Tosca, N. J. and McLennan, S. M. (2006) Chemical divides and evaporite assemblages on Mars. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 241 (1-2). pp. 21-31.
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Abstract
Assemblages of evaporite minerals record detailed physical and chemical characteristics of ancient surficial environments. Accordingly, newly discovered regions of saline minerals on Mars are high priority targets for exploration. The chemical divide concept of evaporite mineral formation is used successfully to predict evaporite mineralogy and brine evolution on Earth. However, basaltic weathering largely controls fluid compositions on Mars and the robust predictive capabilities of terrestrial chemical divides cannot be used to interpret Martian evaporites. Here we present a new chemical divide system that predicts evaporite assemblages identified in SNC-type meteorites, ancient evaporites discovered on Meridiani Planum by the Opportunity rover, and Mars Express OMEGA data. We suggest that a common fluid type that has been buffered to different pH levels by basaltic weathering controls the variability among Martian evaporite assemblages and that evaporite mineralogy and brine evolution is essentially established by the initial composition of the dilute evaporating fluid. B) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | 01 - Climate Change and Earth-Ocean Atmosphere Systems |
| Divisions: | 01 - Climate Change and Earth-Ocean Atmosphere Systems |
| Journal or Publication Title: | Earth and Planetary Science Letters |
| Volume: | 241 |
| Page Range: | pp. 21-31 |
| Depositing User: | Sarah Humbert |
| Date Deposited: | 17 Dec 2009 12:10 |
| Last Modified: | 23 Jul 2013 09:56 |
| URI: | http://eprints.esc.cam.ac.uk/id/eprint/1249 |
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