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NASA NTRS2009

Chlorine Abundances in Martian Meteorites

Chlorine measurements made in martian surface rocks by robotic spacecraft typically give Chlorine (Cl) abundances of approximately 0.1-0.8%. In contrast, Cl abundances in martian meteorites appear lower, although data is limited, and martian nakhlites were also subjected to Cl contamination by Mars surface brines. Chlorine abundances reported by one lab for whole rock (WR) samples of Shergotty, ALH77005, and EET79001 range 108-14 ppm, whereas Cl in nakhlites range 73-1900 ppm. Measurements of Cl in various martian weathering phases of nakhlites varied 0.04-4.7% and reveal significant concentration of Cl by martian brines Martian meteorites contain much lower Chlorine than those measured in martian surface rocks and give further confirmation that Cl in these surface rocks was introduced by brines and weathering. It has been argued that Cl is twice as effective as water in lowering the melting point and promoting melting at shallower martian depths, and that significant Cl in the shergottite source region would negate any need for significant water. However, this conclusion was based on experiments that utilized Cl concentrations more analogous to martian surface rocks than to shergottite meteorites, and may not be applicable to shergottites.

Bogard, D.D.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Metallic particles in the Apollo 14 lunar soil.

The metallographic structures, silicate associations and bulk compositions (Ni, Co, P, S, and Si) were determined by microprobe analysis for 205 metal particles selected by magnetic separation from the less than 1 mm, greater than 125 micron fraction of soil samples 14003,18 and 14163,165. A small number of exotic particles were encountered but almost all the metal could be accommodated within one of four subpopulations, the characteristics and genetic significance of which may be stated as follows: (1) the major proportion has Ni and Co contents corresponding to the range of meteoritic metal; (2) small proportion (about 5%) that not only has meteoritic contents of Ni and Co but also shows still distinguishable indications of meteoritic microstructure; (3) another small population (about 10%) consists of metal excavated from lunar mare basalts by cratering events, and thrown onto the Apollo 14 site; and (4) metallic spheroids (about 5%), analogous to those encountered in the vicinity of the Barringer Meteorite Crater, Arizona.

Goldstein, J. I.↗
NASA NTRS1991

The chemistry and mineralogy of Mars soil and dust

A single geological unit consisting of fine, apparently weathered soil material is covering large portions of the surface of Mars. This soil material has been thoroughly homogenized by global dust storms and it is plausible to assume that Mars dust is strongly correlated with it. The chemical-elemental composition of the soil was directly measured by the Viking Landers. Positive detection of Si, Al, Fe, Mg, Ca, Ti, S, Cl, and Br was achieved. Analyses of the SNC meteorites, a group of meteorites that has been suggested to be ejected Martian rocks, supply additional elemental-concentration data, broadening considerably the chemical data-base on the surface materials. A composition model for Mars soil, giving selected average elemental concentrations of major and trace elements, was recently suggested. It was constructed by combining the Viking Lander data, the SNC meteorite analyses, and other analyses. The mineralogy of the surface materials on Mars has not been directly measured yet. By use of various indirect approaches, including chemical correspondence to the surface analyses, spectral analogies, simulations of Viking Lander experiments, analyses of the SNC meteorites and various modeling efforts, the mineralogical composition was constrained to some extent. No direct analyses of soil reactivity have been done yet. Indirect evidence, mostly from the Viking biology experimental results, suggests that the soil probably has a slightly acidic reaction and is generally oxidized. Unambiguous identification of the Mars soil minerals by direct mineralogical analyses, and non-disturbed or in-situ measurements of the soil's reactivity, are of primary importance in future Mars research.

Banin, A.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Search for Sugars and Related Compounds in Residues Produced from the UV Irradiation of Astrophysical Ice Analogs

A large variety of organics of biological and prebiotic interests have been detected in meteorites, including one sugar and several sugar acids and sugar alcohols [1]. The presence of these compounds in meteorites, along with amino acids, amphiphiles, and nucleobases [2-4], indicates that molecules essential to life can be formed abiotically under astrophysical conditions. This hypothesis is supported by extensive laboratory studies involving the formation of complex organic molecules from the ultraviolet (UV) irradiation of astrophysical ice analogs (H2O, CO, CO2, CH3OH, CH4, NH3, etc.). These studies show that the organic residues recovered at room temperature contain many of the same compounds as those found in meteorites[3,58]. However, to the best of our knowledge, no systematic search for the presence of sugars and sugar derivatives in such laboratory residues have been reported to date. Only a limited number of small (greater than 4 C atoms) sugar-related compounds such as glycerol and glyceric acid [9], and more recently small (2-4 C atoms) aldehydes [10] have been detected in residues.

Astrophysics↗
NASA NTRS2011

Field Characterization of the Mineralogy and Organic Chemistry of Carbonates from the 2010 Arctic Mars Analog Svalbard Expedition by Evolved Gas Analysis

The 2010 Arctic Mars Analog Svalbard Expedition (AMASE) investigated two geologic settings using methodologies and techniques being developed or considered for future Mars missions, such as the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), ExoMars, and Mars Sample Return. The Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) [1] instrument suite, which will be on MSL, consists of a quadrupole mass spectrometer (QMS), a gas chromatograph (GC), and a tunable laser mass spectrometer (TLS); all will be applied to analyze gases created by pyrolysis of samples. During AMASE, a Hiden Evolved Gas Analysis-Mass Spectrometer (EGA-MS) system represented the EGA-MS capability of SAM. Another MSL instrument, CheMin, will use x-ray diffraction (XRD) and x-ray fluorescence (XRF) to perform quantitative mineralogical characterization of samples [e.g., 2]. Field-portable versions of CheMin were used during AMASE. AMASE 2010 focused on two sites that represented biotic and abiotic analogs. The abiotic site was the basaltic Sigurdfjell vent complex, which contains Mars-analog carbonate cements including carbonate globules which are excellent analogs for the globules in the ALH84001 martian meteorite [e.g., 3, 4]. The biotic site was the Knorringfjell fossil methane seep, which featured carbonates precipitated in a methane-supported chemosynthetic community [5]. This contribution focuses on EGA-MS analyses of samples from each site, with mineralogy comparisons to CheMin team results. The results give insight into organic content and organic-mineral associations, as well as some constraints on the minerals present.

McAdam, A. C.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Carbonate Cements from the Sverrefjell and Sigurdfjell Volcanoes, Svalbard Norway: Analogs for Martian Carbonates

The Sverrefjell and Sigurdfjell volcanic complexes erupted at ~1Ma on Svalbard, Norway. Sverrefjell is a cone of cinders, pillow lavas and dikes; Sigurdfjell is elongate in outcrop and may represent a fissure eruption [1]. The lavas of both volcanos were volatile rich. The volcanos erupted under ice and were subsequently dissected by glaciation (glacial eratics are present on most of Sverrefjell, even on its summit). Eruption beneath an ice sheet is inferred, based on the presence of pillow lavas from near sea level to ~1000 m above sea level. Sverrefjell contains the largest fraction of ultramafic xenoliths of any volcanic complex in the world, in places accounting for as much as 50% of the volume of the outcrop. The Sverrefjell and Sigurdfell volcanos contain carbonate cements of several varieties: (1) Amundsen [2] reported Mg-Fe-rich carbonate in sub-mm globules in basalts and ultramafic xenoliths from the volcanos. These globules are the best terrestrial analogs to the carbonate globules in the Mars meteorite ALH84001 [3]. (2) Thick (1-3 cm) coatings of carbonate cement drape the walls of vertical volcanic pipes or conduits on the flanks and near the present summit of Sverrefjell. Similar occurrences are found on Sigurdfjell. (3) Breccia-filled pipes or vents occur on Sverrefjell and Siggurdfjell in which the breccia fragments are cemented by carbonate. The fragments themselves commonly contain carbonate globules similar to those found in the basalts and ultramafic xenoliths.

Blake, D. F.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Attempts to comprehend Martian surface processes through interpretation of the oxygen isotopic compositions of carbonates in SNC meteorites

The SNC meteorites are known to contain trace quantities of a variety of secondary minerals such as carbonates, sulfates, and aluminosilicates. Since these constituents are thought to be mostly preterrestrial in origin, their study has the potential to provide rigorous constraints on the nature of martian weathering processes. However, this line of investigation is potentially complicated by the presence within the meteorite samples of any additional weathering products produced by terrestrial processes. Examination of such terrestrial components is important since weathering processes that affect meteorite samples following their fall to Earth might have some bearing on the nature of analogous processes at the surface of Mars. It is obviously necessary to try and distinguish which secondary components in SNC meteorites are terrestrial in origin from those that are preterrestrial. Herein consideration is made of the stable isotopic compositions of weathering products in two SNC meteorites: EET A79001 (a sample collected from Antarctica) and Nakhla (a fall from Egypt, 1911).

Wright, I. P.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Alkali element depletion by core formation and vaporization on the early Earth

The depletion of Na, K, Rb, and Cs in the Earth's upper mantle and crust relative to their abundances in chondrites is a long standing problem in geochemistry. Here we consider two commonly invoked mechanisms, namely core formation, and vaporization, for producing the observed depletions. Our models predict that a significant percentage of the Earth's bulk alkali element inventory is in the core (30 percent for Na, 52 percent for K, 74 percent for Rb, and 92 percent for Cs). These predictions agree with independent estimates from nebular volatility trends and (for K) from terrestrial heat flow data. Our models also predict that vaporization and thermal escape during planetary accretion are unlikely to produce the observed alkali element depletion pattern. However, loss during the putative giant impact which formed the Moon cannot be ruled out. Experimental, observational, and theoretical tests of our predictions are also described. Alkali element partitioning into the Earth's core was modeled by assuming that alkali element partitioning during core formation on the aubrite parent body (APB) is analogous to that on the early Earth. The analogy is reasonable for three reasons. First, the enstatite meteorites are the only known meteorites with the same oxygen isotope systematics as the Earth-Moon system. Second, the large core size of the Earth and the V depletion in the mantle requires accretion from planetesimals as reduced as the enstatite chondrites. Third, experimental studies of K partitioning between silicate and metal plus sulfide show that more K goes into the metal plus sulfide at higher pressures than at one atmosphere pressure. Thus partitioning in the relatively low pressure natural laboratory of the APB is a good guide to alkali elemental partitioning during the growth of the Earth.

Lodders, K.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Lava Flow Dynamics

This grant originally had four major tasks, all of which were addressed to varying extents during the course of the research: (1) Measure the fractal dimensions of lava flows as a function of topography, substrate, and rheology; (2) The nature of lava tube systems and their relation to flow fields; (3) A quantitative assessment of lava flow dynamics in light of the fractal nature of lava flow margins; and (4) Development and application of a new remote sensing tool based on fractal properties. During the course of the research, the project expanded to include the following projects: (1) A comparison of what we can-learn from remote sensing studies of lava flow morphology and from studies of samples of lava flows; (2) Study of a terrestrial analog of the nakhlites, one of the groups of meteorites from Mars; and (3) Study of the textures of Hawaiian basalts as an aid in understanding the dynamics (flow rates, inflation rates, thermal history) of flow interiors. In addition, during the first year an educational task (development and writing of a teacher's guide and activity set to accompany the lunar sample disk when it is sent to schools) was included.

Taylor, G. Jeffrey↗
NASA NTRS1999

Formation of a Martian Pyroxenite: A Comparative Study of the Nakhlite Meteorites and Theo's Flow

The unusual composition of the nakhlites, a group of pyroxenitic martian meteorites with young ages, presents an opportunity to learn about nonbasaltic magmatic activity on another planet. However, the limited number of these meteorites makes unraveling their history difficult. A promising terrestrial analog for the formation of the nakhlites is Theo's Flow in Ontario, Canada. This atypical, 120 m-thick flow differentiated in place, forming distinct layered lithologies of peridotite, pyroxenite, and gabbro. Theo's pyroxenite and the nakhlites share strikingly similar petrographies, with concentrated euhedral to subhedral augite grains set in a plagioclase-rich matrix. These two suites of rocks also share specific petrologic features, mineral and whole-rock compositional features, and size and spatial distributions of cumulus grains. The numerous similarities suggest that the nakhlites formed by a similar mechanism in a surface lava flow or shallow intrusion. Their formation could have involved settling of crystals in a phenocryst-laden flow or in situ nucleation and growth of pyroxenes in an ultramafic lava flow. The latter case is more likely and requires steady-state nucleation and growth of clusters of pyroxene grains (and olivine in the nakhlites), circulating in a strongly convecting melt pool, followed by settling and continued growth in a thickening cumulate pile. Trapped pockets of intercumulus liquid in the pile gradually evolved, finally growing Fe-enriched rims on cumulus grains. With sufficient evolution, the melt reached plagioclase supersaturation, causing rapid growth of plagioclase sprays and late-stage mesostasis growth.

Friedman, R. C.↗
NASA NTRS2000

The Composition of Organics and Volatiles in the Interstellar Medium

Tremendous progress has been made in our understanding of the composition of interstellar dust through the combined use of telescopic observations, theoretical models, laboratory studies of analogs, and the analysis of interstellar samples found in meteorites. It is increasingly clear that the interstellar medium (ISM) contains an enormous diversity of materials created by a wide range of chemical and physical processes. This paper reviews some of our current knowledge of the organic and volatile materials thought to exist in the ISM. These compounds supply a significant portion of the material that makes up the interstellar dense molecular clouds from which new stars and planetary systems are formed, and thus represents an important reservoir of material that could play key roles in the formation and evolution of life. This paper will largely focus on solid materials, as opposed to gases, since solids contain a major fraction of the heavier elements in clouds and because solids are most likely to survive incorporation into new planetary systems in identifiable form. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of the astrobiological relevance of some of the compounds now known or suspected to be present in the ISM.

Sandford, Scott A.↗
NASA NTRS2024

Simplified Meteorite Parent Body Alteration of Amino Acids By Hydrothermal Processes

Amino acids have been identified in extraterrestrial materials such as meteorites and returned samples from asteroids and comets. Some of these amino acids or their precursors may have formed on icy interstellar dust grains or at a later phase when these grains became incorporated into larger parent bodies. In this work, we simulated parent body aqueous alteration of the residues from irradiated interstellar ice analogs in the presence of relevant minerals (pulverized serpentinite and Allende meteorite). We tracked the change in amino acid abundances as a function of hydrothermal processing time and examined how these differed based on the presence of minerals. We find that the presence of minerals and their mineralogy can have a significant impact on the formation and destruction of amino acids during simulated aqueous alteration experiments.

Christopher K Materese↗
NASA NTRS1998

Natural thermoluminescence of Antarctic meteorites and related studies

The natural thermoluminescence (TL) laboratory's primary purpose is to provide data on newly recovered Antarctic meteorites that can be included in discovery announcements and to investigate the scientific implications of the data. Natural TL levels of meteorites are indicators of recent thermal history and terrestrial history, and the data can be used to study the orbital/radiation history of groups of meteorites (e.g., H chondrites) or to study the processes leading to the concentration of meteorites at certain sites in Antarctica. An important application of these data is the identification of fragments, or "pairs" of meteorites produced during atmospheric passage or during terrestrial weathering. Thermoluminescence data are particularly useful for pairing within the most common meteorite classes, which typically exhibit very limited petrographic and chemical diversity. Although not originally part of the laboratory's objectives, TL data are also useful in the identification and classification of petrographically or mineralogically unusual meteorites, including unequilibrated ordinary chondrites and some basaltic achondrites. In support of its primary mission, the laboratory also engages in TL studies of modern falls, finds from hot deserts, and terrestrial analogs and conducts detailed studies of the TL properties of certain classes of meteorites. These studies include the measurement of TL profiles in meteorites, the determination of TL levels of finds from the Sahara and the Nullarbor region of Australia, and comparison of TL data to other indicators of irradiation or terrestrial history, such as cosmogenic noble gas and radionuclide abundances. Our current work can be divided into five subcategories, (a) TL survey of Antarctic meteorites, (b) pairing and field relations of Antarctic meteorites, (c) characterization of TL systematics of meteorites, (d) comparison of natural TL and other terrestrial age indicators for Antarctic meteorites, and for meteorites from hot deserts, and (e) characterization of the TL properties of fusion crust of meteorites.

Benoit, Paul H.↗
NASA NTRS1996

The Inventory of Interstellar Materials Available for the Formation of the Solar System

Dr. Derek Sears, the editor of the journal Meteoritics and Planetary Science, has established a policy of having each issue of the journal contain an invited review of an area that he deems to be of special cur-rent importance. Typically 20 to 25 pages of the beginning of the journal are devoted to each review. He has asked me to prepare such a review summarizing what we know about the composition and structure of interstellar materials. The attached paper is the result. This is a good time for such a review since tremendous progress has been made in the field of interstellar dust in recent years through the use of telescopic observations, theoretical studies, laboratory studies of analogs, and the study of actual interstellar samples found in meteorites. It is increasing clear that the interstellar medium (ISM) contains an enormous diversity of materials created by a wide range of chemical and physical processes. This understanding is a far cry from the picture of interstellar materials held as recently as two decades ago, a picture which incorporated only a few generic types of grains and few molecules. In the paper I review our current knowledge of the more abundant materials thought to exist in the ISM. The review concentrates on matter in interstellar dense molecular clouds since it is the materials in these environments from which new stars and planetary systems are formed, although materials in circumstellar environments and in the diffuse ISM are also discussed. The paper focuses largely on solid materials since they contain a major fraction of the heavier elements in clouds and because solids are most likely to survive incorporation into new planetary systems in identifiable form. The paper concludes with discussion of some of the implications resulting from the identification of these interstellar materials. I also present some new thoughts, the most intriguing being that meteoritic 'microdiamonds' may be the same material that modelers of the interstellar extinction call graphite! If my suggestion is correct it will help resolve the dilemma associated with the current over-subscription of cosmic C and should lead to some new approaches to both extinction models and the study of meteoritic interstellar microdiamonds.

Sandford, Scott A.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Spectral reflectance of SNC meteorites: Relationships to Martian surface composition

The spectral signatures of each of the Shergottite-Nakhlite-Chassignite (SNC) meteorite types measured to date are unique among extraterrestrial materials. Reflectance spectra of dark regions of Mars show evidence of basaltic composition. Analytic analysis of absorption band positions and widths in reflectance spectra of SNC meteorites will permit comparisons with spectra from approximately 600 km sized regions for which high-quality, near-IR spectra are available. Multi-spectral mapping data from orbital spacecraft is expected to provide the necessary spectra to determine basaltic compositions of smaller regions on Mars provided fresh, unaltered basalts can be observed or the effects of Martian weathering can be understood and removed from the spectra. With modeling of spectral weathering and mixing of SNC meteoritic assemblages it should be possible with the Mars Observer data to test for the presence of SNC analogs on the Martian surface. Before the relationship between the basaltic composition of units on Mars and the SNC meteorites can be addressed, it is necessary to analyze the absorption band parameters of the SNC reflectance spectra and to acquire high resolution spectral data on smaller regions of the Martian surface.

Mcfadden, L. A.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Metallic particles of high cobalt content in Apollo 15 soil samples.

Single phase alpha-kamacite containing more than 3.2 wt % Co and gamma-taenite containing from 30 to 60 wt % Ni from the Apollo 15 soils - 15031, 15071, 15081, 15261, and 15271 - have been examined by metallographic and electron microprobe techniques. In addition two phase alpha + gamma particles from soils 14003, 15071, 15261, and 15271 with Ni and Co contents well outside the meteoritic range have also been examined. Two distinct types of alpha-gamma structure occur, one analogous to 'clear taenite' in ordinary chondrites, and the other analogous to a 'Widmanstaetten' structure in Ni-rich ataxites. The measured Ni gradients in the two-phase particles are very similar to those meteorites having the same structure. However the Co content is much higher than the meteoritic samples, up to 12 wt % in the alpha phase. Approximate phase equilibria data for the Fe-Ni-Co system indicate equilibration of the two-phase particles during cooling to approximately 350 C. Estimates of cooling rates and second-phase growth times indicate that the maximum time necessary for the development of the high-Co two-phase structures is roughly 25 to 100 m.y. These estimates argue for the development of the two-phase structures during formation of the lunar crust, at a depth of 10 to 20 km beneath the moon's surface.

Axon, H. J.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Laboratory measurements of D/H ratios in interplanetary dust

Measurements of noble gas elemental and isotopic abundance patterns have provided evidence that a subset of the particles collected in the upper atmosphere by NASA aircraft are micrometeorites. It is found that the deuterium in two such particles is enriched relative to hydrogen by 500-1100 per thousand when compared with the terrestrial SMOW standard. This result confirms the extraterrestrial origin of the dust particles and demonstrates that the material preserves a potentially unique isotopic record which may reflect a memory of processes occurring during or before the formation of the solar system. In addition, the deuterium enrichment seen in the particles is analogous to that observed in bulk samples of one carbonaceous meteorite and two unequilibrated ordinary chondrites as well as in chemical separates of a number of other meteorites.

Zinner, E.↗
NASA NTRS1995

The Composition of Interstellar Grains and Ices

Immense progress has been made in our understanding of the composition of interstellar dust over the past 15 years. This progress is largely due to the synergism of improved telescopic observations (especially in the infrared), laboratory studies of dust analogs, and the study of the interstellar grains found in meteorites. This paper reviews our current understanding of the composition of interstellar dust in light of results obtained by these three disciplines.

Sandford, Scott A.↗