The polar sulfur cycle in the Werenskioldbreen, Spitsbergen: Possible implications for understanding the deposition of sulfate minerals in the North Polar Region of Mars

Szynkiewicz, Anna; Modelska, Magdalena; Buczyński, Sebastian; Borrok, David M.; Merrison, J.P.

doi:10.1016/j.gca.2012.12.041

Cited by 26 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…The presence of a polygonal pattern has a potential analogy with thermal contraction cracks in periglacial environments as well. Ice-related weathering has been shown to explain sulfur formation (e.g., Szynkiewicz et al, 2013).…”

Section: Layers Inclined At Mound's Flankmentioning

confidence: 99%

Equatorial layered deposits in Arabia Terra, Mars: Facies and process variability

Pondrelli

Rossi

Deit

et al. 2015

Geological Society of America Bulletin

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We investigated the equatorial layered deposits (ELDs) of Arabia Terra, Mars, inFirsoff crater and on the adjacent plateau. We produced a detailed geological map that included a survey of the relative stratigraphic relations and crater count dating. We reconstructed the geometry of the layered deposits and inferred some compositional constraints. ELDs drape and onlap the plateau materials of late Noachian age, while they are unconformably covered by early and middle Amazonian units. ELDs show the presence of polyhydrated sulfates. The bulge morphology of the Firsoff crater ELDs appears to be largely depositional. The ELDs on the plateau display a sheet-drape geometry. ELDs show different characteristics between the crater and the plateau occurrences. In the crater they consist of mounds made of breccia sometimes displaying an apical pit laterally grading into a light-toned layered unit disrupted in a meter-scale polygonal pattern. These units are commonly associated with fi ssure ridges suggestive of subsurface sources. We interpret the ELDs inside the craters as spring deposits, originated by fl uid upwelling through the pathways likely provided by the fractures related to the crater formations, and debouching at the surface through the fi ssure ridges and the mounds, leading to evaporite precipitation. On the plateau, ELDs consist of rare mounds, fl atlying deposits, and cross-bedded dune fi elds. We interpret these mounds as possible smaller spring deposits, the fl at-lying deposits as playa deposits, and the cross-bedded dune fi elds as aeolian deposits. Groundwater fl uctuations appear to be the major factor controlling ELD deposition. Wind-related erosionYardangs 100 m B HiRISE PSP_004355_1830_RED Res. 0.25 m/pixel Main wind direction 100 m HiRISE ESP_016776_1810_RED Res. 0.5 m/pixel C 500 m CTX P06_003221_1815_XN_01N009W Res: 5.38 m/pixel Main wind direction Elevated lineament D Rim A B C D Figure 8. Erosional versus depositional morphologies. (A) Example of aeolian erosion with yardangs on equatorial layered deposits (ELDs). (B) ELD irregularly shaped layers. ELDs show rounded edges and lengthen in a direction and with geometries not consistent with formation by aeolian erosion. Main wind direction as inferred by yardang alignment is indicated at the top left. (C) ELD irregularly shaped layers. Some of the layers are characterized by the presence of rims. (D) Northwest-southeast-trending depression. Its regularity and trend do not seem consistent with an erosional formation by wind action. Main wind direction as inferred by yardang alignment is shown at the bottom left. Inside the depression, elevated lineaments (fi ssure ridges?), emphasized by mounds, are present. The location of the images is indicated in the HRSC mosaic at the top right of the fi gure.as

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Section: Layers Inclined At Mound's Flankmentioning

confidence: 99%

Equatorial layered deposits in Arabia Terra, Mars: Facies and process variability

Pondrelli

Rossi

Deit

et al. 2015

Geological Society of America Bulletin

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“…Despite the observed differences in the ( ∗ Ca 2+ + ∗ Mg 2+ )/( ∗ Na + + ∗ K + ) ratio, which suggest higher rates of carbonate dissolution in a channelised than in a subartesian system (Table ), the relationship between SMF and the Al:Fe ratio are similar in both types of outflows (Figs ). Moreover, the negative correlation between the Al:Fe ratio and SMF suggests that sulphide oxidation is linked with aluminosilicate weathering under conditions of long water residence time (i.e., within the distributed drainage system; Figure ), where sulphide oxidation causes an increase in SMF (Szynkiewicz, Modelska, Buczyński, Borrok, & Merrison, ; Stachnik et al, ). The negative correlation between SMF and discharge indicates that the low rate of water flow associated with the distributed system drives sulphide oxidation (Table ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…At Werenskiöldbreen, subglacial outflows (even the channelised type) derive from long water residence time systems, which are dominated by sulphide oxidation rather than carbonation via atmospheric CO 2 drawdown. The slope of bicarbonate versus sulphate (Stachnik et al, , b), sulphur isotope values (Szynkiewicz et al, ), and elevated 222 Rn concentration (Kies, Nawrot, Surbeck, & Tosheva, ; Kies, Nawrot, Tosheva, & Jania, ) suggest limited contact with atmospheric CO 2 . The slope of bicarbonate versus sulphate is, however, slightly lower than the theoretical value for sulphide oxidation, thus indicating that carbonation via atmospheric CO 2 drawdown exerts only limited influence as a proton source.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aluminium in glacial meltwater demonstrates an association with nutrient export (Werenskiöldbreen, Svalbard)

Stachnik

Yde

Nawrot

et al. 2019

Hydrological Processes

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The aluminium (Al) cycle in glacierised basins has not received a great deal of attention in studies of biogeochemical cycles. As Al may be toxic for biota, it is important to investigate the processes leading to its release into the environment. It has not yet been ascertained whether filterable Al (passing through a pore size of 0.45 μm) is incorporated into biogeochemical cycles in glacierised basins. Our study aims to determine the relationship between the processes bringing filterable Al and glacier‐derived filterable nutrients (particularly Fe and Si) into glacierised basins. We investigated the Werenskiöldbreen basin (44.1 km2, 60% glacierised) situated in SW Spitsbergen, Svalbard. In 2011, we collected meltwater from a subglacial portal at the glacier front and at a downstream hydrometric station throughout the ablation season. The Al concentration, unchanged between the subglacial system and proglacial zone, reveals that aluminosilicate weathering is a dominant source of filterable Al under subglacial conditions. By examining the Al:Fe ratio compared with pH and the sulphate mass fraction index, we found that the proton source for subglacial aluminosilicate weathering is mainly associated with sulphide oxidation and, to a lesser degree, with hydrolysis and carbonation. In subglacial outflows and in the glacial river, Al and Fe are primarily in the forms of Al(OH)4‐ and Fe(OH)3. The annual filterable Al yield (2.7 mmol m‐2) was of a magnitude similar to that of nutrients such as filterable Fe (3.0 mmol m‐2) and lower than that of dissolved Si (18.5 mmol m‐2). Our results show that filterable Al concentrations in meltwater are significantly correlated to filterable and dissolved glacier‐derived nutrients (Fe and Si, respectively) concentrations in glaciers worldwide. We conclude that a potential bioavailable Al pool derived from glacierised basins may be incorporated in biogeochemical cycles, as it is strongly related to the concentrations and yields of glacier‐derived nutrients.

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“…Szynkiewicz et al () suggest that the softness of the gypsum might protect the grains from significant physical erosion. However, it should be noted that some of the dust‐sized particles from the quartz could be derived from erosion of the glass during the experiment (Szynkiewicz et al, ), and the quartz sand used in their experiments is MERCK analytical grade quartz, which is a crushed quartz with very angular particles. Previous abrasion experiments with crushed quartz grains show that abrasion rates are higher for angular grains than for rounded grains (Bullard et al, ; Kuenen, ; Whalley et al, ; Wright et al, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As a consequence, gypsum might be more likely to fracture or fragment than the amorphous volcanic glass, which is the most abundant component of the basalt sands. Our results contrast with those of Szynkiewicz et al (2013) who used a tumbling apparatus to simulate eolian erosion. They found that the decrease in size of gypsum particles was less than the decrease measured for quartz particles.…”

Section: Gypsum Sandsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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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The polar sulfur cycle in the Werenskioldbreen, Spitsbergen: Possible implications for understanding the deposition of sulfate minerals in the North Polar Region of Mars

Cited by 26 publications

References 48 publications

Equatorial layered deposits in Arabia Terra, Mars: Facies and process variability

Equatorial layered deposits in Arabia Terra, Mars: Facies and process variability

Aluminium in glacial meltwater demonstrates an association with nutrient export (Werenskiöldbreen, Svalbard)

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

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