Magmatic complexity on early Mars as seen through a combination of orbital, in-situ and meteorite data

Sautter, V.; Toplis, Michael J.; Beck, Pierre; Mangold, N.; Wiens, R. C.; Pinet, P.; Cousin, A.; Maurice, S.; LeDeit, Laetitia; Hewins, R. H.; Gasnault, O.; Quantin, C.; Forni, O.; Newsom, H. E.; Meslin, Pierre‐Yves; Wray, J. J.; Bridges, N. T.; Payré, V.; Rapin, W.; Mouëlic, Stéphane Le

doi:10.1016/j.lithos.2016.02.023

Cited by 74 publications

(87 citation statements)

References 114 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Taken together these observations suggest that silica‐rich magmatic rocks may constitute a greater fraction of ancient Martian crust than previously thought (see Sautter et al . [] for further discussion).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The potassic sedimentary rocks in Gale Crater, Mars, as seen by ChemCam on board Curiosity

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity encountered potassium-rich clastic sedimentary rocks at two sites in Gale Crater, the waypoints Cooperstown and Kimberley. These rocks include several distinct meters thick sedimentary outcrops ranging from fine sandstone to conglomerate, interpreted to record an ancient fluvial or fluvio-deltaic depositional system. From ChemCam Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) chemical analyses, this suite of sedimentary rocks has an overall mean K 2 O abundance that is more than 5 times higher than that of the average Martian crust. The combined analysis of ChemCam data with stratigraphic and geographic locations reveals that the mean K 2 O abundance increases upward through the stratigraphic section. Chemical analyses across each unit can be represented as mixtures of several distinct chemical components, i.e., mineral phases, including K-bearing minerals, mafic silicates, Fe-oxides, and Fe-hydroxide/oxyhydroxides. Possible K-bearing minerals include alkali feldspar (including anorthoclase and sanidine) and K-bearing phyllosilicate such as illite. Mixtures of different source rocks, including a potassium-rich rock located on the rim and walls of Gale Crater, are the likely origin of observed chemical variations within each unit. Physical sorting may have also played a role in the enrichment in K in the Kimberley formation. The occurrence of these potassic sedimentary rocks provides additional evidence for the chemical diversity of the crust exposed at Gale Crater.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The potassic sedimentary rocks in Gale Crater, Mars, as seen by ChemCam on board Curiosity

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…For example, Yellowknife Bay mudstones contained 2–4 wt % olivine [ Vaniman et al ., ] and the Windjana sample ~6 wt % [ Treiman et al ., ]. This is consistent with the relative lack of olivine in bedrock at Gale Crater as interpreted from overall low (Mg + Fe)/Si ratios in ChemCam laser‐induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) data [e.g., Sautter et al ., ], although orbital observations demonstrate extensive olivine in the walls of Gale Crater [ Ehlmann and Buz , ]. The relative paucity of olivine at Yellowknife Bay also has been interpreted to result from alteration of Mg saponite [ Vaniman et al ., ; Bristow et al ., ].…”

Section: Previous Observations Of Dune Sands And/or Ripple Formsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Visible/near‐infrared spectral diversity from in situ observations of the Bagnold Dune Field sands in Gale Crater, Mars

et al. 2017

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

As part of the Bagnold Dune campaign conducted by Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity, visible/near‐infrared reflectance spectra of dune sands were acquired using Mast Camera (Mastcam) multispectral imaging (445–1013 nm) and Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) passive point spectroscopy (400–840 nm). By comparing spectra from pristine and rover‐disturbed ripple crests and troughs within the dune field, and through analysis of sieved grain size fractions, constraints on mineral segregation from grain sorting could be determined. In general, the dune areas exhibited low relative reflectance, a weak ~530 nm absorption band, an absorption band near 620 nm, and a spectral downturn after ~685 nm consistent with olivine‐bearing sands. The finest grain size fractions occurred within ripple troughs and in the subsurface and typically exhibited the strongest ~530 nm bands, highest relative reflectances, and weakest red/near‐infrared ratios, consistent with a combination of crystalline and amorphous ferric materials. Coarser‐grained samples were the darkest and bluest and exhibited weaker ~530 nm bands, lower relative reflectances, and stronger downturns in the near‐infrared, consistent with greater proportions of mafic minerals such as olivine and pyroxene. These grains were typically segregated along ripple crests and among the upper surfaces of grain flows in disturbed sands. Sieved dune sands exhibited progressive decreases in reflectance with increasing grain size, as observed in laboratory spectra of olivine size separates. The continuum of spectral features observed between the coarse‐ and fine‐grained dune sands suggests that mafic grains, ferric materials, and air fall dust mix in variable proportions depending on aeolian activity and grain sorting.

show abstract

“…Orbital and in situ data provide evidence for more magmatic diversity in the Noachian era than in more recent times Rogers and Fergason 2011;Flahaut et al 2012;Wray et al 2013;Pan et al 2015;Sautter et al 2015). This may include lithologies close to the terrestrial continental crust suggesting geodynamical contexts favorable to partial melting of the basaltic crust (Baratoux et al 2014;Sautter et al 2015Sautter et al , 2016. It is also not yet clear if all these early crust components are characteristic products of the Noachian volcanic activity or if some of them may be attributed to preserved remnants of the crystallization of the magma ocean and/or of the melting induced by the expected mantle overturn (e.g., Elkins-Tanton et al 2005).…”

Section: Constraints On Volcanism From Chemistry and Mineralogymentioning

confidence: 98%

“…The meteorite breccia NWA 7034 (paired with NWA 7533 and NWA 7475 of similar origin) is a unique piece of ancient crust with zircon crystals dated at 4.43 Gy and contains differentiated felsic rocks with abundant feldspars showing a more complex mineralogy than any other martian meteorites (Agee et al 2013;Humayun et al 2013;Wittmann et al 2015). The significance and representativeness of these samples and remote-sensing observations for the average structure of the crust and their contexts of formation are debated, but it is of note that the existence of a voluminous evolved silica-rich continental-like component, mostly buried below most recent basalts, would offer a simple way to satisfy geophysical observations with other arguments in favor of a relatively thin (∼50 km) crust (Baratoux et al 2014;Sautter et al 2015Sautter et al , 2016. …”

Section: Integrating Geophysical and Geochemical Approachesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mars: a small terrestrial planet

Mangold

Baratoux

Witasse

et al. 2016

Astron Astrophys Rev

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Mars is characterized by geological landforms familiar to terrestrial geologists. It has a tenuous atmosphere that evolved differently from that of Earth and Venus and a differentiated inner structure. Our knowledge of the structure and evolution of Mars has strongly improved thanks to a huge amount of data of various types (visible and infrared imagery, altimetry, radar, chemistry, etc) acquired by a dozen of missions over the last two decades. In situ data have provided ground truth for remote-sensing data and have opened a new era in the study of Mars geology. While large sections of Mars science have made progress and new topics have emerged, a major question in Mars exploration-the possibility of past or present life-is still unsolved. Without entering into the debate around the presence of life traces, our review develops various topics of Mars science to help the search of life on Mars, building on the most recent discoveries, going from the exosphere to the interior structure, from the magmatic evolution to the currently active processes, including the fate of volatiles and especially liquid water.

show abstract

Magmatic complexity on early Mars as seen through a combination of orbital, in-situ and meteorite data

Cited by 74 publications

References 114 publications

The potassic sedimentary rocks in Gale Crater, Mars, as seen by ChemCam on board Curiosity

The potassic sedimentary rocks in Gale Crater, Mars, as seen by ChemCam on board Curiosity

Visible/near‐infrared spectral diversity from in situ observations of the Bagnold Dune Field sands in Gale Crater, Mars

Mars: a small terrestrial planet

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About