1
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Hsieh WP, Deschamps F, Tsao YC, Yoshino T, Lin JF. A thermally conductive Martian core and implications for its dynamo cessation. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadk1087. [PMID: 38507495 PMCID: PMC10954222 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adk1087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Mars experienced a dynamo process that generated a global magnetic field ~4.3 (or earlier) to 3.6 billion years ago (Ga). The cessation of this dynamo strongly affected Mars' history and is expected to be linked to thermochemical evolution of Mars' iron-rich liquid core, which is strongly influenced by its thermal conductivity. Here, we directly measured thermal conductivities of solid iron-sulfur alloys to pressures relevant to the Martian core and temperatures to 1023 Kelvin. Our results show that a Martian core with 16 weight % sulfur has a thermal conductivity of ~19 to 32 Watt meter-1 Kelvin-1 from its top to the center, much higher than previously inferred from electrical resistivity measurements. Our modeled thermal conductivity profile throughout the Martian deep-mantle and core indicates a ~4- to 6-fold discontinuity across the core-mantle boundary. The core's efficient cooling resulting from the depth-dependent, high conductivity diminishes thermal convection and forms thermal stratification, substantially contributing to cessation of Martian dynamo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Pin Hsieh
- Institute of Earth Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
- Department of Geosciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | | | - Yi-Chi Tsao
- Institute of Earth Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Takashi Yoshino
- Institute for Planetary Materials, Okayama University, Misasa 682-0193, Japan
| | - Jung-Fu Lin
- Department of Geological Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712-0254, USA
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2
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Leone G, Tanaka HK. Igneous processes in the small bodies of the Solar System I. Asteroids and comets. iScience 2023; 26:107160. [PMID: 37534155 PMCID: PMC10391981 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Igneous processes were quite widespread in the small bodies of the Solar System (SBSS) and were initially fueled by short-lived radioisotopes, the proto-Sun, impact heating, and differentiation heating. Once they finished, long-lived radioisotopes continued to warm the active bodies of the Earth, (possibly) Venus, and the cryovolcanism of Enceladus. The widespread presence of olivine and pyroxenes in planets and also in SBSS suggests that they were not necessarily the product of igneous processes and they might have been recycled from previous nebular processes or entrained in comets from interstellar space. The difference in temperature between the inner and the outer Solar System has clearly favored thermal annealing of the olivine close to the proto-Sun. Transport of olivine within the Solar System probably occurred also due to protostellar jets and winds but the entrainment in SBSS from interstellar space would overcome the requirement of initial turbulent regime in the protoplanetary nebula.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Leone
- Instituto de Investigación en Astronomía y Ciencias Planetarias, Universidad de Atacama, Chile
- Virtual Muography Institute, Global, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki K.M. Tanaka
- Virtual Muography Institute, Global, Tokyo, Japan
- International Muography Research Organization (MUOGRAPHIX), The University of Tokyo, Japan
- Earthquake Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
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3
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Bonnet Gibet V, Michaut C, Wieczorek M, Lognonné P. A Positive Feedback Between Crustal Thickness and Melt Extraction for the Origin of the Martian Dichotomy. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH. PLANETS 2022; 127:e2022JE007472. [PMID: 37033153 PMCID: PMC10078261 DOI: 10.1029/2022je007472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
A North/South difference in crustal thickness is likely at the origin of the Martian dichotomy in topography. Recent crustal thickness maps were obtained by inversion of topography and gravity data seismically anchored at the InSight station. On average, the Martian crust is 51-71 km thick with a southern crust thicker by 18-28 km than the northern one. The origin of this crustal dichotomy is still debated although the hypothesis of a large impact is at present very popular. Here, we propose a new mechanism for the formation of this dichotomy that involves a positive feedback between crustal growth and mantle melting. As the crust is enriched in heat-producing elements, the lid of a one-plate planet is hotter and thinner where the crust is thicker, inducing a larger amount of partial melt below the lid and hence a larger rate of melt extraction and crustal growth. We first demonstrate analytically that larger wavelength perturbations, that is, hemispherical perturbations, grow faster because smaller wavelengths are more attenuated by thermal diffusion. We then use a parameterized thermal evolution model with a well-mixed mantle topped by two different lids characterized by their thermal structures and thicknesses to study the growth of the crust in the two hemispheres. Our results demonstrate that this positive feedback can generate a significant crustal dichotomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentin Bonnet Gibet
- Laboratoire de Géologie de LyonTerre, Planètes, EnvironnementEcole Normale Supérieure de LyonCNRSUniversité de LyonUniversité Claude Bernard Lyon 1Université Jean MonetLyonFrance
| | - Chloé Michaut
- Laboratoire de Géologie de LyonTerre, Planètes, EnvironnementEcole Normale Supérieure de LyonCNRSUniversité de LyonUniversité Claude Bernard Lyon 1Université Jean MonetLyonFrance
- Institut Universitaire de FranceParisFrance
| | - Mark Wieczorek
- Laboratoire LagrangeObservatoire de la Côte d’AzurCNRSUniversité Côte d’AzurNiceFrance
| | - Philippe Lognonné
- CNRSInstitut de physique du globe de ParisUniversité de ParisParisFrance
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4
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Drilleau M, Samuel H, Garcia RF, Rivoldini A, Perrin C, Michaut C, Wieczorek M, Tauzin B, Connolly JAD, Meyer P, Lognonné P, Banerdt WB. Marsquake Locations and 1-D Seismic Models for Mars From InSight Data. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH. PLANETS 2022; 127:e2021JE007067. [PMID: 36590820 PMCID: PMC9788261 DOI: 10.1029/2021je007067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
We present inversions for the structure of Mars using the first Martian seismic record collected by the InSight lander. We identified and used arrival times of direct, multiples, and depth phases of body waves, for 17 marsquakes to constrain the quake locations and the one-dimensional average interior structure of Mars. We found the marsquake hypocenters to be shallower than 40 km depth, most of them being located in the Cerberus Fossae graben system, which could be a source of marsquakes. Our results show a significant velocity jump between the upper and the lower part of the crust, interpreted as the transition between intrusive and extrusive rocks. The lower crust makes up a significant fraction of the crust, with seismic velocities compatible with those of mafic to ultramafic rocks. Additional constraints on the crustal thickness from previous seismic analyses, combined with modeling relying on gravity and topography measurements, yield constraints on the present-day thermochemical state of Mars and on its long-term history. Our most constrained inversion results indicate a present-day surface heat flux of 22 ± 1 mW/m2, a relatively hot mantle (potential temperature: 1740 ± 90 K) and a thick lithosphere (540 ± 120 km), associated with a lithospheric thermal gradient of 1.9 ± 0.3 K/km. These results are compatible with recent seismic studies using a reduced data set and different inversion approaches, confirming that Mars' potential mantle temperature was initially relatively cold (1780 ± 50 K) compared to that of its present-day state, and that its crust contains 10-12 times more heat-producing elements than the primitive mantle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mélanie Drilleau
- Institut Supérieur de l’Aéronautique et de l’Espace ISAE‐SUPAEROToulouseFrance
| | - Henri Samuel
- Institut de Physique du Globe de ParisCNRSUniversité de ParisParisFrance
| | - Raphaël F. Garcia
- Institut Supérieur de l’Aéronautique et de l’Espace ISAE‐SUPAEROToulouseFrance
| | | | - Clément Perrin
- Nantes UniversitéUniversité d’AngersLe Mans UniversitéCNRS UMR 6112Laboratoire de Planétologie et GéosciencesUAR 3281Observatoire des Sciences de l’Univers de Nantes AtlantiqueNantesFrance
| | - Chloé Michaut
- Université de LyonEcole Normale Supérieure de LyonUniversité Claude Bernard Lyon 1CNRSLaboratoire de Géologie de Lyon : TerrePlanètesEnvironnementVilleurbanneFrance
| | - Mark Wieczorek
- Université Côte d’AzurObservatoire de la Côte d’AzurCNRSLaboratoire LagrangeNiceFrance
| | - Benoît Tauzin
- Université de LyonEcole Normale Supérieure de LyonUniversité Claude Bernard Lyon 1CNRSLaboratoire de Géologie de Lyon : TerrePlanètesEnvironnementVilleurbanneFrance
- Research School of Earth SciencesThe Australian National UniversityCanberraACTAustralia
| | | | - Pauline Meyer
- Institut Supérieur de l’Aéronautique et de l’Espace ISAE‐SUPAEROToulouseFrance
- Ecole et Observatoire des Sciences de la TerreUniversité de StrasbourgStrasbourgFrance
| | - Philippe Lognonné
- Institut de Physique du Globe de ParisCNRSUniversité de ParisParisFrance
| | - William B. Banerdt
- Jet Propulsion LaboratoryCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
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5
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Black BA, Manga M, Ojha L, Longpré M, Karunatillake S, Hlinka L. The History of Water in Martian Magmas From Thorium Maps. GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS 2022; 49:e2022GL098061. [PMID: 35859852 PMCID: PMC9285613 DOI: 10.1029/2022gl098061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Water inventories in Martian magmas are poorly constrained. Meteorite-based estimates range widely, from 102 to >104 ppm H2O, and are likely variably influenced by degassing. Orbital measurements of H primarily reflect water cycled and stored in the regolith. Like water, Th behaves incompatibly during mantle melting, but unlike water Th is not prone to degassing and is relatively immobile during aqueous alteration at low temperature. We employ Th as a proxy for original, mantle-derived H2O in Martian magmas. We use regional maps of Th from Mars Odyssey to assess variations in magmatic water across major volcanic provinces and through time. We infer that Hesperian and Amazonian magmas had ∼100-3,000 ppm H2O, in the lower range of previous estimates. The implied cumulative outgassing since the Hesperian, equivalent to a global H2O layer ∼1-40 m deep, agrees with Mars' present-day surface and near-surface water inventory and estimates of sequestration and loss rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin A. Black
- Department of Earth and Planetary SciencesRutgers UniversityPiscatawayNJUSA
| | - Michael Manga
- Department of Earth and Planetary SciencesUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyCAUSA
| | - Lujendra Ojha
- Department of Earth and Planetary SciencesRutgers UniversityPiscatawayNJUSA
| | - Marc‐Antoine Longpré
- School of Earth and Environmental SciencesQueens College, City University of New YorkQueensNYUSA
- Earth and Environmental SciencesThe Graduate Center, City University of New YorkNew YorkNYUSA
| | | | - Lisa Hlinka
- School of Earth and Environmental SciencesQueens College, City University of New YorkQueensNYUSA
- Earth and Environmental SciencesThe Graduate Center, City University of New YorkNew YorkNYUSA
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6
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Potassium isotope composition of Mars reveals a mechanism of planetary volatile retention. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2101155118. [PMID: 34544856 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2101155118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The abundances of water and highly to moderately volatile elements in planets are considered critical to mantle convection, surface evolution processes, and habitability. From the first flyby space probes to the more recent "Perseverance" and "Tianwen-1" missions, "follow the water," and, more broadly, "volatiles," has been one of the key themes of martian exploration. Ratios of volatiles relative to refractory elements (e.g., K/Th, Rb/Sr) are consistent with a higher volatile content for Mars than for Earth, despite the contrasting present-day surface conditions of those bodies. This study presents K isotope data from a spectrum of martian lithologies as an isotopic tracer for comparing the inventories of highly and moderately volatile elements and compounds of planetary bodies. Here, we show that meteorites from Mars have systematically heavier K isotopic compositions than the bulk silicate Earth, implying a greater loss of K from Mars than from Earth. The average "bulk silicate" δ41K values of Earth, Moon, Mars, and the asteroid 4-Vesta correlate with surface gravity, the Mn/Na "volatility" ratio, and most notably, bulk planet H2O abundance. These relationships indicate that planetary volatile abundances result from variable volatile loss during accretionary growth in which larger mass bodies preferentially retain volatile elements over lower mass objects. There is likely a threshold on the size requirements of rocky (exo)planets to retain enough H2O to enable habitability and plate tectonics, with mass exceeding that of Mars.
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7
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Khan A, Ceylan S, van Driel M, Giardini D, Lognonné P, Samuel H, Schmerr NC, Stähler SC, Duran AC, Huang Q, Kim D, Broquet A, Charalambous C, Clinton JF, Davis PM, Drilleau M, Karakostas F, Lekic V, McLennan SM, Maguire RR, Michaut C, Panning MP, Pike WT, Pinot B, Plasman M, Scholz JR, Widmer-Schnidrig R, Spohn T, Smrekar SE, Banerdt WB. Upper mantle structure of Mars from InSight seismic data. Science 2021; 373:434-438. [PMID: 34437116 DOI: 10.1126/science.abf2966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
For 2 years, the InSight lander has been recording seismic data on Mars that are vital to constrain the structure and thermochemical state of the planet. We used observations of direct (P and S) and surface-reflected (PP, PPP, SS, and SSS) body-wave phases from eight low-frequency marsquakes to constrain the interior structure to a depth of 800 kilometers. We found a structure compatible with a low-velocity zone associated with a thermal lithosphere much thicker than on Earth that is possibly related to a weak S-wave shadow zone at teleseismic distances. By combining the seismic constraints with geodynamic models, we predict that, relative to the primitive mantle, the crust is more enriched in heat-producing elements by a factor of 13 to 20. This enrichment is greater than suggested by gamma-ray surface mapping and has a moderate-to-elevated surface heat flow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Khan
- Institute of Geophysics, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland. .,Physik-Institut, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Savas Ceylan
- Institute of Geophysics, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Martin van Driel
- Institute of Geophysics, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.,Mondaic AG, Zypressenstrasse 82, 8004 Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | - Philippe Lognonné
- Université de Paris, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Henri Samuel
- Université de Paris, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRS, Paris, France
| | | | | | - Andrea C Duran
- Institute of Geophysics, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Quancheng Huang
- Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Doyeon Kim
- Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Adrien Broquet
- Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.,Université Côte d'Azur, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Laboratoire Lagrange, Nice, France
| | | | - John F Clinton
- Swiss Seismological Service, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Paul M Davis
- Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Mélanie Drilleau
- Institut Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace SUPAERO, Toulouse, France
| | - Foivos Karakostas
- Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Vedran Lekic
- Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Scott M McLennan
- Department of Geosciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Ross R Maguire
- Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Chloé Michaut
- Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France.,Laboratoire de Géologie, Terre, Planétes, Environnement, Lyon, France
| | - Mark P Panning
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - William T Pike
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Baptiste Pinot
- Institut Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace SUPAERO, Toulouse, France
| | - Matthieu Plasman
- Université de Paris, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRS, Paris, France
| | | | | | - Tilman Spohn
- International Space Science Institute, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Suzanne E Smrekar
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - William B Banerdt
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
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8
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Knapmeyer-Endrun B, Panning MP, Bissig F, Joshi R, Khan A, Kim D, Lekić V, Tauzin B, Tharimena S, Plasman M, Compaire N, Garcia RF, Margerin L, Schimmel M, Stutzmann É, Schmerr N, Bozdağ E, Plesa AC, Wieczorek MA, Broquet A, Antonangeli D, McLennan SM, Samuel H, Michaut C, Pan L, Smrekar SE, Johnson CL, Brinkman N, Mittelholz A, Rivoldini A, Davis PM, Lognonné P, Pinot B, Scholz JR, Stähler S, Knapmeyer M, van Driel M, Giardini D, Banerdt WB. Thickness and structure of the martian crust from InSight seismic data. Science 2021; 373:438-443. [PMID: 34437117 DOI: 10.1126/science.abf8966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
A planet's crust bears witness to the history of planetary formation and evolution, but for Mars, no absolute measurement of crustal thickness has been available. Here, we determine the structure of the crust beneath the InSight landing site on Mars using both marsquake recordings and the ambient wavefield. By analyzing seismic phases that are reflected and converted at subsurface interfaces, we find that the observations are consistent with models with at least two and possibly three interfaces. If the second interface is the boundary of the crust, the thickness is 20 ± 5 kilometers, whereas if the third interface is the boundary, the thickness is 39 ± 8 kilometers. Global maps of gravity and topography allow extrapolation of this point measurement to the whole planet, showing that the average thickness of the martian crust lies between 24 and 72 kilometers. Independent bulk composition and geodynamic constraints show that the thicker model is consistent with the abundances of crustal heat-producing elements observed for the shallow surface, whereas the thinner model requires greater concentration at depth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brigitte Knapmeyer-Endrun
- Bensberg Observatory, University of Cologne, Vinzenz-Pallotti-Str. 26, 51429 Bergisch Gladbach, Germany.
| | - Mark P Panning
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Dr., M/S 183-301, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - Felix Bissig
- Institute of Geophysics, ETH Zurich, Sonneggstr. 5, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Rakshit Joshi
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Amir Khan
- Institute of Geophysics, ETH Zurich, Sonneggstr. 5, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland.,Physik-Institut, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Doyeon Kim
- Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, 8000 Regents Dr., College Park, MD, 20782-4211, USA
| | - Vedran Lekić
- Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, 8000 Regents Dr., College Park, MD, 20782-4211, USA
| | - Benoit Tauzin
- Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Jean Monet, CNRS, Laboratoire de Géologie de Lyon, Terre, Planètes, Environnement, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France.,Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia
| | - Saikiran Tharimena
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Dr., M/S 183-301, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - Matthieu Plasman
- Université de Paris, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRS, 1 rue Jussieu, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Compaire
- Institut Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace SUPAERO, 10 Avenue Edouard Belin, 31400 Toulouse, France
| | - Raphael F Garcia
- Institut Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace SUPAERO, 10 Avenue Edouard Belin, 31400 Toulouse, France
| | - Ludovic Margerin
- Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, CNRS, CNES, 14 Av. E. Belin, 31400 Toulouse, France
| | | | - Éléonore Stutzmann
- Université de Paris, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRS, 1 rue Jussieu, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Nicholas Schmerr
- Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, 8000 Regents Dr., College Park, MD, 20782-4211, USA
| | - Ebru Bozdağ
- Department of Geophysics, Colorado School of Mines, 1500 Illinois St., Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Ana-Catalina Plesa
- Institute of Planetary Research, German Aerospace Center (DLR), 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Mark A Wieczorek
- Université Côte d'Azur, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Laboratoire Lagrange, 06304 Nice, France
| | - Adrien Broquet
- Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.,Université Côte d'Azur, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Laboratoire Lagrange, 06304 Nice, France
| | - Daniele Antonangeli
- Sorbonne Université, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, UMR CNRS 7590, Institut de Minéralogie, de Physique des Matériaux et de Cosmochimie, IMPMC, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Scott M McLennan
- Department of Geosciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-2100, USA
| | - Henri Samuel
- Université de Paris, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRS, 1 rue Jussieu, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Chloé Michaut
- Université de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Université Jean Monet, CNRS, Laboratoire de Géologie de Lyon, Terre, Planètes, Environnement, F-69007 Lyon, France.,Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
| | - Lu Pan
- Center for Star and Planet Formation, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Suzanne E Smrekar
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Dr., M/S 183-301, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - Catherine L Johnson
- Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.,Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, 1700 East Fort Lowell, Suite 106, Tucson, AZ 85719-2395, USA
| | - Nienke Brinkman
- Institute of Geophysics, ETH Zurich, Sonneggstr. 5, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Anna Mittelholz
- Institute of Geophysics, ETH Zurich, Sonneggstr. 5, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | - Paul M Davis
- Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Philippe Lognonné
- Université de Paris, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRS, 1 rue Jussieu, F-75005 Paris, France.,Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
| | - Baptiste Pinot
- Institut Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace SUPAERO, 10 Avenue Edouard Belin, 31400 Toulouse, France
| | - John-Robert Scholz
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Simon Stähler
- Institute of Geophysics, ETH Zurich, Sonneggstr. 5, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Martin Knapmeyer
- Institute of Planetary Research, German Aerospace Center (DLR), 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Martin van Driel
- Institute of Geophysics, ETH Zurich, Sonneggstr. 5, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Domenico Giardini
- Institute of Geophysics, ETH Zurich, Sonneggstr. 5, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - W Bruce Banerdt
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Dr., M/S 183-301, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
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9
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Doyle AE, Young ED, Klein B, Zuckerman B, Schlichting HE. Oxygen fugacities of extrasolar rocks: Evidence for an Earth-like geochemistry of exoplanets. Science 2019; 366:356-359. [PMID: 31624210 DOI: 10.1126/science.aax3901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Oxygen fugacity is a measure of rock oxidation that influences planetary structure and evolution. Most rocky bodies in the Solar System formed at oxygen fugacities approximately five orders of magnitude higher than a hydrogen-rich gas of solar composition. It is unclear whether this oxidation of rocks in the Solar System is typical among other planetary systems. We exploit the elemental abundances observed in six white dwarfs polluted by the accretion of rocky bodies to determine the fraction of oxidized iron in those extrasolar rocky bodies and therefore their oxygen fugacities. The results are consistent with the oxygen fugacities of Earth, Mars, and typical asteroids in the Solar System, suggesting that at least some rocky exoplanets are geophysically and geochemically similar to Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra E Doyle
- Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Edward D Young
- Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Beth Klein
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ben Zuckerman
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Hilke E Schlichting
- Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
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10
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Hughes SS, Haberle CW, Kobs Nawotniak SE, Sehlke A, Garry WB, Elphic RC, Payler SJ, Stevens AH, Cockell CS, Brady AL, Heldmann JL, Lim DS. Basaltic Terrains in Idaho and Hawai'i as Planetary Analogs for Mars Geology and Astrobiology. ASTROBIOLOGY 2019; 19:260-283. [PMID: 30339033 PMCID: PMC6442300 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2018.1847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2018] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Field research target regions within two basaltic geologic provinces are described as Earth analogs to Mars. Regions within the eastern Snake River Plain of Idaho and the Big Island of Hawai'i, the United States, provinces that represent analogs of present-day and early Mars, respectively, were evaluated on the basis of geologic settings, rock lithology and geochemistry, rock alteration, and climate. Each of these factors provides rationale for the selection of specific targets for field research in five analog target regions: (1) Big Craters and (2) Highway lava flows at Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, Idaho, and (3) Mauna Ulu low shield, (4) Kīlauea Iki lava lake, and (5) Kīlauea caldera in the Kīlauea Volcano summit region and the East Rift Zone of Hawai'i. Our evaluation of compositional and textural attributes, as well as the effects of syn- and posteruptive rock alteration, shows that basaltic terrains in Idaho and Hawai'i provide a way to characterize the geology and major geologic substrates that host biological activity of relevance to Mars exploration. This work provides the foundation to better understand the scientific questions related to the habitability of basaltic terrains, the rationale behind selecting analog field targets, and their applicability as analogs to Mars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott S. Hughes
- Department of Geosciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho
| | - Christopher W. Haberle
- Mars Space Flight Facility, School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| | | | | | | | | | - Samuel J. Payler
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Adam H. Stevens
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Charles S. Cockell
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Allyson L. Brady
- School of Geography and Earth Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jennifer L. Heldmann
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California
- NASA Headquarters, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Darlene S.S. Lim
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California
- BAER Institute, Moffett Field, California
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Adcock CT, Tschauner O, Hausrath EM, Udry A, Luo SN, Cai Y, Ren M, Lanzirotti A, Newville M, Kunz M, Lin C. Shock-transformation of whitlockite to merrillite and the implications for meteoritic phosphate. Nat Commun 2017; 8:14667. [PMID: 28262701 PMCID: PMC5343502 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2016] [Accepted: 01/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Meteorites represent the only samples available for study on Earth of a number of planetary bodies. The minerals within meteorites therefore hold the key to addressing numerous questions about our solar system. Of particular interest is the Ca-phosphate mineral merrillite, the anhydrous end-member of the merrillite–whitlockite solid solution series. For example, the anhydrous nature of merrillite in Martian meteorites has been interpreted as evidence of water-limited late-stage Martian melts. However, recent research on apatite in the same meteorites suggests higher water content in melts. One complication of using meteorites rather than direct samples is the shock compression all meteorites have experienced, which can alter meteorite mineralogy. Here we show whitlockite transformation into merrillite by shock-compression levels relevant to meteorites, including Martian meteorites. The results open the possibility that at least part of meteoritic merrillite may have originally been H+-bearing whitlockite with implications for interpreting meteorites and the need for future sample return. Quantifying the amount of water in meteorites remains challenging, with minerals the key to understanding water contents. Here, Adcock et al. perform shock experiments on H+-bearing whitlockite demonstrating that it may transform into anhydrous merrillite, which is commonly found in Martian meteorites.
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Affiliation(s)
- C T Adcock
- Department of Geoscience, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 South Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, Nevada 89154, USA
| | - O Tschauner
- Department of Geoscience, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 South Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, Nevada 89154, USA.,High Pressure Science and Engineering Center, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 South Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, Nevada 89154, USA.,LSPM-CNRS, Institut Galilée, Université Paris 13, Nord, 99, av. J. B. Clément, 93430 Villetaneuse, France.,Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials, Ministry of Education, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031, China
| | - E M Hausrath
- Department of Geoscience, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 South Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, Nevada 89154, USA
| | - A Udry
- Department of Geoscience, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 South Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, Nevada 89154, USA
| | - S N Luo
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials, Ministry of Education, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031, China.,The Peac Institute of Multiscale Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031, China
| | - Y Cai
- The Peac Institute of Multiscale Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031, China.,CAS Key Laboratory of Materials Behavior and Design, Department of Modern Mechanics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - M Ren
- Department of Geoscience, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 South Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, Nevada 89154, USA
| | - A Lanzirotti
- GeoScienceEnviro Center for Advanced Radiation Sources, University of Chicago, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA
| | - M Newville
- GeoScienceEnviro Center for Advanced Radiation Sources, University of Chicago, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA
| | - M Kunz
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Advanced Light Source, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - C Lin
- High Pressure Collaborative Access Team (HPCAT), Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA
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Türke A, Nakamura K, Bach W. Palagonitization of Basalt Glass in the Flanks of Mid-Ocean Ridges: Implications for the Bioenergetics of Oceanic Intracrustal Ecosystems. ASTROBIOLOGY 2015; 15:793-803. [PMID: 26426282 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2014.1255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
When basalt is exposed to oxygenated aqueous solutions, rims of palagonite form along fractures at the expense of glass. We employed electron microprobe and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) analyses of fresh glass and adjacent palagonite crusts to determine the geochemical changes involved in palagonite formation. Samples were retrieved from drill cores taken in the North Pond Area, located on the western flank of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge at 22°45'N and 46°05'W. We also analyzed whole rock powders to determine the overall crust-seawater exchange in a young ridge flank. Radioactive elements are enriched in palagonite relative to fresh glass, reaching concentrations where radiolytic production of molecular hydrogen (H2) may be a significant energy source. Based on these results, we hypothesize that microbial ecosystems in ridge flank habitats undergo a transition in the principal energy carrier, fueling carbon fixation from Fe oxidation in very young crust to H2 consumption in older crust. Unless the H2 is swept away by rapid fluid flow (i.e., in young flanks), it may easily accumulate to levels high enough to support chemolithoautotrophic life. In older flanks, crustal sealing and sediment accumulation have slowed down seawater circulation, and the significance of radiolytically produced H2 for catalytic energy supply is expected to increase greatly. Similar habitats on other planetary surfaces are theoretically possible, as accumulation of radiolytically produced hydrogen merely requires the presence of H2O molecules and a porous medium, from which the hydrogen is not lost.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Türke
- 1 Department of Geosciences and MARUM, University of Bremen , Bremen, Germany
| | - Kentaro Nakamura
- 2 Department of Systems Innovation, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo , Tokyo, Japan
| | - Wolfgang Bach
- 1 Department of Geosciences and MARUM, University of Bremen , Bremen, Germany
- 3 Centre of Excellence in Geobiology and the Department of Earth Sciences, Realfagbygget, University of Bergen , Bergen, Norway
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13
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Grott M, Breuer D. On the spatial variability of the Martian elastic lithosphere thickness: Evidence for mantle plumes? ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010. [DOI: 10.1029/2009je003456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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14
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Catling DC, Claire MW, Zahnle KJ, Quinn RC, Clark BC, Hecht MH, Kounaves S. Atmospheric origins of perchlorate on Mars and in the Atacama. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010. [DOI: 10.1029/2009je003425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 192] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
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Roberts JH, Lillis RJ, Manga M. Giant impacts on early Mars and the cessation of the Martian dynamo. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009. [DOI: 10.1029/2008je003287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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16
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Jellinek AM, Johnson CL, Schubert G. Constraints on the elastic thickness, heat flow, and melt production at early Tharsis from topography and magnetic field observations. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.1029/2007je003005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Grott
- Institute of Planetary Research, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Rutherfordstraße 2, 12489 Berlin, Germany
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O'Neill C, Lenardic A, Jellinek AM, Kiefer WS. Melt propagation and volcanism in mantle convection simulations, with applications for Martian volcanic and atmospheric evolution. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007. [DOI: 10.1029/2006je002799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Newsom HE, Crumpler LS, Reedy RC, Petersen MT, Newsom GC, Evans LG, Taylor GJ, Keller JM, Janes DM, Boynton WV, Kerry KE, Karunatillake S. Geochemistry of Martian soil and bedrock in mantled and less mantled terrains with gamma ray data from Mars Odyssey. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007. [DOI: 10.1029/2006je002680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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20
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A Comparative Study of the Influence of the Active Young Sun on the Early Atmospheres of Earth, Venus, and Mars. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007. [DOI: 10.1007/978-0-387-74288-5_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
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Taylor GJ, Boynton W, Brückner J, Wänke H, Dreibus G, Kerry K, Keller J, Reedy R, Evans L, Starr R, Squyres S, Karunatillake S, Gasnault O, Maurice S, d'Uston C, Englert P, Dohm J, Baker V, Hamara D, Janes D, Sprague A, Kim K, Drake D. Bulk composition and early differentiation of Mars. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2006. [DOI: 10.1029/2005je002645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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22
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Keller JM, Boynton WV, Karunatillake S, Baker VR, Dohm JM, Evans LG, Finch MJ, Hahn BC, Hamara DK, Janes DM, Kerry KE, Newsom HE, Reedy RC, Sprague AL, Squyres SW, Starr RD, Taylor GJ, Williams RMS. Equatorial and midlatitude distribution of chlorine measured by Mars Odyssey GRS. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2006. [DOI: 10.1029/2006je002679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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23
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Beaty DW, Clifford SM, Borg LE, Catling DC, Craddock RA, Des Marais DJ, Farmer JD, Frey HV, Haberle RM, McKay CP, Newsom HE, Parker TJ, Segura T, Tanaka KL. Key science questions from the second conference on early Mars: geologic, hydrologic, and climatic evolution and the implications for life. ASTROBIOLOGY 2005; 5:663-89. [PMID: 16379524 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2005.5.663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
In October 2004, more than 130 terrestrial and planetary scientists met in Jackson Hole, WY, to discuss early Mars. The first billion years of martian geologic history is of particular interest because it is a period during which the planet was most active, after which a less dynamic period ensued that extends to the present day. The early activity left a fascinating geological record, which we are only beginning to unravel through direct observation and modeling. In considering this time period, questions outnumber answers, and one of the purposes of the meeting was to gather some of the best experts in the field to consider the current state of knowledge, ascertain which questions remain to be addressed, and identify the most promising approaches to addressing those questions. The purpose of this report is to document that discussion. Throughout the planet's first billion years, planetary-scale processes-including differentiation, hydrodynamic escape, volcanism, large impacts, erosion, and sedimentation-rapidly modified the atmosphere and crust. How did these processes operate, and what were their rates and interdependencies? The early environment was also characterized by both abundant liquid water and plentiful sources of energy, two of the most important conditions considered necessary for the origin of life. Where and when did the most habitable environments occur? Did life actually occupy them, and if so, has life persisted on Mars to the present? Our understanding of early Mars is critical to understanding how the planet we see today came to be.
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Affiliation(s)
- David W Beaty
- Mars Program Office, Jet Propulsion Laboratory/California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109-8099, USA.
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Rao MN, Sutton SR, McKay DS, Dreibus G. Clues to Martian brines based on halogens in salts from nakhlites and MER samples. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2005. [DOI: 10.1029/2005je002470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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25
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Hurowitz JA. Experimental epithermal alteration of synthetic Los Angeles meteorite: Implications for the origin of Martian soils and identification of hydrothermal sites on Mars. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2005. [DOI: 10.1029/2004je002391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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26
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Gellert R, Rieder R, Anderson RC, Brückner J, Clark BC, Dreibus G, Economou T, Klingelhöfer G, Lugmair GW, Ming DW, Squyres SW, D'Uston C, Wänke H, Yen A, Zipfel J. Chemistry of Rocks and Soils in Gusev Crater from the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer. Science 2004; 305:829-32. [PMID: 15297665 DOI: 10.1126/science.1099913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 254] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
The alpha particle x-ray spectrometer on the Spirit rover determined major and minor elements of soils and rocks in Gusev crater in order to unravel the crustal evolution of planet Mars. The composition of soils is similar to those at previous landing sites, as a result of global mixing and distribution by dust storms. Rocks (fresh surfaces exposed by the rock abrasion tool) resemble volcanic rocks of primitive basaltic composition with low intrinsic potassium contents. High abundance of bromine (up to 170 parts per million) in rocks may indicate the alteration of surfaces formed during a past period of aqueous activity in Gusev crater.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Gellert
- Max-Planck-Institut für Chemie, J. J. Becher-Weg 27, D-55128 Mainz, Germany.
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27
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Brückner J, Dreibus G, Rieder R, Wänke H. Refined data of Alpha Proton X-ray Spectrometer analyses of soils and rocks at the Mars Pathfinder site: Implications for surface chemistry. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2003. [DOI: 10.1029/2003je002060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J. Brückner
- Max-Planck-Institut für Chemie; Mainz Germany
| | - G. Dreibus
- Max-Planck-Institut für Chemie; Mainz Germany
| | - R. Rieder
- Max-Planck-Institut für Chemie; Mainz Germany
| | - H. Wänke
- Max-Planck-Institut für Chemie; Mainz Germany
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McSween HY, Grove TL, Lentz RC, Dann JC, Holzheid AH, Riciputi LR, Ryan JG. Geochemical evidence for magmatic water within Mars from pyroxenes in the Shergotty meteorite. Nature 2001; 409:487-90. [PMID: 11206539 DOI: 10.1038/35054011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 154] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Observations of martian surface morphology have been used to argue that an ancient ocean once existed on Mars. It has been thought that significant quantities of such water could have been supplied to the martian surface through volcanic outgassing, but this suggestion is contradicted by the low magmatic water content that is generally inferred from chemical analyses of igneous martian meteorites. Here, however, we report the distributions of trace elements within pyroxenes of the Shergotty meteorite--a basalt body ejected 175 million years ago from Mars--as well as hydrous and anhydrous crystallization experiments that, together, imply that water contents of pre-eruptive magma on Mars could have been up to 1.8%. We found that in the Shergotty meteorite, the inner cores of pyroxene minerals (which formed at depth in the martian crust) are enriched in soluble trace elements when compared to the outer rims (which crystallized on or near to the martian surface). This implies that water was present in pyroxenes at depth but was largely lost as pyroxenes were carried to the surface during magma ascent. We conclude that ascending magmas possibly delivered significant quantities of water to the martian surface in recent times, reconciling geologic and petrologic constraints on the outgassing history of Mars.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Y McSween
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville 37996, USA.
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Wänke H, Brückner J, Dreibus G, Rieder R, Ryabchikov I. Chemical Composition of Rocks and Soils at the Pathfinder Site. SPACE SCIENCES SERIES OF ISSI 2001. [DOI: 10.1007/978-94-017-1035-0_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Farquhar J, Savarino J, Jackson TL, Thiemens MH. Evidence of atmospheric sulphur in the martian regolith from sulphur isotopes in meteorites. Nature 2000; 404:50-2. [PMID: 10716436 DOI: 10.1038/35003517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 227] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Sulphur is abundant at the martian surface, yet its origin and evolution over time remain poorly constrained. This sulphur is likely to have originated in atmospheric chemical reactions, and so should provide records of the evolution of the martian atmosphere, the cycling of sulphur between the atmosphere and crust, and the mobility of sulphur in the martian regolith. Moreover, the atmospheric deposition of oxidized sulphur species could establish chemical potential gradients in the martian near-surface environment, and so provide a potential energy source for chemolithoautotrophic organisms. Here we present measurements of sulphur isotopes in oxidized and reduced phases from the SNC meteorites--the group of related achondrite meteorites believed to have originated on Mars--together with the results of laboratory photolysis studies of two important martian atmospheric sulphur species (SO2 and H2S). The photolysis experiments can account for the observed sulphur-isotope compositions in the SNC meteorites, and so identify a mechanism for producing large abiogenic 34S fractionations in the surface sulphur reservoirs. We conclude that the sulphur data from the SNC meteorites reflects deposition of oxidized sulphur species produced by atmospheric chemical reactions, followed by incorporation, reaction and mobilization of the sulphur within the regolith.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Farquhar
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093, USA.
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Catling DC. A chemical model for evaporites on early Mars: Possible sedimentary tracers of the early climate and implications for exploration. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1999. [DOI: 10.1029/1998je001020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Yung YL, Nair H, Gerstell MF. CO2 greenhouse in the early martian atmosphere: SO2 inhibits condensation. ICARUS 1997; 130:222-224. [PMID: 11541436 DOI: 10.1006/icar.1997.5808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Many investigators of the early martian climate have suggested that a dense carbon dioxide atmosphere was present and warmed the surface above the melting point of water (J.B. Pollack, J.F. Kasting, S.M. Richardson, and K. Poliakoff 1987. Icarus 71, 203-224). However, J.F. Kasting (1991. Icarus 94, 1-13) pointed out that previous thermal models of the primitive martian atmosphere had not considered the condensation of CO2. When this effect was incorporated, Kasting found that CO2 by itself is inadequate to warm the surface. SO2 absorbs strongly in the near UV region of the solar spectrum. While a small amount of SO2 may have a negligible effect by itself on the surface temperature, it may have significantly warmed the middle atmosphere of early Mars, much as ozone warms the terrestrial stratosphere today. If this region is kept warm enough to inhibit the condensation of CO2, then CO2 remains a viable greenhouse gas. Our preliminary radiative modeling shows that the addition of 0.1 ppmv of SO2 in a 2 bar CO2 atmosphere raises the temperature of the middle atmosphere by approximately 10 degrees, so that the upper atmosphere in a 1 D model remains above the condensation temperature of CO2. In addition, this amount of SO2 in the atmosphere provides an effective UV shield for a hypothetical biosphere on the martian surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y L Yung
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena 91125, USA.
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