Special Topics in Earth Sciences
  • ERSC 4F91 BSc. Thesis

Research

Long-term eruptive and petrological history of volcanic fields on Earth and Mars

  • Martian basalt petrology and the evolution of the Martian mantle
  • Hydrovolcanism and the alteration of basaltic glass
  • Crustal evolution of igneous provinces (continental arc and rift settings)

Approaches: Terrestrial field studies, participation in robotic planetary missions (Mars Science Laboratory, Mars 2020), elemental and isotopic geochemistry, geochronology, petrologic modeling

Publications

Research Articles

Yen, A.S., Morris, R.V., Ming, D.W., Schwenzer, S.P., Sutter, B., Vaniman, D.T., Treiman, A.H., Gellert, R., Achilles, C.N., Berger, J.A., Blake, D.F., Boyd, N.I., Bristow, T.F., Chipera, S., Clark, B.C., Craig, P.I., Downs, R.T., Franz, H.B., Gabriel, T., McAdam, A.C., Morrison, S.M., O’Connell-Cooper, C.D., Rampe, E.B., Schmidt, M.E., Thompson, L.M., VanBommel, S.J., Formation of Tridymite and Evidence for a Hydrothermal History at Gale Crater, Mars. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets 126, e2020JE006569. doi: 10.1029/2020JE006569.

Berger, J.A., Schmidt, M.E., Campbell, J.L., Flannigan, E.L., Gellert, R., Ming, D.W., Morris, R.V. (2020). Particle Induced X-ray Emission spectrometry (PIXE) of Hawaiian volcanics: An analogue study to evaluate the APXS field analysis of geologic materials on Mars. Icarus 345, 113708, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2020.113708.

Berger, J.A., Gellert, R., Boyd, N.I., King, P.L., McCraig, M.A., O’Connell-Cooper, C.D., Schmidt, M.E., Spray, J.G., Thompson, L.M., VanBommel, S.J.V., Yen, A.S., 2020, Elemental composition and chemical evolution of geologic materials in Gale crater, Mars: APXS results from Bradbury Landing to the Vera Rubin Ridge, Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets 125, e2020JE006536. doi: 10.1029/2020JE006536.

Yingst, R.A., Bray, S., Herkenhoff, K., Lemmon, M., Minitti, M.E., Schmidt, M.E., Edgett, K.S., Fey, D.M., Kah, L.C., 2020, Dust cover on Curiosity’s Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) calibration target: Implications for deposition and removal mechanisms, Icarus 351, 113872.

Thompson, L.M., Berger, J.A., Spray, J.G., Fraeman, A.A., McCraig, M.A., O’Connell-Cooper, C.D., Schmidt, M.E., VanBommel, S., Gellert, R., Yen, A., Boyd, N.I., 2020, Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets 125, e2019JE006319. doi: 10.1029/2019JE006319.

Ojha, L., Lewis, K., Karunatillake, S., Schmidt, M., 2018, The Medusae Fossae Formation as the single largest source of dust on Mars, Nature Communications 9, 2867. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-05291-5.

Schmidt, M.E., Perrett, G.M., Bray, S.L., Bradley, N.J., Lee, R.E., Berger, J.A., Campbell, J.L., Ly, C., Squyres, S.W., Tesselaar, D. 2018, Dusty rocks in Gale crater: Assessing areal coverage and separating dust and rock contributions in APXS analyses, J. Geophys. Res.-Planets, 123, 1649-1673. doi:10.1029/2018JE005553.

O’Connell-Cooper, C.D., Spray, J.G., Thompson, L.M., Gellert, R., Berger, J.A., Boyd, N.I., Desouza, E.D., Perrett, G.M., Schmidt, M., VanBommel, S.J., 2017, APXS-derived chemistry of the Bagnold dune sands: Comparisons with Gale crater soils and the global martian average, submitted to Journal of Geophysical Research-Planets, 122, 2623-2643, doi: 10.1002/2017JE005268.

*Berger, J.A., Schmidt, M.E., Gellert, R., Boyd, N.I., Desouza, E.D., Flemming, R.L., Izawa, M.R.M., Ming, D.W., Perrett, G.M., Rampe, E., Thompson, L.M., VanBommel, S.J.V., Yen, A.S., 2017, Zinc and germanium in sedimentary rocks in Gale Crater on Mars indicate hydrothermal enrichment followed by diagenetic fractionation, Journal of Geophysical Research-Planets 2017JE005290. doi:10.1002/2017JE005290.

Hurowitz, J.A., Grotzinger, J.P., Fischer, W.W., Milliken, R.E., Dehouck, E., Fairen, A.G., Frydenvang, J., Gellert, R., Gupta, S., McLennan, S.M., Rampe, E.B., Schmidt, M.E., Siebach, K., Stack-Morgan, K., Stein, N., Sumner, D.Y., Vasaveda, A.R., Wiens, R.C., under review, Redox stratification of an ancient lake in Gale crater, Mars, Science, 356(6341):eah6849, doi:10.1126/science.aah6849.

Rampe, E., Ming, D.W., Blake, D.F., Bristow, T.F., Chipera, S.J., rotzinger, J.P., Morris, R.V., Morrison, S.M., Vaniman, D.T., Yen, A.S., Achilles, C.N., Craig, P.E., Des Marais, D.J., Downs, R.T., Farmer, J.D., Fendrich, K.V., Gellert, R., Morookian, J.M., Peretyazhko, T.S., Sarrazin P., Treiman, A.H., Berger, J.A., Eigenbrode, J.L., Fairen, A.G., Forni, O., Gupta, S., Hurowitz, J.A., Kah, L.C., Lanza, N.L., Schmidt, M.E., Siebach, K., Sutter, B., Thompson, L.M., under review, Mineralogy of an ancient lacustrine mudstone succession from the Murray formation, Gale crater, Mars, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 471:172-185, doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2017.04.021.

Yen, A., Ming, D.W., Vaniman, D.T., Gellert, R., Blake, D.F., Morris, R.V., Morrison, S.M., Bristow, T.F., Chipera, S.J., Edgett, K.S., Treiman, A.H., Clark, B.C., Downs, R.T., Farmer, J.D., Grotzinger, J.P., Rampe, E.B., Schmidt, M.E., Sutter, B., Thompson, L.M., 2017, Multiple stages of aqueous alteration along fractures in mudstone and sandstone strata in Gale Crater, Mars. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 471:186-198, doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2017.04.03.3.

Yingst, R.A., Berger, J.A., Cohen, B., Hynek, B., Schmidt, M.E., 2017, Determining best practices in reconnoitering sites for habitability potential on Mars using a semi-autonomous rover: A GeoHeuristic Operational Strategies Test, Acta Astronautica 132, 268-281.

Mangold, N., Schmidt, M.E., Fisk, M., Sautter, V., Williams, A., Clegg, S., Gasnault, O., Forni, O., Ming, D., Gellert, R., McLennan, S., Cousin, A., Grotzinger, J.P., Wiens, R., Sumner, D., 2016, Classification scheme for sedimentary and igneous rocks in Gale crater, Mars, Icarus, 285, 1-17, doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2016.11.005.

Thompson, L.M. Schmidt, M.E., Spray, J.G., Berger, J.A., Fairen, A., Campbell, J.L., Perrett, G.M., Boyd, N., Gellert, R., Pradler, I., VanBommel, S.J., 2016, Potassium-rich sandstones at Gale crater, Mars: the APXS perspective, Journal of Geophysical Research-Planets 121, 1981-2003, doi:10.1002/2016JE005055.

*Nikitczuk, M.P.C., Schmidt, M.E., and Flemming, R.L., 2016, Hydrothermally altered basaltic tuffs as habitable environments: Implications for Mars. Geological Society of America Bulletin B31380. 1.

Schmidt, M.E., Schrader, C.M., Crumpler, L.S., Rowe, M.C., Wolff, J.A., Boroughs, S.P., 2016, Megacrystic pyroxene basalts sample deep crustal gabbroic cumulates beneath the Mount Taylor Volcanic Field, New Mexico. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 316, 1-11, doi: 10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2016.02.020.

*Berger, J.A., Schmidt, M.E., Gellert, R., Campbell, J.L., King, P.L., Flemming, R.L., Ming, D.W., Clark, B.C., Pradler, I., VanBommel, S.J., Minitti, M.E., Fairen, A.G., Boyd, N.I., Thompson, L.M., Perrett, G.M., Elliott, B.E., Desouza, E., 2016, A global Mars dust composition refined by the MSL-APXS in Gale Crater. Geophysical Research Letters 43(1):67-75, doi:10.1002/2015GL066675.

Treiman, A., Bish, D., Vaniman, D., Chipera, S., Blake, D.F., Ming, D., Morris, R., Bristow, T., Morrison, S., Baker, M., Rampe, E., Downs, R., Filiberto, J., Glazner, A.F., Gellert, R., Thompson, L., Schmidt, M., Le Deit, L., Wiens, R., McAdam, A., Achilles, C., Edgett, K., Farmer, J., Fendrich, K., Grotzinger, J., Gupta, S., Morookian, J., Newcombe, M., Rice, M., Spray, J., Stolper, E., Sumner, D., Vasavada, A., Yen, A. 2016, Minerralogy, provenance, and diagenesis of a potassic basaltic sandstone on Mars: CheMin X-ray diffraction of the Windjana sample (Kimberley area, Gale Crater), Journal of Geophysical Research-Planets 121(1):75-106, doi:10.1002/2015JE004932.

Lanza, N.L., Ollila, A.M., Cousin, A., Wiens, R.C., Clegg, S., Mangold, N., Bridges, N., Cooper, D., Schmidt, M., Berger, J., Arvidson, R., Melikechi, N., Newsom, H., Tokar, R., Hardgrove, C., Mezzacappa, A., Jackson, R.S., Clark, B.C., Forni, O., Maurice, S., Nachon, M., Anderson, R.B., Blank, J., Deans, M., Delapp, D., Léveillé, R., McInroy, R., Martinez, R., Meslin, P.Y., Pinet, P., 2015, Understanding the signature of rock coatings in laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy data. Icarus 249, 62-73.

Mangold, N. and 49 co-authors, 2015, Chemical variations of Yellowknife Bay Formation sediments analyzed by the Curiosity rover on Mars. Journal of Geophysical Research-Planets. 120(3):452-482, doi:10.1002/2014JE004681

Schmidt, M.E., Campbell, J.L., Gellert, R., Perrett, G.M., Treiman, A.H., Blaney, D.L., Calef III, Olilla, A., F.J., Edgar, L., Elliott, B.E., Grotzinger, J., Hurowitz, J., King, P.L., Minitti, M.E., Sautter, V., Stack, K., Berger, J.A., Bridges, J.C., Ehlmann, B.L., Forni, O., Leshin, L.A., Lewis, K.W., McLennan, S.M., Ming, D.W., Newsom, H., Pradler, I., Squyres, S.W., Stolper, E.M., Thompson, L., van Bommel, S., Wiens, R.C., MSL Science Team, 2014, Geochemical diversity in first rocks examined by the Curiosity Rover in Gale Crater: Evidence and significance of an alkali and volatile-rich igneous source. Journal of Geophysical Reseach-Planets 119, 1-18, doi:10.1002/2013JE004481.

Blaney, D., Wiens, R., Maurice, S., Clegg, S., Anderson, R. Kah, L., Le Moueelic, S., Ollila, A., Bridges, N.T., Tokar, R., Berger, G., Bridges, J., Cousin, A., Blark, B., Dyar, M., King, P., Lanza, N., Mangold, N., Meslin, P.-Y., Newsom, H.E., Schröder, S., Rowland, S., Johnson, J., Edgar, L., Gasnault, O., Forni, O., Schmidt, M., Goetz, W., Stack, K., Sumner, D., Fisk, M.R., Madsen, M., & MSL Science Team, 2014, Chemistry and texture of the rocks at Rocknest, Gale Crater: Evidence for sedimentary origin and diagenetic alteration. Journal of Geophysical Research-Planets 119 (9), 2109-2131.

Lanza, N.L. and 19 co-authors, 2014, High manganese concentrations in rocks at Gale crater, Mars. Geophysical Research Letters 41 (16), 5755-5763.

Wall, K., Rowe, M.C., Ellis, B., Schmidt, M.E., 2014, Determination of Basaltic Eruption Style from XRD analysis with Implications for Mars-Based Research. Nature Communications 5, 5090.

Stack, K.M., Grotzinger, J.P., Kah, L.C., Schmidt, M.E., Mangold, N., Edgett, K.S., Siebach, K.L., Nachon, M., Lee, R., Blaney, D.L., Deflores, L.P., Edgar, L.A., Fairen, A.G., Leshin, L.A., Maurice, S., Oehler, D.Z., Rice, M.S., Sumner, D.Y., Wiens, R.C., 2014, Diagenetic origin of nodules and hollow nodules of the Sheepbed Member, Yellowknife Bay Formation, Gale Crater, Mars. Journal of Geophysical Research-Planets 119 (7), 1637-1664.

Berger, J., King, P., Gellert, R., Campbell, J.L., Boyd, N., Pradler, I., Perrett, G., Edgett, K., VanBommel, S., Schmidt, M., Lee, R., & MSL Science Team, 2014, MSL APXS Titanium Observation Tray measurements: Laboratory experiments and results for the Rocknest fines at the Curiosity field site in Gale Crater, Mars. Journal of Geophysical Research-Planets 119, doi: 10.1002/2013JE004519.

Grotzinger, J., 72 co-authors, & MSL Science Team, 2014, A habitable fluvio-lacustrine environment at Yellowknife Bay, Gale Crater, Mars. Science, 343 (6169), 1242777, doi:10.1126/science.1242777.

Ingebritsen, S.E., Gelwick, K.D., Randolph-Flagg, N.G., Newman, A.C., Lundstrom, E.A., Crankshaw, I.M., Murveit, A.M., Schmidt, M.E., Bergfeld, D., Spicer, K.R., Tucker, D.S., Mariner, R.H., Evan, W.C., 2014, Hydrothermal monitoring in a quiescent volcanic arc: Cascade Range, Northwestern United States, Geofluids. doi: 10.1111/gfl.12079.

McLennan, S.M., 49 co-authors, & MSL Science Team, 2014, Elemental geochemistry of sedimentary rocks in Yellowknife Bay, Gale Crater, Mars. Science 343 (6169), 1244734, doi:10.1126/science.1244734.

Sautter, V., Fabre, C., Forni, O., Toplis, M., Cousin, A., Ollila, A., Meslin, P.-Y., Maurice, S., Wiens, R., Mangold, N., Le Mouelic, S., Gasnault, O., Berger, G., Lasue, J., Lewin, E., Schmidt, M., Baratoux, D., Pinet, P., Ehlmann, B., Bridges, J., Dyar, D., Clark, B., 2014, Igneous mineralogy at Bradbury rise: the first ChemCam campaign, Journal of Geophysical Research-Planets 119, 1-17. doi:10.1002/2013JE004481.

Yingst, R.A., Cohen, B.A., Hynek, B., Schmidt, M.E., Schrader, C., 2014, Testing Mars Exploration Rover-inspired strategies for semi-autonomous rovers on the Moon II: The Geoheuristic Operational Strategies Test in Alaska. Acta Astronautica 99, 24-36. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2014.01.019.

Vasavada, A., Grotzinger, J., Arvidson, R.E., Calef, F., Crisp, J., Gupta, S., Hurowitz, J., Mangold, N. Maurice, S., Schmidt, M., Wiens, R., Williams, R., Yingst, R.A., 2014, Overview of the Mars Science Laboratory Mission: Bradbury Landing to Yellowknife Bay and beyond. Journal of Geophysical Research-Planets 119, doi:10.1002/2014JE004622

Schmidt, M.E., Schrader, C.M., McCoy, T.J., 2013, The primary fO2 of basalts examined by the Spirit Rover in Gusev Crater, Mars: Evidence for multiple redox states in the Martian interior. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 384, 198-208.

Schmidt, M.E., Grunder, A.L., Rowe, M.C., Chesley, J.T., 2013, Re and Os isotopes of the Central Oregon Cascades and along the arc indicate variable homogenization and mafic growth in the deep crust. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta v. 109, 345-364, doi:10.1016/j.gca.2013.02.003.

Blake, D.F., Morris, R.V. Kocurek, G. Morrison, S.M., Downs, R.T., Bish, D., Ming, D.W., Edgett, K.S., Rubin, D., Goetz, W., Madsen, M.B., Sullivan, R., Gellert, R., Treiman, A.H., McLennan, S.M., Yen, A., Grotzinger, J., Vaniman, D.T., Chipera, S.J., Achilles, C.N., Rampe, E.B., Sumner, D., Meslin, P-Y, Maurice, S., Forni, O., Gasnault, O., Fisk, M., Schmidt, M., Mahaffy, P., Leshin, L.A., Glavin, D., Steele, A., Freissinet, C., Navarro-González, R., Yingst, R.A., Kah, L.C., Bridges, N., Lewis, K.W., Bristow, T.F., Farmer, J.D., Crisp, J.A., Stolper, E.M., Des Marais, D.J., Sarrazin, P. and the MSL Science Team, 2013, Curiosity at Gale crater, Mars: Characterization and analysis of the Rocknest sand shadow. Science 341(6153):1239505.

Minitti, M.E., Kah, L.C., Edgett, K.S., Yingst, R.A., Anderson, R.C., Beegle, L., Goetz, W., Hardgrove, C., Herkenhoff, K.E., Hurowitz, J., Jandura, L, Kocurek, G., Limonadi, D., Madsen, M.B., Robinson, M.L., Rowland, S.K., Rubin, D.M., Seybold, C., Schieber, J., Schmidt, M., Sullivan, R.J., Sumner, D.Y., Tompkins, and MSL Science Team, 2013, MAHLI (MArs Hand Lens Imager) at the Rocknest Sand Shadow: Science

and science-enabling activities. Journal of Geophysical Research-Planets, 118(11):2338-2360, doi:10.1002/2013JE004426.

Stolper, E.M. Baker, M.B., Newcombe, M., Schmidt, M.E., Treiman, A.H., Cousin, A., Dyar, M.D., Fisk, M., Gellert, R., King, P.L., Maurice, S., McLennan, S.M., Minitti, M., Perrett, G., Rowland, S., Sauter, V., Wiens, R.C., and the MSL Science Team, 2013, The Petrochemistry of Jake_M: A Martian mugearite. Science 341(6153):1239463, doi:10.1126/science.1239463.

Schmidt, M.E. and Grunder, A.L., 2011 Deep mafic roots to arc volcanoes: Mafic recharge and differentiation of basaltic andesite at North Sister Volcano, Oregon Cascades, Journal of Petrology, v. 52, 603-641, doi:10.1093/petrology/egq094.

Crumpler, L.S., Arvidson, R.E., Squyres, S.W., McCoy, T., Yingst, R., Ruff, S., Farrand, W., McSween, H.Y., Powell, M., Ming, D.W., Morris, R., Bell, J., Grant, J., Greeley, R., DesMarais, D., Schmidt, M.E., Cabrol, N., Haldemann, A., Lewis, K., Wang, A., Schröder, C., Blaney, D., Cohen, B., Yen, A., Farmer, J., Gellert, R., Guinness, E., Herkenhoff, K., Johnson, J., Klingelhofer, G., McEwen, A., Rice, J. Rice, M., deSouza, P., Hurowitz, J., 2011, Field reconnaissance geologic mapping of the Columbia Hills, Mars based on MER Spirit and MRO HiRISE observations, submitted to Journal of Geophysical Research-Planets v. 116, E00F24.

Yingst, R.A., Schmidt, M.E., Lentz, R.C.F., Janzen, J.L., Kuhlman, K.R., 2011, A Mars-oriented image library of hand lens-scale features and textures: the 1996 Skei∂arársandur Jökulhlaup example, in Garry, B. and Bleacher, J.E., ed., Analogs in Planetary Exploration, Geological Society of America Special Paper 483, 301-381.

Yingst, R.A., Cohen, B.A., Crumpler, L., Schmidt, M.E., Schrader, C., 2011, Testing Mars science-driven operational strategies for semi-autonomous rovers on the Moon: The GeoHeuristic Operational Strategies Test in New Mexico. Mars Journal v. 6, p. 13-31.

Schmidt, M.E., & McCoy, T.J., 2010, The evolution of a heterogeneous Martian mantle: Clues from K, P, Ti, Cr, and Ni variations in Gusev basalts and shergottite meteorites, Earth and Planetary Science Letters v. 296, 67-77, doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2010.04.046.

Schmidt, M.E., Farrand, W.H., Johnson, J.R., Schröder, C., Hurowitz, J.A., McCoy, T.J., Ruff, S., Arvidson, R.E., Des Marais, D.J., Lewis, K.W., Ming, D.W., Squyres, S.W., and P.A. de Souza, Jr., 2009, Spectral, Mineralogical, and Geochemical Variations Across Home Plate, Gusev Crater, Mars Indicate High and Low Temperature Alteration, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 281, p. 258-266, doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2009.02.030.

Schmidt, M.E. & Grunder, A.L, 2009, The evolution of North Sister: A volcano shaped by extension and ice in the Cascade Range, Oregon, U.S.A., Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 121, p 643-662, doi: 10.1130/B26442.1.

Yingst, R.A., Schmidt, M.E., and Lentz, R.C.F., 2009, Observations of a potential Mars analog at the microscale using rover-inspired methods: A 10-sol observation of Fort Rock tuff ring, Journal of Geophysical Research-Planets, v. 114, E06004, doi:10.1029/2008JE003223.

Schmidt, M.E., Ruff, S.W.McCoy, T.J., Farrand, W.H., Johnson, J.R., Gellert, R., Morris, R.V., Cabrol, N., Lewis, K.W., MER Athena Science Team, 2008, The Hydrothermal Origin of Excess Halogens at Home Plate, Journal of Geophysical Research v. 113, E06S12, doi:10.1029/2007JE003027.

Schmidt, M.E., Grunder, A.L., and M.C. Rowe, 2008, Segmentation of the Cascades Arc as indicated by Sr and Nd isotopic variation among diverse primitive basalts, Earth and Planetary Science Letters v. 266, p. 166-181, doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2007.11.013.

Arvidson, R.E., Ruff, S., Morris, R.V., Ming, D.W., Crumpler, L.S., Yen, A., Squyres, S.W., Bell III, J.F., Cabrol, N.A., Farrand, W.F., Gellert, R., Greenberger, R., Grant, J., Guinness, E.A., Herkenhoff, K.E., Hurowitz, J.A., Johnson, J.R., Klingelhöfer, Lewis, K., Li, R., McCoy, T., Moersch, J., McSween, H.Y., Murchie, S., Schmidt, M., Schröder, C., Wang, A., Wiseman, S., Madsen, M.B., Goetz, W., McLennan, S., 2008, Spirit Mars rover mission to the Columbia Hills, Gusev Crater: Mission overview and selected results from the Cumberland Ridge to Home Plate, Journal of Geophysical Research-Planets, v. 113, E12S33, doi: 10.1029/2008JE003183.

Lewis, K.W., Aharonson, O., Grotzinger, J.P., Squyres, S.W., Bell III, J.F., Crumpler, L.S., Schmidt, M.E., 2008, Structure and stratigraphy of Home Plate from the Spirit Mars Exploration Rover, Journal of Geophysical Research-Planets, v. 113, E12S36, doi:10.1029/2007JE003025.

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