Chemistry of Rocks and Soils at Meridiani Planum from the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer

Rieder, R.; Gellert, R.; Anderson, Robert C.; Brückner, J.; Clark, B. C.; Dreibus, G.; Economou, T.; Klingelhöfer, G.; Lugmair, G. W.; Ming, D. W.; Squyres, S. W.; d’Uston, C.; Wänke, H.; Yen, A. S.; Zipfel, J.

doi:10.1126/science.1104358

Cited by 378 publications

(313 citation statements)

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“…The surface chemistry experiments of the Viking landers detected sulfates in the soil with abundances of 5 to 10 wt% (Toulmin et al 1977). More recently, the Spirit and Opportunity rover experiments reported the detection of sulfates (in particular ferric sulfates and magnesium sulfates) at the Gusev and Meridiani sites (Squyres et al 2004;Rieder et al 2004;Johnson et al 2007). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A stringent upper limit to SO₂in the Martian atmosphere

Encrenaz

Greathouse

Richter

et al. 2011

A&A

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Surfur-bearing molecules have been found at the surface of Mars by the Viking lander, the Spirit and Opportunity rovers, and the OMEGA infrared spectrometer aboard Mars Express. However, no gaseous sulfur-bearing species have ever been detected in the Martian atmosphere. We search for SO 2 signatures in the thermal spectrum of Mars at 7.4 μm using the Texas Echelon Cross Echelle Spectrograph (TEXES) at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF). Data were obtained on Oct. 12, 2009 (Ls = 353 • ), in the 1350-1360 cm −1 range, with a spatial resolution of 1 arcsec (after convolution over three pixels along the N-S axis and two steps along the E-W axis) and a resolving power of 80 000. To improve the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N), we co-added the Martian spectrum around the positions of nine selected SO 2 transitions with a high S/N and no telluric contamination. From a mean spectrum, averaged over 35 pixels in the region of maximum continuum, we infer a 2σ upper limit of 0.3 ppb to the SO 2 mixing ratio, assuming that our instrumental errors are combined according to Gaussian statistics. Our upper limit is three times lower than the upper limit derived by Krasnopolsky (2005, Icarus, 178, 487), who used the same technique on previous TEXES data. In addition, we derive an upper limit of 2 ppb at each spatial pixel of the region observed by TEXES, which covers the longitude ranges 50 E-170 E for latitudes above 30 N, 100 E-170 E for latitudes between 0 and 30 N, and 110 E-170 E for latitudes between 15 S and 0. The non-detection of localized SO 2 sources in the observed area is consistent with a homogeneous distribution being expected around equinox for noncondensible species with a lifetime longer than the global mixing time. In view of the typically large SO 2 /CH 4 ratio observed in terrestrial volcanoes, and assuming a comparable volcanic composition for Mars and the Earth, our result reaffirms that a volcanic origin is unlikely for any methane in the Martian atmosphere.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A stringent upper limit to SO₂in the Martian atmosphere

Encrenaz

Greathouse

Richter

et al. 2011

A&A

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“…Known rock compositions/types include basalt, basaltic andesite, hematite, quartz, andesite, phyllosilicates, sulfates, layered sedimentary deposits, etc. (e.g., Malin and Edgett, 2000;Bandfield et al, 2000;Christensen et al, 2000Christensen et al, , 2001aChristensen et al, ,b, 2005Rieder et al, 2004;Gendrin et al, 2005). Therefore, there is very little confidence that SNC meteorites provide an even and unbiased sampling of the Martian surface.…”

Section: Geologic and Mineralogic Information Of Claritas Risementioning

confidence: 99%

New evidence for a magmatic influence on the origin of Valles Marineris, Mars

Dohm

Williams

Anderson

et al. 2009

Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research

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“…Analysis of the Bright Red Drift material by the APXS showed that it was chemically similar to the reddish drifts measured at the Viking landing sites (e.g., Clark et al, 1982), and it has since been shown to be chemically similar to the reddish drifts examined by the MER rovers (e.g., Rieder et al, 2004). IMP data indicated that this material lacked a well defined absorption in the 900 nm region.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Multispectral imaging from Mars Pathfinder

Farrand¹,

Bell²,

Johnson³

et al. 2008

The Martian Surface

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The Imager for Mars Pathfinder (IMP) was a mast-mounted instrument on the Mars Pathfinder lander which landed on Mars' Ares Vallis floodplain on July 4, 1997. During the 83 sols of Mars Pathfinders landed operations, the IMP collected over 16,600 images. Multispectral images were collected using twelve narrowband filters at wavelengths between 400 and 1000 nm in the visible and near infrared (VNIR) range. The IMP provided VNIR spectra of the materials surrounding the lander including rocks, bright soils, dark soils, and atmospheric observations. During the primary mission, only a single primary rock spectral class, "Gray Rock", was recognized; since then, "Black Rock", has been identified. The Black Rock spectra have a stronger absorption at longer wavelengths than do Gray Rock spectra. A number of coated rocks have also been described, the Red and Maroon Rock classes, and perhaps indurated soils in the form of the Pink Rock class. A number of different soil types were also recognized with the primary ones being Bright Red Drift, Dark Soil, Brown Soil, and Disturbed Soil. Examination of spectral parameter plots indicated two trends which were interpreted as representing alteration products formed in at least two different environmental epochs of the Ares Vallis area. Subsequent analysis of the data and comparison with terrestrial analogs have supported the interpretation that the rock coatings provide evidence of earlier martian environments. However, the presence of relatively uncoated examples of the Gray and Black rock classes indicate that relatively unweathered materials can persist on the martian surface.

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Chemistry of Rocks and Soils at Meridiani Planum from the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer

Cited by 378 publications

References 10 publications

A stringent upper limit to SO₂in the Martian atmosphere

A stringent upper limit to SO₂in the Martian atmosphere

New evidence for a magmatic influence on the origin of Valles Marineris, Mars

Multispectral imaging from Mars Pathfinder

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Chemistry of Rocks and Soils at Meridiani Planum from the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer

Cited by 378 publications

References 10 publications

A stringent upper limit to SO2in the Martian atmosphere

A stringent upper limit to SO2in the Martian atmosphere

New evidence for a magmatic influence on the origin of Valles Marineris, Mars

Multispectral imaging from Mars Pathfinder

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

A stringent upper limit to SO₂in the Martian atmosphere

A stringent upper limit to SO₂in the Martian atmosphere