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Die Kosmochemie des Mars: Mit Raumsonden und Meteoriten
Author(s) -
DreibusKapp Gerlind,
Schultz Ludolf
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
chemie in unserer zeit
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.217
H-Index - 24
eISSN - 1521-3781
pISSN - 0009-2851
DOI - 10.1002/1521-3781(200108)35:4<258::aid-ciuz258>3.0.co;2-0
Subject(s) - mars exploration program , meteorite , astrobiology , martian , martian soil , geology , martian surface , chemical composition , mineralogy , earth (classical element) , geochemistry , chemistry , physics , organic chemistry , mathematical physics
The chemical composition of Martian surface material is deduced using two different approaches: Direct measurements by the Alpha‐Proton‐X‐Ray Spectrometer (APXS) flown to Mars by the Pathfinder mission, and by analyses of SNC meteorites, which are believed to be rocks from Mars. Several surface rocks of Mars measured by the APXS have different chemical compositions than those of SNC meteorites. Both compositions are also different from the Martian soil found at the Pathfinder landing site. However, this soil, which covers the surface of Mars, seems to be a mixture of local rocks, SNC meteoritic material, and an iron‐rich component. From selected element correlations found in SNC meteorites and Martian surface samples, the bulk chemical composition of the planet is obtained. According to this model, Mars has an iron rich core of about 22 wt.%, which is relatively smaller than the Earth's core of about 33.5 %.