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Gypsum, bassanite, and anhydrite at Gale crater, Marsk by David T. Vaniman; Germán M. Martínez; Elizabeth B. Rampe; Thomas F. Bristow; David F. Blake; Albert S. Yen; Douglas W. Ming; William Rapin; Pierre-Yves Meslin; John Michael Morookian; Robert T. Downs; Steve J. Chipera; Richard V. Morris; Shaunna M. Morrison; Allan H. Treiman; Cherie N. Achilles; Kevin Robertson; John P. Grotzinger; Robert M. Hazen; Roger C. Wiens; Dawn Y. Sumner is a Earth and Planetary Sciences article available to read on EtoBox.

What is Gypsum, bassanite, and anhydrite at Gale crater, Marsk about?

Analyses by the CheMin X-ray diffraction instrument on Mars Science Laboratory show that gypsum, bassanite, and anhydrite are common minerals at Gale crater. Warm conditions (~6 to 30 °C) within CheMin drive gypsum dehydration to bassanite; measured surface temperatures and modeled temperature depth profiles indicate that near-equatorial warm-season surface heating can also cause gypsum dehydration to bassanite. By accounting for instrumental dehydration effects we are able to quantify the in situ abundances of Ca-sulfate phases in sedimentary rocks and in eolian sands at Gale crater. All three Ca-sulfate minerals occur together in some sedimentary rocks and their abundances and associations vary stratigraphically. Several Ca-sulfate diagenetic events are indicated. Salinity-driven anhydrite precipitation at temperatures below ~50 °C may be supported by co-occurrence of more soluble salts. An alternative pathway to anhydrite via dehydration might be possible, but if so would likely be limited to warmer near-equatorial dark eolian sands that presently contain only anhydrite. The polyphase Ca-sulfate associations at Gale crater reflect limited opportunities for equilibration, and the

Who reads Gypsum, bassanite, and anhydrite at Gale crater, Marsk?

Author

David T. Vaniman; Germán M. Martínez; Elizabeth B. Rampe; Thomas F. Bristow; David F. Blake; Albert S. Yen; Douglas W. Ming; William Rapin; Pierre-Yves Meslin; John Michael Morookian; Robert T. Downs; Steve J. Chipera; Richard V. Morris; Shaunna M. Morrison; Allan H. Treiman; Cherie N. Achilles; Kevin Robertson; John P. Grotzinger; Robert M. Hazen; Roger C. Wiens; Dawn Y. Sumner

Published

2018

Language

EN

Field

Earth and Planetary Sciences (Physical Sciences)