Mineralogical Analysis of Desert Varnish by DTA/GC: Applicability to the Exobiology of Mars

Details Mineralogical Analysis of Desert Varnish by DTA/GC: Applicability to the Exobiology of Mars Mineralogical Analysis of Desert Varnish by DTA/GC: Applicability to the Exobiology of Mars

Mar 1996

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1996lpi....27..803m&link_type=abstract

Lunar and Planetary Science, volume 27, page 803

Biology

Desert Varnish, Dta/Gc, Exobiology, Mars

Scientific paper

Differential thermal analysis (DTA) coupled with gas chromatography (GC) is an analytical technique that is suitable for mineralogical analysis on landed missions to Mars. We have analyzed a variety of substances important to exobiology using DTA/GC. The substances tested included organic compounds (proteins, amino acids), evaporites (NO(sub)3-, CO(sub)3^(2-), and NO(sub)2- salts), clays (montmorillonite, kaolinite, nontronite), Fe-enriched clays, non-clays (palagonite), and various mixtures of these substances. In addition, we have analyzed samples collected from ecosystems ranging from Antarctic endolithic rocks, evaporitic deposits occurring near thermal alkaline and acid springs in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, to gypsum halite evaporitic crusts that form along the intertidal. We compared the DTA/GC with several other techniques and found it to be the most appropriate as a flight instrument for the in situ determination of the mineralogy of the martian surface material. Desert varnish, a coating of manganese and iron oxides held in a clay matrix on the surface of rocks, is widespread on Earth's deserts. Its formation is thought to involve weathering processes acting in conjunction with microbial activity. Consequently, if desert varnish similar to that found on earth is found on Mars, then the probability for life to have arisen on Mars increases.

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