Physical abrasion of mafic minerals and basalt grains: Application to martian aeolian deposits

Cornwall, C.; Titus, T. N.; Schreiber, B. Charlotte; Montgomery, D. R.

doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2015.04.020

Cited by 17 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 60 publications

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“…In this natural setting, olivine grains were released from the lithic groundmass by the tendency of fractures to propagate along grain boundaries. However, in mechanical abrasion experiments, olivine phenocrysts comminute rapidly in comparison to other mineral phases or basaltic lithic fragments (Cornwall et al, ). This was attributed to olivine's high susceptibility to forming grain‐penetrating microfractures, as observed in SEM data (Cornwall et al, 2016).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mapping and Characterization of Martian Intercrater Bedrock Plains: Insights Into Resurfacing Processes in the Martian Cratered Highlands

2019

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We have produced a map of the Martian highlands that identifies and delineates flat, areally expansive regions of lithified material (bedrock plains) using orbit‐based thermal measurements. We performed morphological and spectral analyses to infer their mechanical properties and determine compositional differences from the surrounding unlithified materials. We tested a previously noted relationship between bedrock plains and olivine spectral detections with quantitative olivine abundance modeling. Finally, we created a catalogue of process‐related landforms (e.g., layering, sinuous ridges, and raised lobate surfaces) associated with bedrock plains. These investigations were used to interpret potential bedrock plain origins. We found that bedrock plains commonly contain multiple morphologically and spectrally distinct subunits. Many bedrock plain surfaces are moderately to heavily degraded, with an apparent susceptibility to aeolian erosion. These properties are consistent with friable clastic materials. Bedrock plains are generally basaltic in composition. They are compositionally distinct from their surroundings, in nearly all cases due to variations in mafic mineralogy. Olivine enrichments associated with bedrock plains are common but not ubiquitous. Olivine enrichments within plain subunits were typically less than 10% above the surrounding, unlithified surface materials. These enrichments could have arisen from mineral fractionation processes during the bulk transport and erosional deflation of clastic materials. Some bedrock plains show strong evidence for fluvial deposition, especially in the Terra Sabaea region. Finally, in addition to clastic bedrock plains, a cluster of bedrock plains in central Terra Cimmeria contain subunits that show evidence for emplacement via effusive volcanism.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mapping and Characterization of Martian Intercrater Bedrock Plains: Insights Into Resurfacing Processes in the Martian Cratered Highlands

2019

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“…However, their experiments used angular particles of crushed scoria, whereas the particles used in our experiments were initially rounded to subrounded. Cornwall et al () also noted a reduction in the rate of material lost during abrasion, which they attribute to the rounding of particles, as well as the fracturing of some minerals. For the JSC Mars 1‐A Martian simulant, the amount of dust collected decreases over time, and the decrease approximates a logarithmic decay (Figure b).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…However, other abrasion experiments (e.g., Kueppers et al, 2012) that used crushed, angular scoria show a nonlinear decrease in ash (<2 mm) produced over time that they attribute to rounding of particles. In addition, Cornwall et al (2015) noted particle rounding in their abrasion experiments, and increased roundness is commonly associated with eolian sediment transport (Garzanti et al, 2012;Kuenen, 1960).…”

Section: Roundness and Sortingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The surface of Mars is cold and dry with limited chemical weathering (Cornwall et al, 2015). Given the cold and arid conditions that occur on the surface of Mars, eolian processes dominate, including wind erosion, eolian sediment transport, and deposition (e.g., Christensen & Moore, 1992;Greeley et al, 1992;Greeley & Iverson 1985).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Physical experiments on Mars analogue mafic minerals and basalt grains were conducted by Krinsley et al (1979), Krinsley and Greeley (1986), Greeley et al (1982), and Cornwall et al (2015). Krinsley et al (1979) constructed a Mars erosion devise that could operate at low pressure and simulate grain impacts under Mars atmospheric pressure.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Dust Production by Abrasion of Eolian Basalt Sands: Analogue for Martian Dust

Bristow

Moller

2018

JGR Planets

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Dust is nearly ubiquitous on Mars, covering much of the planet's surface, having been redistributed by dust storms. Analysis of dust via landed instrumentation indicates a basaltic composition for its protolith; the same is interpreted for the dark dune sands encountered at rover field sites. In this paper, we used samples of eolian sands derived from basaltic volcanoes in an experiment to simulate dust production from basalt dune sands within an abrasion chamber. In addition, we used samples from gypsum dunes because gypsum is found within dune fields on the northern plains of Mars. The results, expressed as weight percent of sample reduced to dust, show a remarkably broad range over 4 orders of magnitude. Eolian abrasion of basalt sands can produce similar amounts of dust, as is the case for some desert sands on Earth. Some plausible Mars analogue materials can produce large amounts of dust, suggesting that eolian movement of basaltic sand and volcanic sediments on the surface of Mars is a potential source of fine‐grained sediment or dust.

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Sedimentary differentiation of aeolian grains at the White Sands National Monument, New Mexico, USA

et al. 2017

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Physical abrasion of mafic minerals and basalt grains: Application to martian aeolian deposits

Cited by 17 publications

References 60 publications

Mapping and Characterization of Martian Intercrater Bedrock Plains: Insights Into Resurfacing Processes in the Martian Cratered Highlands

Mapping and Characterization of Martian Intercrater Bedrock Plains: Insights Into Resurfacing Processes in the Martian Cratered Highlands

Dust Production by Abrasion of Eolian Basalt Sands: Analogue for Martian Dust

Sedimentary differentiation of aeolian grains at the White Sands National Monument, New Mexico, USA

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