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NASA NTRS1992

Systematic variations in the spectral properties of bright regions on Mars

The color and albedo of the martian surface define two basic surface units, dark gray material interpreted as relatively unaltered 'rock' and bright reddish material interpreted as weathered 'soil'. Understanding the processes contributing to soil formation first requires assessment of the soil's composition and compositional diversity. We report first results of an investigation of the character and variability of Fe- and water-bearing phases in bright reddish materials using ISM data. We also explore implications of these results for chemical evolution of martian soil. Information on the composition and distribution of bright reddish material comes from three major sources: Viking images, measurements by the XRF and GCMS instruments on the Viking Landers, and spectroscopic data. The XRF experiment found nearly identical, Fe-rich major-element compositions comparable to weathered basalt. Soil water, amounting to approximately 1-3 wt. percent as measured by the GCMS, was liberated mostly by heating to greater than or equal to 350 C, suggesting that it is present in a chemically bound form. Spectroscopic studies have detected ferric oxide, probably hematite, as well as molecular water. However, the identities of major silicate phases have been controversial, with conflicting evidence regarding phyllosilicates. Two main interpretations of this evidence have been proposed: Weathering of basaltic glasses by H2O and CO2 formed a mixture of oxides, salts, and metastable phyllosilicates such as montmorillonite and 'palagonite' formed when basaltic melt contacted ground ice or water. Palagonite is a hydrated basaltic glass containing dispersed ferric oxide, recrystallized in varying degrees to phyllosilicates. Typically it is aphanitic, although some examples contain phenocrysts. In either case, eolian redistribution is thought to have resulted in the material's global homogenization. Imaging spectroscopic data returned by the ISM instrument on Phobos 2 provide a powerful new basis for evaluating the composition and origin of martian soil because they are indicative of the presence and distribution of water- and Fe-bearing phases whose mineralogy is sensitive to the history of chemical weathering.

Murchie, Scott↗
NASA NTRS1993

Hydrothermal alteration experiments of olivine with varying Fe contents: An attempt to simulate aqueous alteration of the carbonaceous chondrites

Hydrothermal alteration experiments of olivine powder with several Fe/Mg ratios were carried out under acidic and neutral conditions, and transition electron microscopy (TEM) observations were made on the run products. Well-developed tubular crystals of serpentine (chrysotile) were synthesized from Fo100 under both acidic and neutral conditions, and from Fo92 and Fo80 under acidic condition. Abundance and size of chrysotile apparenlty dependent on the Fe contents of olivine, i.e. with increasing Fe contents, less and smaller chrysotile was formed. Acidity of the solution plays an important role for the formation of chrysotile. Platy and fibrous crystals of phyllosilicate, probably serpentine, were obtained from Fo50 and Fo20 treated under acidic condition, which are most similar to the phyllosilicates in the CI and CM chondrites. Framboidal aggregates of Fe-rich grains (presumably Fe-hydroxide) were formed from Fa100 and Fo20, but no phyllosilicate was formed from Fa100.

Takatori, Koichi↗
NASA NTRS1994

A quick look method of detecting water of hydration in small solar system bodies

The action of aqueous alteration of the near-subsurface material on asteroids and probably some satellites in the Solar System constitutes part of the formation history of the Solar System. The C-class asteroids (and subclasses B, G, and F) were initially believed to have undergone aqueous alteration based on their low albedos and neutral broadband visible and near-infrared colors. These spectra exhibit a sharp drop at wavelengths shorter than 0.55 microns due to a strong ferric oxide intervalence change transfer transition. This IVCT comprises multiple absorptions that are not uniquely indicative of phyllosilicates, but rather are present in the spectrum of any object containing Fe(2+) and Fe(3+) in its surface material. A definitive indication of aqueous alteration came when the broad IR absorption feature having a minimum near 3.0 microns indicative of structural hydroxyl (OH) and interlayer and and absorbed water in phyllosilicates was identified in the IR photometry of many C-class asteroids. Additional mineralogical compositional evidence of aqueously-altered asteroids has come as the result of high SNR narrowband spectrophotometry in the visible and near-infrared spectral regions taken using a CCD/spectrograph combination. An absorption feature centered at 0.7 microns indicative of an Fe(2+) - Fe(3+) charge transfer transition in oxidized iron in phyllosilicates in spectra of some low-albedo asteroids, especially C and G class, and CM2 carbonaceous chondrite meteorites was identified in the CCD spectra. The correlation and covariance of the 0.7-micron and 3.0-micron features were examined by comparing observations of asteroids common to both the CCD reflectance spectra and the 3.0-micron multicolor photometry data sets. Thirty-one pairs of observations were included in this training group. The results of the statistical study indicate that with a 95% confidence level, 84% of the objects observed either having or not having the 0.7-micron feature will correspondingly have the 3.0-micron water of hydration feature.

Vilas, F.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Thermal Emission Spectroscopy of 1 Ceres: Evidence for Olivine

Thermal emission spectra of the largest asteroid, 1 Ceres, obtained from the Kuiper Airborne Observatory display features that may provide information about its surface mineralogy. The emissivity, obtained by dividing the spectra by a standard thermal model, is compared with emissivity spectra of olivines and phyllosilicates deduced via Kirchoff's law from reflectivity measurements. The spectra provide a fairly good match to fine grained olivines (0 to 5 micrometer size range). The smoothness of the spectrum beyond 18 micrometers is an indication of particles smaller than 50 micrometers. While the abrupt rise in emissivity near 8 micrometers matches many silicates, the distinct emissivity minimum centered near 12.8 micrometers is consistant with iron-poor olivines, but not with phyllosilicates. It suggests the presence of opaques and does not exclude a mixture with organics and fine-grained phyllosilicates.

Witteborn, Fred. C.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Visible Wavelength Spectroscopy of Ferric Minerals: A Key Tool for Identification of Ancient Martian Aqueous Environments

The mineralogic signatures of past aqueous alteration of a basaltic Martian crust may include iron oxides and oxyhydroxides, zeolites, carbonates, phyllosilicates, and silica. The identities, relative abundances, and crystallinities of the phases formed in a particular environment depend on physicochemical conditions. At one extreme, hot spring environments may be characterized by smectite-chlorite to talc-kaolinite silicate assemblages, plus crystalline ferric oxides dominated by hematite. However, most environments, including cold springs, pedogenic layers, and ponded surface water, are expected to deposit iron oxides and oxyhydroxides, carbonates, and smectite-dominated phyllosilicates. A substantial fraction of the ferric iron is expected to occur in nanophase form, with the exact mineralogy strongly influenced by Eh-pH conditions. Detection of these phases has been an objective of a large body of terrestrial telescopic, Mars orbital, and landed spectral investigations and in situ compositional measurements. However, clear identifications of many of these phases is lacking. Neither carbonate nor silica has been unequivocally detected by any method. Although phyllosilicates may occur near the limit of detection by remote sensing, in general they appear to occur in only poorly crystalline form. In contrast, compelling evidence for ferric iron minerals has been gathered by recent telescopic investigations, the Imager for Mars Pathfinder (IMP), and the Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) on the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS). These data yield two crucial findings: (1) In the global, high spatial resolution TES data set, highly crystalline ferric iron (as coarse-grained 'gray' hematite) has been recognized but with only very limited spatial occurrence and (2) Low-resolution telescopic reflectance spectroscopy, very limited orbital reflectance spectroscopy, and landed multispectral imaging provide strong indications that at least two broad classes of ferric iron minerals are commonplace in non-dust covered regions.

Murchie, Scott L.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Negative Searches for Evidence of Aqueous Alteration on Asteroid Surfaces

Small bodies in the Solar System preserve evidence of the processes occurring during early Solar System formation, unlike the larger planets that undergo continuous churning of their surfaces. We study these bodies to understand what processes affected different stages of Solar System formation. The action of aqueous alteration (the alteration of material by the interaction of that material with liquid formed by the melting of incorporated ice) of near-subsurface material has been inferred to occur on many asteroids based on the spectrophotometric evidence of phyllosilicates and iron alteration minerals. The definitive indication of aqueous alteration is the 3.0- micron absorption feature attributed to structural hydroxyl (OH) and interlayer and adsorbed water (H2O) in phyllosilicates (clays) (hereafter water of hydration). A weak absorption feature centered near 0.7 microns attributed to an Fe (2+) right arrow Fe (3+) charge transfer transition in oxidized iron in phyllosilicates has been observed in the reflectance spectra and photometry of approximately 50% of the main-belt C-class asteroids. An approximately 85% correlation between this 0.7- micron feature and the 3.0- micron water of hydration absorption feature was found among the low-albedo asteroids. The feature is usually centered near 0.68 microns in asteroid spectra, and ranges in wavelength from approximately 0.57 to 0.83 microns. Serendipitously, three of the Eight Color Asteroid Survey filters the v (0.550 microns), w (0.701 microns), and x (0.853 microns)-bracket this feature well, and can be used to determine the presence of this feature in the reflectance properties of an asteroid, and probe the aqueous alteration history of larger samples of asteroid data. Two efforts to search for evidence of aqueous alteration based on the presence of this 0.7- micron absorption feature are presented here.

Vilas, F.↗
NASA NTRS2007

In-situ micro-FTIR Study of Thermal Changes of Organics in Tagish Lake Meteorite: Behavior of Aliphatic Oxygenated Functions and Effects of Minerals

Systematic in-situ FTIR heating experiments of Tagish Lake meteorite grains have been performed in order to study thermal stability of chondritic organics. Some aliphatic model organic substances have also been used to elucidate effects of hydrous phyllosilicate minerals on the thermal stability of organics. The experimental results indicated that organic matter in the Tagish Lake meteorite might contain oxygenated aliphatic hydrocarbons which are thermally stable carbonyls such as ester and/or C=O in ring compounds. The presence of hydrous phyllosilicate minerals has a pronounced effect on the increase of the thermal stability of aliphatic and oxygenated functions. These oxygenated aliphatic organics in Tagish Lake can be formed during the aqueous alteration in the parent body and the formation temperature condition might be less than 200 C, based especially on the thermal stability of C-O components. The hydrous phyllosilicates might provide sites for organic globule formation and protected some organic decomposition

Kebukawa, Yoko↗
NASA NTRS2007

Clay Bearing Units in the Region around Mawrth Vallis: Stratigraphy, Extent, and Possible Alteration Fronts

The largest exposure of phyllosilicates on Mars occurs on the highland plains around Mawrth Vallis. This exposure extends for about 300 km southward from the edge of the dichotomy boundary, covering an area greater than 200 x 300 kilometers over an elevation range of approximately 2000 meters. At least two different types of hydrated phyllosilicates (Fe/Mg-rich and Al-rich phyllosilicates) have been identified in OMEGA data based on absorption bands near 2.3 and 2.2 micrometers, respectively. These clay-bearing units are associated with layered, indurated light-toned units with complex spatial and stratigraphic relationships, and are unconfomably overlain by a darker, indurated, more heavily cratered unit. Ongoing analysis of OMEGA (approximately 1 kilometer/pixel) and CRISM multi-spectral (MSP, 200 meters/pixel) data reveal hydrated minerals with absorptions at approximately 2.2 or 2.3 micrometers in locations up to 300 kilometers away from the borders of the previously identified extent of clay-bearing units. We seek to: 1) further constrain the mineralogy of the hydrated species identified in [5], and 2) understand spatial and stratigraphic relationships between the different hydrated minerals and the cratered plains units in which they are found. In this work we perform mineralogical and stratigraphic comparisons between units to test whether these extended units may be related, in order to establish a broad zone of alteration.

Dobrea, E. Z. Noe↗
NASA NTRS2010

Evaluating the Historical Importance of Impact Induced Hydrothermal Systems on Mars Using the Stable Isotopic Composition of Martian Water

The importance of impact events during the early history of Mars is obvious through a simple examination of the character of the martian surface. This ancient, heavily cratered terrain has been shown to be associated with extensive phyllosilicate deposits. This geologic link could suggest that the extensive phyllosilicate-forming alteration may have occurred during early martian history through impact-induced hydrothermal alteration. However, examination of the oxygen isotopic composition of water on Mars suggests that the extensive phyllosilicate deposits were formed primarily through low temperature (<30 C) interactions, and that high temperature weathering in impact-induced hydrothermal systems have not been a dominant process on Mars. The average oxygen isotopic composition of water on Earth is dictated by the nature of water-rock interactions. If these interactions occur at higher temperatures then the water will contain a higher proportion of 18O, while lower temperature interactions will result in water with a lower proportion of 18O. Water on Earth today contains a higher proportion of 18O because of plate tectonics and hydrothermal interaction at mid-ocean ridges. The oxygen isotopic composition of water on early earth, however, may have been quite different, containing a smaller proportion of 18O suggesting much less hydrothermal interaction. Because there are not yet any direct measurements of the oxygen isotopic composition of water on Mars, it needs to be inferred through examination of carbonates preserved in martian meteorites and the isotopic composition of atmospheric CO2. This can be done because the oxygen incorporated into carbonates and CO2 is easily exchanged with liquid water if it is present. Independently, both measurements provide an estimate for the (Sigma)18O of water on Mars to be near -16%. This composition is consistent with low temperature weathering of the silicate crust, and indicates that impact hydrothermal systems did not play an important role in the early alteration of the planet. However, our understanding of impact-induced hydrothermal systems remains unclear. If most of the water mobilized by an impact event remained at relatively low temperatures (<30deg), low-temperature interactions could predominate in these environments. These conditions would be consistent with the isotopic constraints suggested in this study.

Niles, Paul B.↗
NASA NTRS2012

The Alteration History of Clovis Class Rocks in Gusev Crater as Determined by Ti-Normalzed Mass Balance Analysis

The West Spur Clovis class rocks in Gusev Crater are some of the most altered rocks in Gusev Crater and likely contain a mixed sulfate and phyllosilicate mineralogy [1,2]. The high S and Cl content of the Clovis rocks suggests that acidic vapors or fluids of H2SO4 and HCl reacted with the Clovis parent rock to form Ca, Mg,- sulfates, iron-oxyhydroxides and secondary aluminosilicates (approx.60 wt.%) of a poorly crystalline nature (e.g., allophane) [1]. Up to 14-17 wt.% phyllosilicates (e.g., kaolinite, chlorite, serpentine) are hypothesized to exist in the Clovis materials suggesting that Clovis parent materials while possibly exposed to acidic pHs were likely neutralized by basalt dissolution which resulted in mildly acidic pHs (4-6) [1, 2]. This work proposes that subsequent to the alteration of the Clovis rocks, alteration fluids became concentrated in ions resulting in the addition of silicate and salts. The objective of this work is to utilize Ti-normalized mass balance analysis to evaluate (1) mineral gains and losses and (2) elemental gains and losses in the Clovis rocks. Results of this work will be used evaluate the nature of geochemical conditions that affect phyllosilicate and sulfate formation at Gusev crater.

Sutter, Brat↗
NASA NTRS2012

The Valence of Iron in CM Chondrite Serpentine as Measured by Synchrotron Xanes

Fe-bearing phyllosilicates are the dominant product of aqueous alteration in carbonaceous chondrites, and serpentine is the most abundant phyllosilicate in CM2 chondrites that are the most abundant carbonaceous chondrite. Browning et al. predicted that Fe(3+)/(sum of Fe) ratios of serpentine in CM chondrites should change with progressive alteration. They proposed that progressive CM alteration is best monitored by evaluating the progress of Si and Fe3+ substitutions that necessarily attend the transition from end-member cronstedtite to serpentine. Their proposed Mineralogic Alteration Index, 2-(Fe(3+)/(2-Si)), was intended to highlight and utilize the relevant ex-change information in the stoichiometric phyllosilicate formulas based upon the coupled substitution of 2(Fe(3+), Al) = Si + (Mg, Fe(2+)...) in serpentine. The value of this ratio increases as alteration proceeds. We always wanted to directly test Browning s pre-diction through actual measurements of the Fe3+ con-tent of serpentine at the micron scale appropriate to EPMA analyses (Zega et al. have measured it at much finer scale), and this test can now be made using Synchrotron Radiation X-ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure (SR-XANES). Thus, we have recently begun investigation with CMs that span a large portion of the range of observed aqueous alteration, and we first analyzed Murray, Nogoya, and ALH84029 by SR-XANES. However, we did not find clear correlation between Fe3+/(sum of Fe) ratios of serpentine and their alteration degrees. We thus analyzed serpentine in three more CMs and here report their Fe3+/(sum of Fe) ratios in comparison with our previous results.

Mikouchi, T.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Mars Exploration Rover APXS Results from Matijevic Hill

Correlation analysis of APXS results on the eastern slope rocks indicate that the Matijevic Hill rocks are overall compositionally distinct from the Shoemaker Formation rocks [6]. Compared to the Shoemaker impactites, Matijevic Hill rocks are higher in Al, Si, and Ni, and lower in Ti, Fe, and Zn. No significant variation is evident in the APXS analyses that indicate the presence of a smectite or other phyllosilicate, as opposed to basaltic rocks. However, APXS data cannot in themselves rule out phyllosilicates. If indeed this material contains smectite, as seen from orbit, it implies that the rock has been isochemically altered to create the phyllosilicate content. The Cl content of the Cape York rocks is relatively high, and whereas the S/Cl ratio in the Burns Formation is 4x higher than in soil, in the Cape York rocks it is lower than in soil. These trends indicate that the alteration processes and types of aqueous salt loads were different between Cape York and Meridiani. In addition, significant deviations from the Martian Mn/Fe ratio are observed in Whitewater Lake coatings and the altered Grasford/Deadwood rocks (Fig. 3). These variations indicate that the redox/pH conditions during alteration of the Shoemaker Formation rocks and the Matijevic Hill rocks were similar, but that the Deadwood/Grasberg unit may have undergone alteration under different conditions, possibly at a later time. The Matijevic Hill outcrops appear to share a common genetic origin. It is not yet clear whether both the Shoemaker impactites and Matijevic Hill rocks are related to the formation of Endeavour Crater, or whether the Matijevic Hill suite represents a prior episode of Martian impact or volcanism. Opportunity continues to investigate both hypotheses.

Cohen, B. A.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Initial Estimates of Optical Constants of Mars Candidate Materials

Data obtained at visible and near-infrared wavelengths by OMEGA on Mars Express and CRISM on MRO provide definitive evidence for the presence of phyllosilicates and other hydrated phases on Mars. A diverse range of both Fe/Mg-OH and Al- OH-bearing phyllosilicates were identified including the smectites, nontronite, saponite, and montmorillonite. To constrain the abundances of these phyllosilicates, spectral analyses of mixtures are needed. We report on our effort to enable the quantitative evaluation of the abundance of hydrated-hydroxylated silicates when they are contained in mixtures. We include two component mixtures of hydrated/ hydroxylated silicates with each other and with two analogs for other Martian materials; pyroxene (enstatite) and palagonitic soil (an alteration product of basaltic glass, hereafter referred to as palagonite). For the hydrated-hydroxylated silicates we include saponite and montmorillonite (Mg- and Al-rich smectites). We prepared three size separates of each end-member for study: 20-45, 63-90, and 125-150 micron.

Rousch, Ted L.↗
NASA NTRS2013

The Mineralogical and Chemical Case for Habitability at Yellowknife Bay, Gale Crater, Mars

Sediments of the Yellowknife Bay formation (Gale crater) include the Sheepbed member, a mudstone cut by light-toned veins. Two drill samples, John Klein and Cumberland, were collected and analyzed by the CheMin XRD/XRF instrument and the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) evolved gas and isotopic analysis suite of instruments. Drill cuttings were also analyzed by the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) for bulk composition. The CheMin XRD analysis shows that the mudstone contains basaltic minerals (Fe-forsterite, augite, pigeonite, plagioclase), as well as Fe-oxide/hydroxides, Fe-sulfides, amorphous materials, and trioctahedral phyllosilicates. SAM evolved gas analysis of higher-temperature OH matches the CheMin XRD estimate of ~20% clay minerals in the mudstone. The light-toned veins contain Ca-sulfates; anhydrite and bassanite are detected by XRD but gypsum is also indicated from Mastcam spectral mapping. These sulfates appear to be almost entirely restricted to late-diagenetic veins. The sulfate content of the mudstone matrix itself is lower than other sediments analyzed on Mars. The presence of phyllosilicates indicates that the activity of water was high during their formation and/or transport and deposition (should they have been detrital). Lack of chlorite places limits on the maximum temperature of alteration (likely <100 C). The presence of Ca-sulfates rather than Mg- or Fe-sulfates suggests that the pore water pH was near-neutral and of relatively low ionic strength (although x-ray amorphous Mg-and Fe- sulfates could be present and undetectable by CheMin). The presence of Fe and S in both reduced and oxidized states represents chemical disequilibria that could have been utilized by chemolithoautotrophic biota, if present. When compared to the nearby Rocknest sand shadow mineralogy or the normative mineralogy of Martian soil, both John Klein and Cumberland exhibit a near-absence of olivine and a surplus of magnetite (7-9% of the crystalline component). The magnetite is interpreted as an authigenic product formed when olivine was altered to phyllosilicate. Saponitization of olivine (a process analogous to serpentinization) could have produced H2 in situ. Indeed, early diagenetic hollow nodules ("minibowls") present in the Cumberland mudstone are interpreted by some as forming when gas bubbles accumulated in the unconsolidated mudstone. Lastly, all of these early diagenetic features appear to have been preserved with minimal alteration since their formation, as indicated by the ease of drilling (weak lithification, lack of cementing phases), the presence of 20-30% amorphous material, and the late-stage fracturing with emplacement of calcium sulfate veins and minibowl infills, where they were intersected by veins. A rough estimate of the minimum duration of the lacustrine environment is provided by the minimum thickness of the Sheepbed member. Given 1.5 meters, and applying a mean sediment accumulation rate for lacustrine strata of 1 m/1000 yrs yields a duration of 1,500 years. If the aqueous environments represented by overlying strata are considered, such as Gillespie Lake and Shaler, then this duration increases. The Sheepbed mudstone meets all the requirements of a habitable environment: Aqueous deposition at clement conditions of P, T, pH, Eh and ionic strength, plus the availability of sources of chemical energy.

Blake, David Frederick↗
NASA NTRS2013

Mid-Infrared Study of Samples from Multiple Stones from the Sutters Mill Meteorite

The Sutter's Mill meteorite fell in N. California on April 22, 2012 and numerous pieces have been recovered and studied. We present Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra of fragments from several stones of the meteorite. Methods and analysis: Infrared spectra of the samples were recorded with a Nicolet iN10 MX FTIR microscope in the mid-IR range (4000-675/cm; spectral resolution 4/cm). All samples were deposited on a clean glass slide, crushed with a stainless steel roller tool, and placed directly on the focal plane of the microscope. IR spectra were collected by averaging 128 scans. Results: Preliminary IR spectra of the non-fusion crust samples show mineral compositions that are dominated by phyllosilicates, carbonates, or mixtures of both [2]. The carbonates display a dominant, broad band centered at 1433/cm, with additional bands at 2515/cm, 1797/cm, 882/cm, and 715/cm). Features associated with phyllosilicates include a symmetric Si-O stretching mode band centered at 1011/cm and several O-H stretching mode bands. The O-H shows up in two forms (1) a broadband centered at 3415/cm that is probably largely due to adsorbed H2O and (2) a much weaker, narrower feature centered near 3680/cm due to structural -OH. Features observed in the 2985-2855/cm range suggest the presence of aliphatic -CH3 and -CH2- groups. The relative intensities of the bands in this range are somewhat unusual. Typically, the asymmetric aliphatic CH stretching bands are stronger than the symmetric stretching bands, but in this case the reverse is true. This unusual pattern is well matched by the aliphatic features seen in the spectrum of a terrestrial calcite (CaCO3) standard. This observation, and the fact that the strength of the carbonate and aliphatic bands seem to correlate, suggest the organics are associated with the carbonates. Conclusions: IR spectra of samples from the Sutter's Mill meteorite show absorption features associated with carbonates, phyllosilicates, and organics. Both the unusual band profile of the aliphatic C-H stretching mode bands and their correlation with the strength of the carbonate bands suggests the organics and the carbonates are associated in some manner.

Sutter's mill↗
NASA NTRS2014

Optical Constants of Mars Candidate Materials used to Model Laboratory Reflectance Spectra of Mixtures

Data obtained at visible and nearinfrared wavelengths by OMEGA on MarsExpress and CRISM on MRO provide definitive evidence for the presence of phyllosilicates and other hydrated phases on Mars. A diverse range of both Fe/Mg-OH and Al- OH-bearing phyllosilicates were identified including the smectites nontronite, saponite, and montmorillonite. To constrain the abundances of these phyllosilicates, spectral analyses of mixtures are needed. We report on our effort to enable the quantitative evaluation of the abundance of hydrated-hydroxylated silicates when they are contained in mixtures. Here we focus on two component mixtures of the hydrated/ hydroxylated silicates, saponite and montmorillonite (Mg- and Al-rich smectites) with each other and with two analogs for other Martian materials; pyroxene (enstatite) and palagonitic soil (an alteration product of basaltic glass, hereafter referred to as palagonite). We prepared three size separates of each end-member for study: 20-45, 63-90, and 125-150 micron. Here we focus upon mixtures of the 63-90 m size fractions.

MarsExpress and CRISM↗
NASA NTRS2011

Assessing Spectral Evidence of Aqueous Activity in Two Putative Martian Paleolakes

We evaluate the evidence for the presence of mineral spectral signatures indicative of the past presence of water at two putative paleolakes on Mars using observations by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) Compact Reconnaissance Image Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM). CRISM spectra of both sites are consistent with laboratory spectra of Mg-rich phyllosilicates. Our analysis represents the first detailed evaluation of these locations. The spatial occurrence and association with topographic features within the craters is distinctly different for the two sites. The occurrence of these minerals supports the conclusion that water was once active in the areas sampled by these craters. The distribution of the phyllosilicates in Luqa does not provide distinctive evidence for the presence of a previous standing body of water and is consistent with either impact emplacement or post-impact alteration. For Cankuzo, the phyllosilicate distribution provides evidence of a layer in the crater wall indicative of aqueous activity, but does not require a paleolake.

Mineralogy↗
NASA NTRS2014

Surviving High-temperature Components in CI Chondrites

The CI1 chondrites, while having the most solar-like compo-sition of any astromaterial available for laboratory analysis, have also been considerably altered by asteroidal processes including aqueous alteration. It is of fundamental importance to determine their pre-alteration mineralogy, so that the state of matter in the early Solar System can be better determined. In the course of a re-examination of the compositional range of olivine and low-Ca pyroxene in CI chondrites Orgueil, Ivuna and Alais [1] we found the first reported complete CAI, as already reported [2], with at-tached rock consisting mainly of olivine and low-Ca pyroxene. The range of residual olivine major element compositions we have determined in the CIs (Fig. 1) may now be directly com-pared with those of other astromaterials, including Wild 2 grains. The abundance of olivine and low-Ca pyroxene in CIs is higher than is generally appreciated, and in fact much higher than for some CMs [1]. We also noted numerous rounded objects varying in shape from spheres to oblate spheroids, and ranging up to 100μm in size (Fig. 2), which have been previously noted [3] but have not been well documented or appreciated. We characterized the mineralogy by transmission electron microscopy and found that they consist mainly of rather fine-grained, flaky single phase to intergrown serpentine and saponite. These two materials in fact dominate the bulk of the host CI1 chondrites. With the exception of sparse spinels, the rounded phyllosilicate objects are remarka-bly free of other minerals, suggesting that the precursor from which the phyllosilicates were derived was a homogeneous mate-rial. We suggest that these round phyllosilicates aggregates in CI1 chondrites were cryptocrystalline to glassy microchondrules. If so then CI chondrites cannot be considered chondrule-free. Small though they are, the abundance of these putative microchondrules is the same as that of chondrules in the Tagish Lake meteorite.

Zolensky, M.↗