Gypsum, jarosite, and hydrous iron-phosphate in Martian meteorite Roberts Massif 04262: Implications for sulfate geochemistry on Mars.

Details Gypsum, jarosite, and hydrous iron-phosphate in Martian meteorite Roberts Massif 04262: Implications for sulfate geochemistry on Mars. Gypsum, jarosite, and hydrous iron-phosphate in Martian meteorite Roberts Massif 04262: Implications for sulfate geochemistry on Mars.

Dec 2008

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2008agufm.p43b1406g&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2008, abstract #P43B-1406

Physics

1060 Planetary Geochemistry (5405, 5410, 5704, 5709, 6005, 6008), 5470 Surface Materials And Properties, 6225 Mars, 6240 Meteorites And Tektites (1028, 3662)

Scientific paper

Gypsum has been identified on Mars by MEX OMEGA [1] and jarosite identified via MER-B lander [2] and both minerals are examples of the importance of calcium and iron sulfates in Martian weathering processes. The weathering of Martian basalt to form Ca and iron sulfates should be an important process on Mars. Martian jarosite has been identified in MIL 03346 [3] and Ca-sulfate has been identified in EETA 79001 [4], but both phases have yet to be identified in the same Martian sample. In Roberts Massif 04262, an olivine-phyric shergottite, iron-sulfide and calcium-phosphate minerals are undergoing reaction (dissolution and reprecipitation?) to form gypsum, jarosite, and an iron-phosphate phase, presumably during the meteorite's residence in Antarctica. If true, then an acidic and oxidizing fluid was present in this meteorite, due to the formation of jarosite which requires fluid of this type to form [5]. The weathering of iron-sulfides on Earth to form acidic and oxidizing fluids is common, thus this can be reconciled with the formation of an acidic fluid in a basic rock. Presumably, under more extensive weathering of silicate minerals in Martian basalt, the pH would be raised to values where jarosite would not be stable. While the weathering of RBT 04262 is likely occurring in Antarctica, a similar susceptibility of the apatite and pyrrhotite to incipient weathering on Mars may be expected. Oxidizing crustal fluids on Mars may attack iron- sulfides first in Martian basalts. The weathering of iron-sulfides leads to increasing acidity of fluids, which would enhance the dissolution of the calcium-phosphate minerals [6]. The formation of jarosite, gypsum, and iron-phosphate minerals during the early stages of weathering of Martian basalts may be an important process on Mars globally. [1] Gendrin, A. et al. (2005) Science, 307, 1587-1591. [2] Klingelhöfer et al. (2004) Science, 306, 1740- 1745. [3] Vicenzi E. P. et al. (2007) LPSC XXXVIII, Abstract 2335. [4] Gooding J. L. et al. (1988) GCA, 52, 909-915. [5] Greenwood J. P. et al. (2005) LPSC XXXVI, Abstract 2348. [6] Greenwood J. P. and Blake R. E. (2006) Geology, 34, 953-956.

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