Clay mineral diversity and abundance in sedimentary rocks of Gale crater, Mars | Zendy

T. F. Bristow | Zendy; E. B. Rampe | Zendy; C. N. Achilles | Zendy; D. F. Blake | Zendy; S. J. Chipera | Zendy; Patricia Craig | Zendy; J. A. Crisp | Zendy; David J. Des Marais | Zendy; Robert T. Downs | Zendy; R. Gellert | Zendy; J. P. Grotzinger | Zendy; Sanjeev Gupta | Zendy; Robert M. Hazen | Zendy; B. Horgan | Zendy; J. V. Hogancamp | Zendy; N. Mangold | Zendy; P. R. Mahaffy | Zendy; A. C. McAdam | Zendy; Doug Ming | Zendy; John Michael Morookian | Zendy; R. V. Morris | Zendy; Shaunna M. Morrison | Zendy; A. H. Treiman | Zendy; D. T. Vaniman | Zendy; A. R. Vasavada | Zendy; A. S. Yen | Zendy

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Clay mineral diversity and abundance in sedimentary rocks of Gale crater, Mars

Author(s) -

T. F. Bristow,

E. B. Rampe,

C. N. Achilles,

D. F. Blake,

S. J. Chipera,

Patricia Craig,

J. A. Crisp,

David J. Des Marais,

Robert T. Downs,

R. Gellert,

J. P. Grotzinger,

Sanjeev Gupta,

Robert M. Hazen,

B. Horgan,

J. V. Hogancamp,

N. Mangold,

P. R. Mahaffy,

A. C. McAdam,

Doug Ming,

John Michael Morookian,

R. V. Morris,

Shaunna M. Morrison,

A. H. Treiman,

D. T. Vaniman,

A. R. Vasavada,

A. S. Yen

Publication year - 2018

Publication title -

science advances

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 5.928

H-Index - 146

ISSN - 2375-2548

DOI - 10.1126/sciadv.aar3330

Subject(s) - mars exploration program , weathering , impact crater , geology , sedimentary rock , clay minerals , abundance (ecology) , mineral , geochemistry , astrobiology , earth science , ecology , biology

Clay minerals provide indicators of the evolution of aqueous conditions and possible habitats for life on ancient Mars. Analyses by the Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity show that ~3.5-billion year (Ga) fluvio-lacustrine mudstones in Gale crater contain up to ~28 weight % (wt %) clay minerals. We demonstrate that the species of clay minerals deduced from x-ray diffraction and evolved gas analysis show a strong paleoenvironmental dependency. While perennial lake mudstones are characterized by Fe-saponite, we find that stratigraphic intervals associated with episodic lake drying contain Al-rich, Fe-bearing dioctahedral smectite, with minor (3 wt %) quantities of ferripyrophyllite, interpreted as wind-blown detritus, found in candidate aeolian deposits. Our results suggest that dioctahedral smectite formed via near-surface chemical weathering driven by fluctuations in lake level and atmospheric infiltration, a process leading to the redistribution of nutrients and potentially influencing the cycling of gases that help regulate climate.

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