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Bulk and stable isotopic compositions of carbonate minerals in Martian meteorite Allan Hills 84001: No proof of high formation temperature
Author(s) -
TREIMAN ALLAN H.,
ROMANEK CHRISTOPHER S.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
meteoritics and planetary science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.09
H-Index - 100
eISSN - 1945-5100
pISSN - 1086-9379
DOI - 10.1111/j.1945-5100.1998.tb01679.x
Subject(s) - meteorite , martian , carbonate , geology , mars exploration program , geochemistry , astrobiology , carbonate minerals , mineral , mineralogy , chemistry , calcite , physics , organic chemistry
— Understanding the origin of carbonate minerals in the Martian meteorite Allan Hills (ALH) 84001 is crucial to evaluating the hypothesis that they contain traces of ancient Martian life. Using arguments based on chemical equilibria among carbonates and fluids, an origin at >650 °C (inimical to life) has been proposed. However, the bulk and stable isotopic compositions of the carbonate minerals are open to multiple interpretations and so lend no particular support to a high‐temperature origin. Other methods (possibly less direct) will have to be used to determine the formation temperature of the carbonates in ALH 84001.