Other
Scientific paper
Dec 2005
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2005agufm.p12a..08h&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2005, abstract #P12A-08
Other
5220 Hydrothermal Systems And Weathering On Other Planets, 5410 Composition (1060, 3672), 5470 Surface Materials And Properties, 5480 Volcanism (6063, 8148, 8450)
Scientific paper
Exposed bedrocks at Meridiani Planum on Mars display chemical and mineralogical evidence suggesting interaction with liquid water. Based on the observed bedding morphology, crystal vugs, varying Br:Cl ratios, as well as high abundances of hematite and sulfate minerals, the rocks have been interpreted by the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) team as sedimentary/evaporite deposits. However, the composition of the Meridiani bedrocks indicates that the formation model advocated by the MER team is not plausible. If the sulfates were attributable to precipitation of salts from an evaporating brine the rocks would be enriched in a balancing cation (e.g., Ca, Mg, or Fe) but this is not observed. Ratios of cations including Fe, Mg, Ca, and Na to (Si + Al) in the rocks are nearly identical to the basaltic martian meteorite Shergotty, and also very similar to unweathered basaltic rocks at Meridiani and Gusev Crater. The compositional data strongly suggest that the Meridiani rocks represent typical martian basalt with a sulfur component added. Here, we propose an alternative model for diagenesis of Meridiani bedrock that involves deposition of volcanic ash followed by reaction with condensed SO2- and H2O-bearing vapors in a solfatara-like setting. We suggest that volcanic deposition may account for the textures observed in Meridiani rocks since morphologic bedding features including sorted grains, planar bedding, low-angle cross-stratification, festoon bedding, and ripple lamination are common in base surge deposits of ash on Earth. The lath-shaped vugs may be the remains of ferrous sulfates (or mixed Fe-Mg-Ca sulfates) formed in the early stages of alteration that became unstable during oxidation. Widely varying Br:Cl ratios are also common in solfatara environments on Earth. In this scenario, most of the alteration of the rocks likely occurred at high temperatures (~100° C or higher), possibly soon after the volcaniclastic deposits were emplaced and still retained their original heat. Extended periods of time, a standing body of water, and clement conditions would not have been required for completion of the hypothesized diagenetic sequence.
Hynek Brian Michael
McCollom Thomas M.
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