Amagmatic hydrothermal systems on Mars from radiogenic heat

Long-lived hydrothermal systems are prime targets for astrobiological exploration on Mars. Unlike magmatic or impact settings, radiogenic hydrothermal systems can survive for \u3e100 million years because of the Ga half-lives of key radioactive elements (e.g., U, Th, and K), but remain unknown on Mars. Here, we use geochemistry, gravity, topography data, and numerical models to find potential radiogenic hydrothermal systems on Mars. We show that the Eridania region, which once contained a vast inland sea, possibly exceeding the combined volume of all other Martian surface water, could have readily hosted a radiogenic hydrothermal system. Thus, radiogenic hydrothermalism in Eridania could have sustained clement conditions for life far longer than most other habitable sites on Mars. Water radiolysis by radiogenic heat could have produced H2, a key electron donor for microbial life. Furthermore, hydrothermal circulation may help explain the region’s high crustal magnetic field and gravity anomaly

A record of igneous evolution in Elysium, a major martian volcanic province

© 2017 The Author(s). A major knowledge gap exists on how eruptive compositions of a single martian volcanic province change over time. Here we seek to fill that gap by assessing the compositional evolution of Elysium, a major martian volcanic province. A unique geochemical signature overlaps with the southeastern flows of this volcano, which provides the context for this study of variability of martian magmatism. The southeastern lava fields of Elysium Planitia show distinct chemistry in the shallow subsurface (down to several decimeters) relative to the rest of the martian mid-to-low latitudes (average crust) and flows in northwest Elysium. By impact crater counting chronology we estimated the age of the southeastern province to be 0.85 ± 0.08 Ga younger than the northwestern fields. This study of the geochemical and temporal differences between the NW and SE Elysium lava fields is the first to demonstrate compositional variation within a single volcanic province on Mars. We interpret the geochemical and temporal differences between the SE and NW lava fields to be consistent with primary magmatic processes, such as mantle heterogeneity or change in depth of melt formation within the martian mantle due to crustal loading

Chemical compositions at Mars landing sites subject to Mars Odyssey Gamma Ray Spectrometer constraints

The Mars Odyssey Gamma Ray Spectrometer (GRS) is the first instrument suite to return elemental abundances throughout the midlatitudes of Mars. Concentrations of Cl, Fe, H, K, Si, and Th have been determined to tens of centimeter depths as mass fractions with reasonable confidence. Comparing such data with, or normalizing them to, in situ compositional data is difficult due to issues such as dramatic differences in spatial resolution; difficulties in convolving densities, abundances, and compositions of different regolith components; and a limited number of elements observed in common. We address these concerns in the context of the GRS, using Si at Pathfinder to normalize remote data. In addition, we determine representative in situ compositions for Spirit (both with and without Columbia Hills rocks), Opportunity, and Viking 1 landing sites using GRS-derived H content to hydrate the soil component. Our estimate of the Si mass fraction at Pathfinder, with 13% areal fraction of rocks, is 21%. The composition of major elements, such as Si and Fe, is similar across the four landing sites, while minor elements show significant variability. Areal dominance of soil at all four landing sites causes representative compositions to be driven by the soil component, while proportionally large uncertainties of bulk densities dominate the net uncertainties. GRS compositional determinations compare favorably with the in situ estimates for Cl and K, and for Si by virtue of the normalization. However, the GRS-determined Fe content at each landing site is consistently higher than the in situ value. Copyright 2007 by the American Geophysical Union

Atmospheric injection of sulfur from the Medusae Fossae forming events

© 2019 Elsevier Ltd A plethora of in-situ bulk chemical and mineralogical analyses, remote sensing data, and geochemical models suggest that the Martian crust is sulfur(S)-rich, exceeding the S content of terrestrial basalts by almost an order of magnitude. The main source of crustal S on Mars is the volcanic exhalation of SO2 and H2S gases. Volcanic ash, expelled along with gases, may be a sink for up to 30% of the exhaled S gas species. We analyze the elemental composition of the Martian shallow sub-surface using the Mars Odyssey Gamma Ray Spectrometer to find areas that are simultaneously enriched in constituents of major volcanic gases such as S, Cl, and H2O. A large sedimentary deposit of likely pyroclastic origin called the Medusae Fossae Formation (MFF) is located within this region of possibly extensive alteration by volcanic gases. Based on reasonable terrestrial analog estimates that the MFF scavenged, at maximum, 30% of the exhaled S gas species, we find that a significant amount of S (\u3e1017 kg) would have been delivered to the atmosphere over the time it took for the MFF to be deposited on Mars. The mass of the S emitted from the MFF-forming event(s) is up to 8 orders of magnitude higher than the mass of S emitted from the largest Quaternary volcanic eruption on Earth. Thus, volcanic degassing from the MFF forming events could have significantly affected surface geological processes, climate evolution, and habitability of Mars

Regional and grain size influences on the geochemistry of soil at Gusev crater, Mars

Congruous with earlier work, Martian soil along the Spirit Rover\u27s traverse at Gusev crater can be divided into three broad groups by size: fines (\u3c150 μm), sand, and a mix of various grain sizes. The key chemical observation is greater homogeneity in fines relative to the other two, consistent with regional- and global-scale sampling of chemical compositions by finer particle sizes. The mix class is generally more heterogeneous as are samples from the Columbia Hills within each class. Variation in the trace element Ni is consistent with a CI contribution not exceeding 3%, while that of Ti is compatible with Fe-Ti oxide enrichment not exceeding 3%. Physical mixing models are poorly supported. Among many potential binary and three-component mixing models, only two show some consistency with the soil data: typical fines with the opaline Si end-member identified at Home Plate and typical fines with sulfates (bearing a variable mix of Ca, Fe, and Mg cations). We also infer that binary mixing transcends classes, contrasting strongly with terrestrial sediments, and that mixing trends are consistent with significant nonmixing contributions, perhaps including localized chemical alteration. The decoupling between chemistry and grain size classes also suggests that processes linking composition with grain size, such as heavy mineral sorting, may have been minimal or absent entirely. The primary exception to this is the correlation between Cl and Si, Cl-S, and Al-Si, which is strongest in the fines class. Copyright 2010 by the American Geophysical Union

The Medusae Fossae Formation as the single largest source of dust on Mars

© 2018, The Author(s). Transport of fine-grained dust is one of the most widespread sedimentary processes occurring on Mars today. In the present climate, eolian abrasion and deflation of rocks are likely the most pervasive and active dust-forming mechanism. Martian dust is globally enriched in S and Cl and has a distinct mean S:Cl ratio. Here we identify a potential source region for Martian dust based on analysis of elemental abundance data. We show that a large sedimentary unit called the Medusae Fossae Formation (MFF) has the highest abundance of S and Cl, and provides the best chemical match to surface measurements of Martian dust. Based on volume estimates of the eroded materials from the MFF, along with the enrichment of elemental S and Cl, and overall geochemical similarity, we propose that long-term deflation of the MFF has significantly contributed to the global Martian dust reservoir

Groundwater production from geothermal heating on early Mars and implication for early martian habitability

Copyright © 2020 The Authors, In explaining extensive evidence for past liquid water, the debate on whether Mars was primarily warm and wet or cold and arid 4 billion years (Ga) ago has continued for decades. The Sun’s luminosity was ~30% lower 4 Ga ago; thus, most martian climate models struggle to elevate the mean surface temperature past the melting point of water. Basal melting of ice sheets may help resolve that paradox. We modeled the thermophysical evolution of ice and estimate the geothermal heat flux required to produce meltwater on a cold, arid Mars. We then analyzed geophysical and geochemical data, showing that basal melting would have been feasible on Mars 4 Ga ago. If Mars were warm and wet 4 Ga ago, then the geothermal flux would have even sustained hydrothermal activity. Regardless of the actual nature of the ancient martian climate, the subsurface would have been the most habitable region on Mars

SNOW DISTRIBUTION AND INFLUENCE IN TAYLOR VALLEY, ANTARCTICA, USING REMOTE SENSING

The McMurdo Dry Valleys is the largest ice-free area in Antarctica, but seasonal snow covers the valley floors sporadically throughout the year. In this study, a model to estimate areal snow coverage from satellite imagery was created. An area-volume model was created to estimate the amount of snow water equivalent (SWE) from the snow area extracted from the imagery. Snow cover influences the total albedo, the hydrologic budget, and the soil moisture and soil temperature in Taylor Valley (TV). Quantifying snow precipitation in TV is challenging because snow redistributes with winds, sublimates, or melts within a short period. Previous estimates found the amount of snow precipitation in TV is small, less than 100 mm/a. (SWE); even so, snow cover may influence processes in the valley. To better understand the controls and feedbacks of snow cover in the valley, a long-term record of spatially distributed abundance is required. This research creates a long-term record of snow cover data in TV using satellite images. The area of snowpacks was calculated by creating a classification scheme based on the brightness of panchromatic images. During the 2021-2022 field season, 250 m x 250 m sampling quadrats were surveyed to approximate how area and volume relate to SWE. Volumetric SWE was calculated by measuring in situ the length, width, depth, and density of each snowpack in the quadrat. There is a strong relationship between the area and the volume of the snowpacks (R2=0.942, P=0.182). With this information, estimates of the SWE can be made from the area calculated from satellite imagery. The average snow area for the entire extent of TV in late winter/early summer (September-December) from 2004 to 2022 is 65.26 km2, the average SWE is 0.0310 km3, and the average SWE depth is 75.72 mm. The amount of areal snow coverage is important when calculating the energy balance of TV, as well as understanding the availability of soil moisture to the soil ecosystem year-to-year. The available SWE can also influence seasonal surface and subsurface hydrology. While most precipitated snow in TV will sublimate or be redistributed by the wind, it is important to quantify how much snow has accumulated each season, especially with a warming climate, which could drastically influence snow accumulation and dynamics in TV

Tectonism of Late Noachian Mars: Surface Signatures from the Southern Highlands

Upwelling mantle plumes often instigate extensional stress within the continental crust of Earth. When stress exceeds crustal strength, extensional structures develop, reducing the effective stress and trigger magmatic processes at the crust–mantle boundary. However, such processes and their relationship to the formation of many surface structures remain poorly characterized on Mars. We identified a series of extensional structures in the southern highlands of Mars which collectively resemble continental rift zones on Earth. We further characterized these extensional structures and their surrounding region (area of ~1.8 M km2) by determining the surface mineralogy and bulk regional geochemistry of the terrain. In turn, this constrains their formation and yields a framework for their comparison with extensional structures on Earth. These terrains are notable for olivine and high-Ca pyroxene with a high abundance of potassium and calcium akin to alkali basalts. In the case of Mars, this Earth-like proto-plate tectonic scenario may be related to the plume-induced crustal stretching and considering their distribution and temporal relationship with the Hellas basin, we conclude that the plume is impact-induced. Overall, the findings of this work support the presence of mantle plume activity in the Noachian, as suggested by thermal evolution models of Mars