Hydration state of calcium sulfates in Gale crater, Mars: Identification of bassanite veins
- Univ. of Toulouse (France). Midi-Pyrenees Observatory (OMP); National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), Toulouse (France). Inst. for Research in Astrophysics and Planetology (IRAP)
- Planetary Science Inst., Tucson, AZ (United States)
- National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), Nantes (France). Lab. of Planetology and Geodynamics
- National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), Toulouse (France). Inst. for Research in Astrophysics and Planetology (IRAP)
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
- Museum of Natural History, Paris (France). Lab. of Mineralogy & Cosmochemistry of the Museum (LMCM)
- NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX (United States). Aerodyne Industries
- NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX (United States)
In-situ analyses reveal the presence of hydrogen within calcium sulfate veins crosscutting the sediments found in Gale crater. Laboratory experiments were performed to calibrate the hydrogen signal measured by laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) in a range applicable to martian data. The analyses indicate that all veins targeted so far at Gale consist predominantly of bassanite which most likely formed by dehydration of gypsum. This scenario thus suggests that the percolating water produced gypsum, possibly by hydration of anhydrite in aqueous solution, and remained at temperatures below ~60 °C at that time. Desiccating conditions followed, consistent with a hyperarid climate and favored by burial or impacts. In addition, anhydrite with lesser bassanite has been found by XRD in samples of sediments hosting the veins. Our result suggests bassanite is likely found in the veins and anhydrite may be more common as a fine-grained component within the sediments.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC52-06NA25396
- OSTI ID:
- 1417814
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-17-27695
- Journal Information:
- Earth and Planetary Science Letters, Vol. 452, Issue C; ISSN 0012-821X
- Publisher:
- ElsevierCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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