Large‐scale fluid‐deposited mineralization in Margaritifer Terra, Mars

Thomas, Richard H.; Potter-McIntyre, S. L.; Hynek, B. M.

doi:10.1002/2017gl073388

Cited by 11 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 71 publications

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“…However, environments much higher in Cl have been discovered and extensively mapped from orbit, with many sites in local depressions and higher terrains resulting from surface runoff, groundwater upwelling, and hydrothermal activity (Osterloo et al, 2010). For example, the Eastern Margaritifer Terra in the equatorial region contains mineral precipitation in upwelling fluids from crater floor fractures and was rated highly for the Mars 2020 landing site, while Columbus Crater in Terra Sirenum contains groundwater-fed paleolakes with evaporite salts and is being considered as a human exploration zone (Wray et al, 2011; R.J. Thomas et al, 2017). Jezero Crater, the selected Mars 2020 landing site, also contains hydrated minerals in outflow deposits within the river deltas that have been captured by the CRISM (Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars) and HiRISE (High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment) instruments on board the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.…”

Section: What Do We Know About the Potential Habitability Ofmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mars Extant Life: What's Next? Conference Report

Beaty¹,

Meÿer²,

Blank³

et al. 2020

Astrobiology

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786 1. Introduction 786 2. Organization of the Ideas Presented and Discussed at the Conference 787 2.1. Definition of key terms 787 3. Martian Environments Deemed to Be Most Prospective for Extant Martian Life 788 3.1. Caves 790 3.2. Deep subsurface 790 3.3. Ice 793 3.4. Salts 796 4. Methodologies: A Summary of Possible Approaches and Strategies to Search for Extant Life on Mars 797 4.1. Geologically guided search strategies 797 4.2. Possible detection methods for extant martian life 799 4.3. Possible constraints relevant to the search for extant martian life derived from laboratory experiments 802 5. Discussion 804 Acknowledgments 805 References 805

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Section: What Do We Know About the Potential Habitability Ofmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mars Extant Life: What's Next? Conference Report

Beaty¹,

Meÿer²,

Blank³

et al. 2020

Astrobiology

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“…Examples of exposed subsurface environments on Mars include Margaritifer Terra where chaotic terrain is hypothesized to have resulted from expulsion of subsurface fluid ( e.g ., Carr, 1979; Thomas et al , 2017). In addition, raised ridges that are resistant to erosion relative to the surrounding rock have been interpreted as possible examples of subsurface mineralization that has preferentially cemented these fractures, rendering them harder than the rest of the unit (Thomas et al , 2017).…”

Section: Biosignature Phenomenamentioning

confidence: 99%

Deciphering Biosignatures in Planetary Contexts

et al. 2019

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Microbial life permeates Earth's critical zone and has likely inhabited nearly all our planet's surface and near subsurface since before the beginning of the sedimentary rock record. Given the vast time that Earth has been teeming with life, do astrobiologists truly understand what geological features untouched by biological processes would look like? In the search for extraterrestrial life in the Universe, it is critical to determine what constitutes a biosignature across multiple scales, and how this compares with “abiosignatures” formed by nonliving processes. Developing standards for abiotic and biotic characteristics would provide quantitative metrics for comparison across different data types and observational time frames. The evidence for life detection falls into three categories of biosignatures: (1) substances, such as elemental abundances, isotopes, molecules, allotropes, enantiomers, minerals, and their associated properties; (2) objects that are physical features such as mats, fossils including trace-fossils and microbialites (stromatolites), and concretions; and (3) patterns, such as physical three-dimensional or conceptual n -dimensional relationships of physical or chemical phenomena, including patterns of intermolecular abundances of organic homologues, and patterns of stable isotopic abundances between and within compounds. Five key challenges that warrant future exploration by the astrobiology community include the following: (1) examining phenomena at the “right” spatial scales because biosignatures may elude us if not examined with the appropriate instrumentation or modeling approach at that specific scale; (2) identifying the precise context across multiple spatial and temporal scales to understand how tangible biosignatures may or may not be preserved; (3) increasing capability to mine big data sets to reveal relationships, for example, how Earth's mineral diversity may have evolved in conjunction with life; (4) leveraging cyberinfrastructure for data management of biosignature types, characteristics, and classifications; and (5) using three-dimensional to n -D representations of biotic and abiotic models overlain on multiple overlapping spatial and temporal relationships to provide new insights.

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“…; Thomas et al. ). These include Gale Crater (Zn‐ and Ge‐enrichment measured by Curiosity rover; Berger et al.…”

Section: Objective 1: Interpret the Primary Geologic Processes And Himentioning

confidence: 98%

The potential science and engineering value of samples delivered to Earth by Mars sample return

Beaty¹,

Grady²,

McSween³

et al. 2019

Meteorit & Planetary Scien

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Executive Summary Return of samples from the surface of Mars has been a goal of the international Mars science community for many years. Affirmation by NASA and ESA of the importance of Mars exploration led the agencies to establish the international MSR Objectives and Samples Team (iMOST). The purpose of the team is to re‐evaluate and update the sample‐related science and engineering objectives of a Mars Sample Return (MSR) campaign. The iMOST team has also undertaken to define the measurements and the types of samples that can best address the objectives. Seven objectives have been defined for MSR, traceable through two decades of previously published international priorities. The first two objectives are further divided into sub‐objectives. Within the main part of the report, the importance to science and/or engineering of each objective is described, critical measurements that would address the objectives are specified, and the kinds of samples that would be most likely to carry key information are identified. These seven objectives provide a framework for demonstrating how the first set of returned Martian samples would impact future Martian science and exploration. They also have implications for how analogous investigations might be conducted for samples returned by future missions from other solar system bodies, especially those that may harbor biologically relevant or sensitive material, such as Ocean Worlds (Europa, Enceladus, Titan) and others. Summary of Objectives and Sub‐Objectives for MSR Identified by iMOST This objective is divided into five sub‐objectives that would apply at different landing sites. 1.1 Characterize the essential stratigraphic, sedimentologic, and facies variations of a sequence of Martian sedimentary rocks. 1.2 Understand an ancient Martian hydrothermal system through study of its mineralization products and morphological expression. 1.3 Understand the rocks and minerals representative of a deep subsurface groundwater environment. 1.4 Understand water/rock/atmosphere interactions at the Martian surface and how they have changed with time. 1.5 Determine the petrogenesis of Martian igneous rocks in time and space. This objective has three sub‐objectives: 2.1 Assess and characterize carbon, including possible organic and pre‐biotic chemistry. 2.2 Assay for the presence of biosignatures of past life at sites that hosted habitable environments and could have preserved any biosignatures. 2.3 Assess the possibility that any life forms detected are alive, or were recently alive. Summary of iMOST Findings Several specific findings were identified during the iMOST study. While they are not explicit recommendations, we suggest that they should serve as guidelines for future decision making regarding planning of potential future MSR missions. The samples to be collected by the Mars 2020 (M‐2020) rover will be of sufficient size and quality to address and solve a wide variety of scientific questions. Samples, by definition, are a statistical representation of a larger entity...

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Large‐scale fluid‐deposited mineralization in Margaritifer Terra, Mars

Cited by 11 publications

References 71 publications

Mars Extant Life: What's Next? Conference Report

Mars Extant Life: What's Next? Conference Report

Deciphering Biosignatures in Planetary Contexts

The potential science and engineering value of samples delivered to Earth by Mars sample return

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