Evolved gas analyses of sedimentary rocks and eolian sediment in Gale Crater, Mars: Results of the Curiosity rover's sample analysis at Mars instrument from Yellowknife Bay to the Namib Dune
Brad Sutter,Amy McAdam,Paul R. Mahaffy,D. W. Ming,Kenneth S. Edgett,E. B. Rampe,J. L. Eigenbrode,Heather B. Franz,Caroline Freissinet,John P. Grotzinger,Andrew Steele,Christopher H. House,P. D. Archer,Charles Malespin,Rafael Navarro-González,J. C. Stern,James F. Bell,Fred Calef,R. Gellert,Daniel P. Glavin,Lucy M. Thompson,Albert S. Yen +21 more
TLDR
The Sample Analysis at Mars instrument evolved gas analyzer (SAM-EGA) has detected evolved water, H2, SO2, H 2S, NO, CO2, CO, O2 and HCl from two eolian sediments and nine sedimentary rocks from Gale Crater.Abstract:
The Sample Analysis at Mars instrument evolved gas analyzer (SAM-EGA) has detected evolved water, H2, SO2, H2S, NO, CO2, CO, O2 and HCl from two eolian sediments and nine sedimentary rocks from Gale Crater, Mars. These evolved gas detections indicate nitrates, organics, oxychlorine phase, and sulfates are widespread with phyllosilicates and carbonates occurring in select Gale Crater materials. Coevolved CO2 (160 ± 248 - 2373 ± 820 μgC(CO2)/g), and CO (11 ± 3 - 320 ± 130 μgC(CO)/g) suggest organic-C is present in Gale Crater materials. Five samples evolved CO2 at temperatures consistent with carbonate (0.32± 0.05 - 0.70± 0.1 wt.% CO3). Evolved NO amounts to 0.002 ± 0.007 - 0.06 ± 0.03 wt.% NO3. Evolution of O2 suggests oxychlorine phases (chlorate/perchlorate) (0.05 ± 0.025 - 1.05 ± 0.44wt. % ClO4) are present while SO2 evolution indicates the presence of crystalline and/or poorly crystalline Fe- and Mg-sulfate and possibly sulfide. Evolved H2O (0.9 ± 0.3 - 2.5 ± 1.6 wt.% H2O) is consistent with the presence of adsorbed water, hydrated salts, interlayer/structural water from phyllosilicates, and possible inclusion water in mineral/amorphous phases. Evolved H2 and H2S suggest reduced phases occur despite the presence of oxidized phases (nitrate, oxychlorine, sulfate, carbonate). SAM results coupled with CheMin mineralogical and APXS elemental analyses indicate that Gale Crater sedimentary rocks have experienced a complex authigenetic/diagenetic history involving fluids with varying pH, redox, and salt composition. The inferred geochemical conditions were favorable for microbial habitability and if life ever existed, there was likely sufficient organic-C to support a small microbial population.read more
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Organic matter preserved in 3-billion-year-old mudstones at Gale crater, Mars.
Jennifer L. Eigenbrode,Roger E. Summons,Andrew Steele,Caroline Freissinet,Maeva Millan,Rafael Navarro-González,Brad Sutter,Amy McAdam,Heather B. Franz,Daniel P. Glavin,P. D. Archer,Paul R. Mahaffy,Pamela G. Conrad,Joel A. Hurowitz,John P. Grotzinger,Sanjeev Gupta,D. W. Ming,Dawn Y. Sumner,Cyril Szopa,Charles Malespin,Arnaud Buch,Patrice Coll +21 more
TL;DR: In situ detection of organic matter preserved in lacustrine mudstones at the base of the ~3.5-billion-year-old Murray formation at Pahrump Hills, Gale crater, by the Sample Analysis at Mars instrument suite onboard the Curiosity rover is reported.
Test record WITHOUT Related uRLs: X-ray Diffraction Results from Mars Science Laboratory: Mineralogy of Rocknest at Gale Crater
TL;DR: The Curiosity rover Curiosity scooped samples of soil from the Rocknest aeolian bedform in Gale crater and analyzed the soil with the Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) x-ray diffraction (XRD) instrument revealed plagioclase, forsteritic olivine, augite, and pigeonite, with minor K-feldspar, magnetite, quartz, anhydrite, hematite and ilmenite.
Journal ArticleDOI
Mineralogy and geochemistry of sedimentary rocks and eolian sediments in Gale crater, Mars: A review after six Earth years of exploration with Curiosity
Elizabeth B. Rampe,D. F. Blake,D. F. Blake,T. F. Bristow,T. F. Bristow,D. W. Ming,D. T. Vaniman,D. T. Vaniman,R. V. Morris,C. N. Achilles,C. N. Achilles,Steve J. Chipera,Steve J. Chipera,Shaunna M. Morrison,Shaunna M. Morrison,V. Tu,V. Tu,Albert S. Yen,Albert S. Yen,N. Castle,N. Castle,G. W. Downs,G. W. Downs,Robert T. Downs,Robert T. Downs,John P. Grotzinger,John P. Grotzinger,R. M. Hazen,R. M. Hazen,A. H. Treiman,A. H. Treiman,T. S. Peretyazhko,T. S. Peretyazhko,David J. Des Marais,David J. Des Marais,R. Walroth,R. Walroth,P. I. Craig,P. I. Craig,Joy A. Crisp,Joy A. Crisp,B. Lafuente,B. Lafuente,J. M. Morookian,J. M. Morookian,Philippe Sarrazin,Philippe Sarrazin,Michael T. Thorpe,John Bridges,John Bridges,Lauren A. Edgar,Lauren A. Edgar,Christopher M. Fedo,Christopher M. Fedo,C. Freissinet,R. Gellert,R. Gellert,P. R. Mahaffy,P. R. Mahaffy,Horton E. Newsom,Horton E. Newsom,Jeffrey R. Johnson,Jeffrey R. Johnson,Linda C. Kah,Linda C. Kah,Kirsten L. Siebach,Kirsten L. Siebach,Juergen Schieber,Juergen Schieber,Vivian Z. Sun,Vivian Z. Sun,Ashwin R. Vasavada,Ashwin R. Vasavada,Danika Wellington,Danika Wellington,Roger C. Wiens,Roger C. Wiens +76 more
TL;DR: The Curiosity rover was sent to Gale crater to study a sequence of ∼3.5 Ga old sedimentary rocks that, based on orbital visible and near-to short-wave infrared reflectance spectra, contain secondary minerals that suggest deposition and/or alteration in liquid water.
Journal ArticleDOI
Multiple stages of aqueous alteration along fractures in mudstone and sandstone strata in Gale Crater, Mars
Albert S. Yen,Douglas W. Ming,David T. Vaniman,R. Gellert,David F. Blake,R. V. Morris,Shaunna M. Morrison,Thomas F. Bristow,Steve J. Chipera,Kenneth S. Edgett,Allan H. Treiman,B. C. Clark,Robert T. Downs,Jack D. Farmer,John P. Grotzinger,Elizabeth B. Rampe,Mariek E. Schmidt,Brad Sutter,Lucy M. Thompson +18 more
TL;DR: The Curiosity rover Curiosity in Gale crater conducted the first-ever direct chemical and mineralogical comparisons of samples that have clear parent-unaltered and daughter (altered) relationships.
Journal ArticleDOI
The Search for Chiral Asymmetry as a Potential Biosignature in our Solar System.
Daniel P. Glavin,Aaron S. Burton,Jamie E. Elsila,José C. Aponte,José C. Aponte,Jason P. Dworkin +5 more
TL;DR: Current knowledge of the distributions and enantiomeric and isotopic compositions of amino acids and polyols found in meteorites compared to terrestrial biology are reviewed and a set of criteria for future life detection missions are proposed that can be used to help establish the origin of chiral asymmetry.
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TL;DR: The Curiosity rover discovered fine-grained sedimentary rocks, which are inferred to represent an ancient lake and preserve evidence of an environment that would have been suited to support a martian biosphere founded on chemolithoautotrophy.
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