Mineralogy of the Paso Robles soils on Mars

Lane, M. D.; Bishop, J. L.; Dyar, M. D.; King, P. L.; Parente, M.; Hyde, B. C.

doi:10.2138/am.2008.2757

Cited by 88 publications

(70 citation statements)

References 30 publications

(41 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…[37] Ferricopiapite has also been suggested as the major sulfur-bearing constituent in Paso Robles salty soils by a study combining the Pancam, MB and MiniTES data from Spirit with laboratory experiments. [38] Ferricopiapite, fibroferrite and paracoquimbite are suggested by the spectral unmixing of Pancam images of soils in the Gusev crater. [39] These findings and investigations reinforce the importance of obtaining a better understanding of spectroscopic properties of the copiapite group of minerals through laboratory experiments.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A comprehensive spectroscopic study of synthetic Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, Mg²⁺ and Al³⁺ copiapite by Raman, XRD, LIBS, MIR and vis–NIR

Kong

Wang²,

Freeman³

et al. 2010

J Raman Spectroscopy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The identification of iron sulfates on Mars by the Mars Exploration Rovers (MERs) and the Mars ReconnaissanceOrbiter emphasized the importance of studying iron sulfates in laboratory simulation experiments. The copiapite group of minerals was suggested as one of the potential iron sulfates occurring on the surface and subsurface on Mars, so it is meaningful to study their spectroscopic features, especially the spectral changes caused by cation substitutions. Four copiapite samples with cation substitutions (Fe 3+ , Al 3+ , Fe 2+ , Mg 2+ ) were synthesized in our laboratory. Their identities were confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). Spectroscopic characterizations by Raman, mid-IR, vis-NIR and laser-induced-breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) were conducted on those synthetic copiapite samples, as these technologies are being (and will be) used in current (and future) missions to Mars. We have found a systematic ν 1 peak shift in the Raman spectra of the copiapite samples with cation substitutions, a consistent atomic ratio detection by LIBS, a set of systematic XRD line shifts representing structural change caused by the cation substitutions and a weakening of selection rules in mid-IR spectra caused by the low site symmetry of (SO 4 ) 2− in the copiapite structures. The near-infrared (NIR) spectra of the trivalent copiapite species show two strong diagnostic water features near 1.4 and 1.9 µm, with two additional bands near 2.0 µm. In the vis-NIR spectra, the position of an electronic band shifts from 0.85 µm for ferricopiapite to 0.866 µm for copiapite, and this shift suggests the appearance of a Fe 2+ electronic transition band near 0.9 µm.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A comprehensive spectroscopic study of synthetic Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, Mg²⁺ and Al³⁺ copiapite by Raman, XRD, LIBS, MIR and vis–NIR

Kong

Wang²,

Freeman³

et al. 2010

J Raman Spectroscopy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In this area, soil and rock that have 65-92 wt % silica have been observed by the Spirit rover [Ruff et al, 2011]. One such soil class, Paso Robles, has additional Fe and Mg sulfates [Lane et al, 2008;Yen et al, 2008]. Yen et al [2008] suggested that sulfur-rich volcanic gas and hydrothermal fluids altered local bedrock forming amorphous silica and hydrated Fe and Mg sulfates.…”

Section: Home Platementioning

confidence: 87%

“…Amorphous silica is also abundant, as well as iron phases including magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ) and nanophase oxides [Squyres et al, 2007]. The Spirit rover wheels exposed additional opaline silica and ferric sulfates [Lane et al, 2008;Ruff et al, 2011]. Home Plate in Gusev crater is another area with abundant amorphous silica and sulfates suggesting hydrothermal precipitation from a hot spring or volcanic gas emissions (i.e., fumaroles) [e.g., Squyres et al, 2007;Yen et al, 2008;Ruff et al, 2011].…”

Section: Acid-sulfate Mineralogy Of Marsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In particular, the Noctis Labyrinthus, Terra Sirenum, Mawrth Vallis, Syrtis Major, and Gusev crater are relevant places to compare to our field results since they contain sequences of Fe/Mg smectites, Al phyllosilicates, sulfates, and amorphous silica [e.g., Anderson and Bell, 2008;Bishop et al, 2008b;Lane et al, 2008;Yen et al, 2008;Farrand et al, 2009;Wray et al, 2010;Ruff et al, 2011;Weitz et al, 2011;Thollot et al, 2012].…”

Section: General Mars Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Visible‐near‐infrared reflectance spectroscopy of volcanic acid‐sulfate alteration in Nicaragua: Analogs for early Mars

et al. 2013

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

[1] Acid-sulfate weathering at Nicaraguan hydrothermal sites Cerro Negro, Momotombo, and Telica volcanoes and Hervidores de San Jacinto mudpots was characterized as an analog for similar processes that likely operated on early Mars. In situ mineralogical analyses were conducted with a field portable visible near-infrared spectrometer for comparison to similar Martian data sets. Three classes of alteration minerals were identified: sulfates (gypsum and natroalunite), oxides/hydroxides (hematite and goethite), and phyllosilicates (kaolinite/halloysite, montmorillonite, and saponite), as well as elemental sulfur and hydrated silica phases. Our sites had similar suites of minerals, but frequencies varied with location. The results of this field campaign allow inferences regarding the paleo-environmental conditions that were likely present at similar relic hydrothermal sites identified on Mars. In particular, sulfates and phyllosilicates could have coevolved under hydrothermal conditions at Noctis Labyrinthus as is seen in Nicaragua. Fe/Mg smectites were detected in areas with pH of 3-4. Alunite spectra at Terra Sirenum demonstrated mineral mixing effects on spectroscopy. Mineral mixing can cause uncertainties in spectral identification due to a dominant spectrum, such as iron minerals, masking another or the suppression of weaker bands. When viewed from orbit, our field sites would likely be dominated by hydrated silica and Mars sites, such as one in Syrtis Major, could have a more diverse mineralogy than the data reveal. Concentrated amorphous silica, such as at Gusev crater, can result from acidic fumarolic activity, while Mg sulfates may indicate a lack of reworking by water. This field spectroscopy study helps confirm and provide insight into hydrothermal processes on ancient Mars.

show abstract

“…The data from the Martian exploration rovers and orbiters also show occurrence and distributions of various iron minerals on the Mars in local and global scale (Bandfield, 2002;McSween, 2002;McSween et al, 2003McSween et al, , 2009Rogers and Christensen, 2007;Lane et al, 2008;Rogers and Aharonson, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Formation of iron mineral fine particles by acidic hydrothermal alteration experiments of synthetic martian basalt

Isobe

Yoshizawa

2014

Journal of Mineralogical and Petrological Sciences

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The constituent and formation process of the Martian surface soil are fundamental problems to understand the evolution and current environment of the Mars. At the Martian volcanoes, iron-rich basaltic rocks should be subject to the hydrothermal alteration by sulfuric acid-bearing solutions. In this work, we carried out alteration experiments of the synthetic iron-rich basaltic material simulated the typical Martian basalt to elucidate the soil formation processes on the Martian surface. In the run products at 100°C with initial concentration of 0.1N sulfuric acid solution, quite characteristic, snowflake-like hematite fine particles of submicrometers in diameter were produced continuously from 7 days to 112 days. In the run products at longer than 28 days at 100°C and all run durations at 150°C, initial precipitation of hydrous and low-crystalline iron oxide minerals form nuclei for crystalline aggregates of hematite with several micrometers in diameter. The ferric iron oxide particles are not produced with 0.001N sulfuric acid solutions and distilled water. Ferrous iron in olivine and glass phase can be oxidized to ferric iron by reaction with sulfuric acid in the low temperature hydrothermal conditions in anoxic conditions. Hematite particles produced in this study are small enough to be blown up by the Martian winds to disperse from alteration sites in volcanic regions to the whole planet. The iron oxide minerals which brought reddish color of the Martian dust may be products of sulfuric acid-bearing hydrothermal alteration with volcanic activities rather than a low temperature weathering related to the ancient Martian climate.

show abstract

Mineralogy of the Paso Robles soils on Mars

Cited by 88 publications

References 30 publications

A comprehensive spectroscopic study of synthetic Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, Mg²⁺ and Al³⁺ copiapite by Raman, XRD, LIBS, MIR and vis–NIR

A comprehensive spectroscopic study of synthetic Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, Mg²⁺ and Al³⁺ copiapite by Raman, XRD, LIBS, MIR and vis–NIR

Visible‐near‐infrared reflectance spectroscopy of volcanic acid‐sulfate alteration in Nicaragua: Analogs for early Mars

Formation of iron mineral fine particles by acidic hydrothermal alteration experiments of synthetic martian basalt

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Mineralogy of the Paso Robles soils on Mars

Cited by 88 publications

References 30 publications

A comprehensive spectroscopic study of synthetic Fe2+, Fe3+, Mg2+ and Al3+ copiapite by Raman, XRD, LIBS, MIR and vis–NIR

A comprehensive spectroscopic study of synthetic Fe2+, Fe3+, Mg2+ and Al3+ copiapite by Raman, XRD, LIBS, MIR and vis–NIR

Visible‐near‐infrared reflectance spectroscopy of volcanic acid‐sulfate alteration in Nicaragua: Analogs for early Mars

Formation of iron mineral fine particles by acidic hydrothermal alteration experiments of synthetic martian basalt

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

A comprehensive spectroscopic study of synthetic Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, Mg²⁺ and Al³⁺ copiapite by Raman, XRD, LIBS, MIR and vis–NIR

A comprehensive spectroscopic study of synthetic Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, Mg²⁺ and Al³⁺ copiapite by Raman, XRD, LIBS, MIR and vis–NIR