An integrated view of the chemistry and mineralogy of martian soils.
The mineralogical and elemental compositions of the martian soil are indicators of chemical and physical weathering processes. Using data from the Mars Exploration Rovers, we show that bright dust deposits on opposite sides of the planet are part of a global unit and not dominated by the composition of local rocks. Dark soil deposits at both sites have similar basaltic mineralogies, and could reflect either a global component or the general similarity in the compositions of the rocks from which they were derived. Increased levels of bromine are consistent with mobilization of soluble salts by thin films of liquid water, but the presence of olivine in analysed soil samples indicates that the extent of aqueous alteration of soils has been limited. Nickel abundances are enhanced at the immediate surface and indicate that the upper few millimetres of soil could contain up to one per cent meteoritic material.
Yen
Albert S
AS
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91109, USA. Albert.Yen@jpl.nasa.gov
Gellert
Ralf
R
Schröder
Christian
C
Morris
Richard V
RV
Bell
James F
JF
Knudson
Amy T
AT
Clark
Benton C
BC
Ming
Douglas W
DW
Crisp
Joy A
JA
Arvidson
Raymond E
RE
Blaney
Diana
D
Brückner
Johannes
J
Christensen
Philip R
PR
DesMarais
David J
DJ
de Souza
Paulo A
PA
Economou
Thanasis E
TE
Ghosh
Amitabha
A
Hahn
Brian C
BC
Herkenhoff
Kenneth E
KE
Haskin
Larry A
LA
Hurowitz
Joel A
JA
Joliff
Bradley L
BL
Johnson
Jeffrey R
JR
Klingelhöfer
Göstar
G
Madsen
Morten Bo
MB
McLennan
Scott M
SM
McSween
Harry Y
HY
Richter
Lutz
L
Rieder
Rudi
R
Rodionov
Daniel
D
Soderblom
Larry
L
Squyres
Steven W
SW
Tosca
Nicholas J
NJ
Wang
Alian
A
Wyatt
Michael
M
Zipfel
Jutta
J
D001966:Bromine / Q000032:analysis; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis*; D005118:Extraterrestrial Environment / Q000737:chemistry*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D058085:Iron Compounds / Q000032:analysis; D017616:Magnesium Compounds / Q000032:analysis; D018535:Mars; D008903:Minerals / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D009532:Nickel / Q000032:analysis; D017640:Silicates / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis*; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared; D015204:Spectroscopy, Mossbauer; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry
D004391:Dust; D058085:Iron Compounds; D017616:Magnesium Compounds; D008903:Minerals; D017640:Silicates; D012987:Soil; C060346:basalt; D014867:Water; D009532:Nickel; C034475:olivine; D001966:Bromine