NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Collections About News Help Login
Back to Results
Subsurface Salts in Antarctic Dry Valley SoilsThe distribution of water-soluble ions, major and minor elements, and other parameters were examined to determine the extent and effects of chemical weathering on cold desert soils. Patterns at the study sites support theories of multiple salt forming processes, including marine aerosols and chemical weathering of mafic minerals. Periodic solar-mediated ionization of atmospheric nitrogen might also produce high nitrate concentrations found in older sediments. Chemical weathering, however, was the major contributor of salts in Antarctic Dry Valleys. The Antarctic Dry Valleys represent a unique analog for Mars, as they are extremely cold and dry desert environments. Similarities in the climate, surface geology, and chemical properties of the Dry Valleys to that of Mars imply the possible presence of these soil formation mechanisms on Mars, other planets and icy satellites.
Document ID
20130009736
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Englert, P. (Hawaii Univ. Honolulu, HI, United States)
Bishop, J. L. (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Inst. Mountain View, CA, United States)
Gibson, E. K. (NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Koeberl, C. (Wien Univ. Austria)
Date Acquired
August 27, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2013
Subject Category
Geophysics
Report/Patent Number
JSC-CN-27941
Meeting Information
Meeting: Lunar and Planetary Science Conference
Location: The Woodlands, TX
Country: United States
Start Date: March 18, 2013
End Date: March 22, 2013
Sponsors: Lunar and Planetary Inst.
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.

Related Records

There are no records associated with this record.
No Preview Available