Publication Date:
2004-12-04
Description:
Mossbauer spectra measured by the Opportunity rover revealed four mineralogical components in Meridiani Planum at Eagle crater: jarosite- and hematite-rich outcrop, hematite-rich soil, olivine-bearing basaltic soil, and a pyroxene-bearing basaltic rock (Bounce rock). Spherules, interpreted to be concretions, are hematite-rich and dispersed throughout the outcrop. Hematitic soils both within and outside Eagle crater are dominated by spherules and their fragments. Olivine-bearing basaltic soil is present throughout the region. Bounce rock is probably an impact erratic. Because jarosite is a hydroxide sulfate mineral, its presence at Meridiani Planum is mineralogical evidence for aqueous processes on Mars, probably under acid-sulfate conditions.〈br /〉〈span class="detail_caption"〉Notes: 〈/span〉Klingelhofer, G -- Morris, R V -- Bernhardt, B -- Schroder, C -- Rodionov, D S -- de Souza, P A Jr -- Yen, A -- Gellert, R -- Evlanov, E N -- Zubkov, B -- Foh, J -- Bonnes, U -- Kankeleit, E -- Gutlich, P -- Ming, D W -- Renz, F -- Wdowiak, T -- Squyres, S W -- Arvidson, R E -- New York, N.Y. -- Science. 2004 Dec 3;306(5702):1740-5.〈br /〉〈span class="detail_caption"〉Author address: 〈/span〉Institut fur Anorganische und Analytische Chemie, Johannes Gutenberg-Universitat, Staudinger Weg 9, D-55128 Mainz, Germany. phil.christensen@asu.edu〈br /〉〈span class="detail_caption"〉Record origin:〈/span〉 〈a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15576610" target="_blank"〉PubMed〈/a〉
Keywords:
Extraterrestrial Environment
;
*Ferric Compounds
;
Geologic Sediments
;
Iron Compounds
;
Magnesium Compounds
;
*Mars
;
Minerals
;
Silicates
;
Spacecraft
;
Spectroscopy, Mossbauer
;
*Sulfates
;
Water
Print ISSN:
0036-8075
Electronic ISSN:
1095-9203
Topics:
Biology
,
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Computer Science
,
Medicine
,
Natural Sciences in General
,
Physics
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