Early oxidation of the martian crust triggered by impacts

Deng, Zhengbin; Moynier, Frédéric; Villeneuve, Johan; Jensen, Ninna K.; Liu, Deze; Cartigny, Pierre; Mikouchi, T.; Siebert, J.; Agranier, Arnaud; Chaussidon, M.; Bizzarro, Martin

doi:10.1126/sciadv.abc4941

Cited by 29 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 61 publications

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“…High nickel content and high PGE concentrations measured in the breccia suggest the contribution of at least 5-15% of a chondritic impactor [Deng et al, 2020, Humayun et al, 2013. The large development of exsolution features in coarse crystals in noritic and monzonitic fragments or in mineral clasts, point to slow cooling potentially with a deep-seated plutonic origin, compared to the microbasaltic clasts that likely formed shortly afterward.…”

Section: Formation Mechanisms Of the Lithic Clastsmentioning

confidence: 94%

Alkali magmatism on Mars: an unexpected diversity

Sautter¹,

Payré²

2022

Comptes Rendus. Géoscience

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Despite an apparent north/south topographic dichotomy that formed >4.0 Ga, the young Martian meteorites (<2.4 Ga) and first-order remote sensing observations revealed a surface of Mars that is uniformly basaltic. This simplistic vision has been challenged by the discovery of a brecciated meteorite and additional spacecraft data that all point to the presence of alkaline igneous rocks, thereby demonstrating an unexpected igneous diversity on Mars. In the present paper, we review a variety of effusive alkaline rocks (basalts to trachytes) recognized so far in the southern hemisphere of Mars as observed from a unique 4.47 Ga Martian meteorite, as well as ground, and orbital data. The complementary of effusive alkaline rocks and plutonic orthopyroxene-rich rocks in early Mars is discussed. We propose that mantle-derived magmas at high extent of melting at rather low pressure either erupted forming orthopyroxene-rich lavas, or crystallized at shallow crustal depths, fractionating orthopyroxene which sank to the bottom of the chamber and residual alkaline magmas which erupted at the surface of Mars. Widespread low pressure fractionation processes could also be related to heavy bombardment on the early Martian crust generating melt sheets that ultimately differentiated. The Noachian crust is more diverse than being merely basaltic.

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Section: Formation Mechanisms Of the Lithic Clastsmentioning

confidence: 94%

Alkali magmatism on Mars: an unexpected diversity

Sautter¹,

Payré²

2022

Comptes Rendus. Géoscience

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“…(2) The assumption derived from climate modelling that Mars once had a CO 2 atmosphere with a pressure exceeding 250 mbar is at odds with the likely high hydrogen fugacity (i.e., the very low oxygen fugacity) of the Martian mantle and the paucity of carbonate outcrop. Although such an early atmosphere has not been disproven, high emissions of H 2 could also exoplain the warm temperatures at that time [ 92 , 203 , 206 , 209 , 247 , 248 ];…”

Section: Caveats and Limitationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Six ‘Must-Have’ Minerals for Life’s Emergence: Olivine, Pyrrhotite, Bridgmanite, Serpentine, Fougerite and Mackinawite

Russell

Ponce

2020

Life

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Life cannot emerge on a planet or moon without the appropriate electrochemical disequilibria and the minerals that mediate energy-dissipative processes. Here, it is argued that four minerals, olivine ([Mg>Fe]2SiO4), bridgmanite ([Mg,Fe]SiO3), serpentine ([Mg,Fe,]2-3Si2O5[OH)]4), and pyrrhotite (Fe(1−x)S), are an essential requirement in planetary bodies to produce such disequilibria and, thereby, life. Yet only two minerals, fougerite ([Fe2+6xFe3+6(x−1)O12H2(7−3x)]2+·[(CO2−)·3H2O]2−) and mackinawite (Fe[Ni]S), are vital—comprising precipitate membranes—as initial “free energy” conductors and converters of such disequilibria, i.e., as the initiators of a CO2-reducing metabolism. The fact that wet and rocky bodies in the solar system much smaller than Earth or Venus do not reach the internal pressure (≥23 GPa) requirements in their mantles sufficient for producing bridgmanite and, therefore, are too reduced to stabilize and emit CO2—the staple of life—may explain the apparent absence or negligible concentrations of that gas on these bodies, and thereby serves as a constraint in the search for extraterrestrial life. The astrobiological challenge then is to search for worlds that (i) are large enough to generate internal pressures such as to produce bridgmanite or (ii) boast electron acceptors, including imported CO2, from extraterrestrial sources in their hydrospheres.

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“…Large impacts could have led to impact-induced hydrothermal systems, and several impact-induced hydrothermal systems have been proposed 34 – 36 . Chemically reduced impactors may induce both crustal and impact plume thermochemical pathways yielding H 2 and CH 4 as globally potent greenhouse gases 37 , 38 . The origin of some valley networks on Mars has also been associated with hydrothermalism via magmatic intrusion 39 – 41 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In most such cases, however, the hydrothermal systems are relatively short-lived, localized, or sporadic. Even local hydrothermalism at massive impacts like Hellas, and global warming from impact-induced H 2 , may not have prolonged surface waters beyond tens of Ma time scales 30 , 37 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Amagmatic hydrothermal systems on Mars from radiogenic heat

et al. 2021

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Long-lived hydrothermal systems are prime targets for astrobiological exploration on Mars. Unlike magmatic or impact settings, radiogenic hydrothermal systems can survive for >100 million years because of the Ga half-lives of key radioactive elements (e.g., U, Th, and K), but remain unknown on Mars. Here, we use geochemistry, gravity, topography data, and numerical models to find potential radiogenic hydrothermal systems on Mars. We show that the Eridania region, which once contained a vast inland sea, possibly exceeding the combined volume of all other Martian surface water, could have readily hosted a radiogenic hydrothermal system. Thus, radiogenic hydrothermalism in Eridania could have sustained clement conditions for life far longer than most other habitable sites on Mars. Water radiolysis by radiogenic heat could have produced H2, a key electron donor for microbial life. Furthermore, hydrothermal circulation may help explain the region’s high crustal magnetic field and gravity anomaly.

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Early oxidation of the martian crust triggered by impacts

Cited by 29 publications

References 61 publications

Alkali magmatism on Mars: an unexpected diversity

Alkali magmatism on Mars: an unexpected diversity

Six ‘Must-Have’ Minerals for Life’s Emergence: Olivine, Pyrrhotite, Bridgmanite, Serpentine, Fougerite and Mackinawite

Amagmatic hydrothermal systems on Mars from radiogenic heat

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