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Saponite Dissolution Experiments and Implications for MarsRecent work suggests that the mineralogical sequence of the Murray formation at Gale crater may have resulted from diagenetic alteration after sedimentation, or deposition in a stratified lake with oxic surface and anoxic bottom waters. Fe-containing clay minerals are common both at Gale crater, and throughout the Noachian-aged terrains on Mars. These clay minerals are primarily ferric (Fe3+), and previous work suggests that these ferric clay minerals may result from alteration of ferrous (Fe2+) smectites that were oxidized after deposition. The detection of trioctahedral smectites at Gale crater by CheMin suggests Fe2+ smectite was also deposited during the early Hesperian. However, due to their sensitivity to oxygen, Fe2+ smectites are difficult to analyze on Earth and very few saponite dissolution rates exist in the literature. To the best of our knowledge, no experiments have measured the dissolution rates of ferrous saponites under oxidizing and reducing conditions. In order to better understand the characteristics of water-rock interaction at Gale crater, particularly the oxidation state, we report our results to date on ongoing syntheses of ferrous and magnesium saponites and dissolution experiments of natural saponite under ambient conditions. Future experiments will include the dissolution of synthetic ferric, ferrous, and magnesium saponites under oxidizing and anoxic conditions at a range of pH values.
Document ID
20190001848
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Luu, N. C. (Nevada Univ. Las Vegas, NV, United States)
Hausrath, E. M. (Nevada Univ. Las Vegas, NV, United States)
Sanchez, A. M. (Nevada Univ. Las Vegas, NV, United States)
Gainey, S. (Nevada Univ. Las Vegas, NV, United States)
Rampe, E. (NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Peretyazhko, T. (Jacobs Technology, Inc. Houston, TX, United States)
Schauner, O. (Nevada Univ. Las Vegas, NV, United States)
Lanzirotti, A. (Chicago Univ. Chicago, IL, United States)
Adcock, C. (Nevada Univ. Las Vegas, NV, United States)
Leftwich, K. (Proto Mfg. Ypsilanti, MI, United States)
Date Acquired
March 25, 2019
Publication Date
March 18, 2019
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Report/Patent Number
LPI Contrib. No. 2132
JSC-E-DAA-TN66074
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNJ13HA01C
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.

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