Overview of the Morphology and Chemistry of Diagenetic Features in the Clay-Rich Glen Torridon Unit of Gale Crater, Mars

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  • Patrick J. Gasda
  • Jade Comellas
  • Ari Essunfeld
  • Debarati Das
  • Alexander B. Bryk
  • Erwin Dehouck
  • Susanne P. Schwenzer
  • Laura Crossey
  • Kenneth Herkenhoff
  • Jeffrey R. Johnson
  • Horton Newsom
  • Nina L. Lanza
  • William Rapin
  • Walter Goetz
  • Pierre-Yves Meslin
  • John C. Bridges
  • Ryan Anderson
  • Gael David
  • Stuart M. R. Turner
  • Michael T. Thorpe
  • Linda Kah
  • Rachel Kronyak
  • Gwénaël Caravaca
  • Ann Ollila
  • Stéphane Le Mouélic
  • Matthew Nellessen
  • Megan Hoffman
  • Deirdra Fey
  • Anges Cousin
  • Roger C. Wiens
  • Samuel M. Clegg
  • Sylvestre Maurice
  • Olivier Gasnault
  • Dorothea Delapp
  • Adriana Reyes-Newell

The clay-rich Glen Torridon region of Gale crater, Mars, was explored between sols 2300 and 3007. Here, we analyzed the diagenetic features observed by Curiosity, including veins, cements, nodules, and nodular bedrock, using the ChemCam, Mastcam, and Mars Hand Lens Imager instruments. We discovered many diagenetic features in Glen Torridon, including dark-toned iron- and manganese-rich veins, magnesium- and fluorine-rich linear features, Ca-sulfate cemented bedrock, manganese-rich nodules, and iron-rich strata. We have characterized the chemistry and morphology of these features, which are most widespread in the higher stratigraphic members in Glen Torridon, and exhibit a wide range of chemistries. These discoveries are strong evidence for multiple generations of fluids from multiple chemical endmembers that likely underwent redox reactions to form some of these features. In a few cases, we may be able to use mineralogy and chemistry to constrain formation conditions of the diagenetic features. For example, the dark-toned veins likely formed in warmer, highly alkaline, and highly reducing conditions, while manganese-rich nodules likely formed in oxidizing and circumneutral conditions. We also hypothesize that an initial enrichment of soluble elements, including fluorine, occurred during hydrothermal alteration early in Gale crater history to account for elemental enrichment in nodules and veins. The presence of redox-active elements, including Fe and Mn, and elements required for life, including P and S, in these fluids is strong evidence for habitability of Gale crater groundwater. Hydrothermal alteration also has interesting implications for prebiotic chemistry during the earliest stages of the crater's evolution and early Mars.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere2021JE007097
JournalJournal of Geophysical Research: Planets
Volume127
Issue number12
Number of pages42
ISSN2169-9100
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors.

    Research areas

  • ChemCam, diagenesis, Gale crater, Glen Torridon, Mars Science Laboratory

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