Combination between Ca, P and Y in the Martian Meteorite NWA 6963 could be used as a strategy to indicate liquid water reservoirs on ancient Mars?

Abstract

Although we have learned much about the geological characteristics and history of Mars, the gaps in our knowledge certainly exceed what we understand. Martian meteorites, such as Northwest Africa (NWA) 6963, can be excellent materials for understanding the present and past of Mars, as part of the records of the planet's evolution is preserved in these extraterrestrial rocks. Micro X-ray fluorescence provided data, in which it was possible to verify the presence of Ca, P and Y elements, which are call attention because they were detected superimposed in certain regions. The way these elements were detected indicates the formation of minerals composed by the combination of these elements, such as, for example, Calcite (CaCO3), Apatite [Ca5(PO4)3(OH, F, Cl)], Merrilite [Ca9NaMg (PO4)7] and Xenotime (YPO4). These minerals are great indicators of aqueous environments. In general, the formation of these minerals is due to processes involving hydrothermal fluids or sources (>100 °C). Some geological indications suggest that in the past there might have been a large amount of liquid water, which could have accumulated large reservoirs below the Martian surface. Thus, the laboratory study of Martian meteorites and interpretations of minerals present in these samples can contribute in a complementary way to the existing results of telescopic observations and/or missions of space probes as a strategy to indicate reservoirs of liquid water.

Meteoritos Marcianos Realmente Vieram De Marte?

“…Segundo Nyquist et al (2001), comparados aos basaltos terrestres, os shergottitos basálticos são caracterizados por uma alta razão de Fe/(Fe + Mg) e baixa concentração de Al2O3. Todos os meteoritos desse grupo têm padrões complexos de elementos de terra rara, com deficiências distintas de elementos leves de terra rara e, com exceção da água, existe uma quantidade abundante de elementos voláteis (Jakosky, 2021Hu et al, 2020Nascimento-Dias, 2018). Composições isotópicas iniciais de Sr, Nd e Pb são variáveis entre os shegotitos basálticos, possivelmente refletindo diferentes fases da reação entre a crosta marciana e magma isotopicamente homogêneo.…”

“…No que cerne esta temática de meteoritos marcianos, existem alguns artigos de revisão anterior e agora um tanto datados (Nyquist et al, 2001;McSween Jr, 1994;McSween, 1985;Wood & Ashwal, 1981) exploraram a possibilidade de que essas rochas pudessem ser usadas como registros de processos geológicos e históricos marcianos. Vale salientar que os esforços para extrair informações planetárias desses meteoritos se tornaram muito mais sofisticados e bem-sucedidos (Nascimento-Dias et al, 2018;Wang et al, 2004;Mckay et al, 1996. ) Em 2021, mais precisamente em fevereiro, chegou em Marte o Mars 2020, que é uma missão do Mars Exploration Program da NASA, que inclui o Perseverance rover e o Ingenuity que é uma espécie de drone.…”

Analysing the astrobiological aspects through the comparison of pyroxenes detected in meteorites and Martian environments

“…Minerals carry within their structure a great range of information regarding physical and chemical processes that have occurred during their formation (Nascimento-Dias et al, 2018). In general, these processes are related to evolutionary environmental patterns of the region in which they are found.…”

“…Although nowadays no liquid water has been detected on the surface of Mars, it may have been abundant in the past (Nascimento-Dias, 2018). This is thus a very important discussion for the investigation of the habitability conditions of Martian environments.…”