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Clay mineral diversity and abundance in sedimentary rocks of Gale crater, Mars.

Authors :
Bristow TF
Rampe EB
Achilles CN
Blake DF
Chipera SJ
Craig P
Crisp JA
Des Marais DJ
Downs RT
Gellert R
Grotzinger JP
Gupta S
Hazen RM
Horgan B
Hogancamp JV
Mangold N
Mahaffy PR
McAdam AC
Ming DW
Morookian JM
Morris RV
Morrison SM
Treiman AH
Vaniman DT
Vasavada AR
Yen AS
Source :
Science advances [Sci Adv] 2018 Jun 06; Vol. 4 (6), pp. eaar3330. Date of Electronic Publication: 2018 Jun 06 (Print Publication: 2018).
Publication Year :
2018

Abstract

Clay minerals provide indicators of the evolution of aqueous conditions and possible habitats for life on ancient Mars. Analyses by the Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity show that ~3.5-billion year (Ga) fluvio-lacustrine mudstones in Gale crater contain up to ~28 weight % (wt %) clay minerals. We demonstrate that the species of clay minerals deduced from x-ray diffraction and evolved gas analysis show a strong paleoenvironmental dependency. While perennial lake mudstones are characterized by Fe-saponite, we find that stratigraphic intervals associated with episodic lake drying contain Al-rich, Fe <superscript>3+</superscript> -bearing dioctahedral smectite, with minor (3 wt %) quantities of ferripyrophyllite, interpreted as wind-blown detritus, found in candidate aeolian deposits. Our results suggest that dioctahedral smectite formed via near-surface chemical weathering driven by fluctuations in lake level and atmospheric infiltration, a process leading to the redistribution of nutrients and potentially influencing the cycling of gases that help regulate climate.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
2375-2548
Volume :
4
Issue :
6
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
Science advances
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
29881776
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aar3330