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Steele A, Benning LG, Wirth R, Schreiber A, Araki T, McCubbin FM, Fries MD, Nittler LR, Wang J, Hallis LJ, Conrad PG, Conley C, Vitale S, O'Brien AC, Riggi V, Rogers K. Organic synthesis associated with serpentinization and carbonation on early Mars. Science 2022; 375:172-177. [PMID: 35025630 DOI: 10.1126/science.abg7905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Water-rock interactions are relevant to planetary habitability, influencing mineralogical diversity and the production of organic molecules. We examine carbonates and silicates in the martian meteorite Allan Hills 84001 (ALH 84001), using colocated nanoscale analyses, to characterize the nature of water-rock reactions on early Mars. We find complex refractory organic material associated with mineral assemblages that formed by mineral carbonation and serpentinization reactions. The organic molecules are colocated with nanophase magnetite; both formed in situ during water-rock interactions on Mars. Two potentially distinct mechanisms of abiotic organic synthesis operated on early Mars during the late Noachian period (3.9 to 4.1 billion years ago).
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Affiliation(s)
- A Steele
- Carnegie Institution for Science, Earth and Planets Laboratory, Washington, DC 20015, USA
| | - L G Benning
- Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany.,Department of Earth Sciences, Free University of Berlin, 12249 Berlin, Germany
| | - R Wirth
- Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
| | - A Schreiber
- Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
| | - T Araki
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, UK
| | - F M McCubbin
- NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058, USA
| | - M D Fries
- NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058, USA
| | - L R Nittler
- Carnegie Institution for Science, Earth and Planets Laboratory, Washington, DC 20015, USA
| | - J Wang
- Carnegie Institution for Science, Earth and Planets Laboratory, Washington, DC 20015, USA
| | - L J Hallis
- School of Geographical and Earth Science, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - P G Conrad
- Carnegie Institution for Science, Earth and Planets Laboratory, Washington, DC 20015, USA
| | - C Conley
- NASA Ames Research Center, Mountain View, CA 94035, USA
| | - S Vitale
- Carnegie Institution for Science, Earth and Planets Laboratory, Washington, DC 20015, USA
| | - A C O'Brien
- School of Geographical and Earth Science, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - V Riggi
- Carnegie Institution for Science, Earth and Planets Laboratory, Washington, DC 20015, USA
| | - K Rogers
- Earth and Environmental Sciences, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA
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Daly L, Lee MR, Piazolo S, Griffin S, Bazargan M, Campanale F, Chung P, Cohen BE, Pickersgill AE, Hallis LJ, Trimby PW, Baumgartner R, Forman LV, Benedix GK. Boom boom pow: Shock-facilitated aqueous alteration and evidence for two shock events in the Martian nakhlite meteorites. Sci Adv 2019; 5:eaaw5549. [PMID: 31517047 PMCID: PMC6726442 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaw5549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Nakhlite meteorites are ~1.4 to 1.3 Ga old igneous rocks, aqueously altered on Mars ~630 Ma ago. We test the theory that water-rock interaction was impact driven. Electron backscatter diffraction demonstrates that the meteorites Miller Range 03346 and Lafayette were heterogeneously deformed, leading to localized regions of brecciation, plastic deformation, and mechanical twinning of augite. Numerical modeling shows that the pattern of deformation is consistent with shock-generated compressive and tensile stresses. Mesostasis within shocked areas was aqueously altered to phyllosilicates, carbonates, and oxides, suggesting a genetic link between the two processes. We propose that an impact ~630 Ma ago simultaneously deformed the nakhlite parent rocks and generated liquid water by melting of permafrost. Ensuing water-rock interaction focused on shocked mesostasis with a high density of reactive sites. The nakhlite source location must have two spatially correlated craters, one ~630 Ma old and another, ejecting the meteorites, ~11 Ma ago.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. Daly
- School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
- Space Science and Technology Centre, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia
- Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - M. R. Lee
- School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - S. Piazolo
- School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - S. Griffin
- School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - M. Bazargan
- Department of Earth Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - F. Campanale
- School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Pisa, via Santa Maria 53, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - P. Chung
- School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - B. E. Cohen
- School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - A. E. Pickersgill
- School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - L. J. Hallis
- School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - P. W. Trimby
- Oxford Instruments Nanoanalysis, High Wycombe HP12 3SE, UK
| | - R. Baumgartner
- Australian Centre for Astrobiology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - L. V. Forman
- Space Science and Technology Centre, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia
| | - G. K. Benedix
- Space Science and Technology Centre, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Western Australia Museum, Locked Bag 49, Welshpool, WA 6986, Australia
- Planetary Science Institute, 1700 East Fort Lowell, Suite 106, Tucson, AZ 85719-2395, USA
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Abstract
The original hydrogen isotope (D/H) ratios of different planetary bodies may indicate where each body formed in the Solar System. However, geological and atmospheric processes can alter these ratios through time. Over the past few decades, D/H ratios in meteorites from Vesta and Mars, as well as from S- and C-type asteroids, have been measured. The aim of this article is to bring together all previously published data from these bodies, as well as the Earth, in order to determine the original D/H ratio for each of these inner Solar System planetary bodies. Once all secondary processes have been stripped away, the inner Solar System appears to be relatively homogeneous in terms of water D/H, with the original water D/H ratios of Vesta, Mars, the Earth, and S- and C-type asteroids all falling between δD values of -100‰ and -590‰. This homogeneity is in accord with the 'Grand tack' model of Solar System formation, where giant planet migration causes the S- and C-type asteroids to be mixed within 1 AU to eventually form the terrestrial planets.This article is part of the themed issue 'The origin, history and role of water in the evolution of the inner Solar System'.
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Affiliation(s)
- L J Hallis
- School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, Gregory Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
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