Geologic and mineralogic mapping of Aram Chaos: Evidence for a water-rich history

Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics

Scientific paper

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

37

Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects: Mars, Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets: Composition (1060, 3672), Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets: Remote Sensing, Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets: Surface Materials And Properties

Scientific paper

The Aram Chaos crater on Mars contains gray, crystalline hematite within a stack of layered sediments. The Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer (MGS-TES) and Odyssey Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) were used in conjunction with data from the MGS Mars Orbital Laser Altimeter (MOLA) and the MGS Mars Orbital Camera (MOC) instruments to investigate the nature of the hematite deposits in Aram Chaos. Superposition relationships indicate that the layered sediments in Aram Chaos were deposited subsequent to the formation of the chaotic terrain. This observation, along with the possible detection of sulfates and relatively high abundance of phyllosilicates associated with the layered units in Aram Chaos, provides evidence for the formation of the hematite-bearing units in Aram Chaos in a water-rich environment. Although there are several similarities between the hematite-bearing units in Aram Chaos and Meridiani Planum, an estimated age difference of 0.7-1.0 Gyr exists between them. This indicates that either a stable, thick atmosphere was present well into the Hesperian, or, more likely, that episodic catastrophic release of water provided a temporary environment for deposition of the Aram Chaos hematite unit similar to what existed for the deposition of the Meridiani Planum hematite unit close to 1 Gyr earlier.

No associations

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for scientists and scientific papers. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

Geologic and mineralogic mapping of Aram Chaos: Evidence for a water-rich history does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Geologic and mineralogic mapping of Aram Chaos: Evidence for a water-rich history, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Geologic and mineralogic mapping of Aram Chaos: Evidence for a water-rich history will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-757482

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.