Boron and Lithium in Calcium Sulfate Veins: Tracking Precipitation of Diagenetic Materials in Vera Rubin Ridge, Gale Crater
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Boron and Lithium in Calcium Sulfate Veins : Tracking Precipitation of Diagenetic Materials in Vera Rubin Ridge, Gale Crater. / Das, D.; Gasda, Patrick J.; Wiens, R. C.; Berlo, K.; Leveille, R. J.; Frydenvang, J.; Mangold, N.; Kronyak, R. E.; Schwenzer, S. P.; Forni, O.; Cousin, A.; Maurice, S.; Gasnault, O.
In: Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, Vol. 125, No. 8, e2019JE006301, 2020.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Boron and Lithium in Calcium Sulfate Veins
T2 - Tracking Precipitation of Diagenetic Materials in Vera Rubin Ridge, Gale Crater
AU - Das, D.
AU - Gasda, Patrick J.
AU - Wiens, R. C.
AU - Berlo, K.
AU - Leveille, R. J.
AU - Frydenvang, J.
AU - Mangold, N.
AU - Kronyak, R. E.
AU - Schwenzer, S. P.
AU - Forni, O.
AU - Cousin, A.
AU - Maurice, S.
AU - Gasnault, O.
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - The NASA Curiosity rover's ChemCam instrument suite has detected boron in calcium-sulfate-filled fractures throughout the sedimentary strata of Gale crater including Vera Rubin ridge. The presence of elevated B concentration provides insights into Martian subsurface aqueous processes. In this study we extend the data set of B in Ca-sulfate veins across Gale crater, comparing the detection frequency and relative abundances with Li. We report 33 new detections of B within veins analyzed between Sols 1548 and 2311 where detections increase in Pettegrove Point and Jura members, which form Vera Rubin ridge. The presence of B and Li in the Ca-sulfate veins is possibly due to dissolution of preexisting B in clays of the bedrock by acids or neutral water and redistribution of the elements into the veins. Elevated frequency of B detection in veins of Gale crater correlates with presence of dehydration features such as desiccation cracks, altered clay minerals and detections of evaporites such as Mg-sulfates and chloride salts in the host rocks. The increased observations of B also coincide with decreased Li concentration in the veins (average Li concentration of veins drops by ~15 ppm). Boron and Li have varying solubilities, and Li does not form salts as readily upon dehydration as B, causing it to remain in the solution. So the weak negative correlation between B and Li may reflect the crystallization sequence during dehydration on Vera Rubin ridge.
AB - The NASA Curiosity rover's ChemCam instrument suite has detected boron in calcium-sulfate-filled fractures throughout the sedimentary strata of Gale crater including Vera Rubin ridge. The presence of elevated B concentration provides insights into Martian subsurface aqueous processes. In this study we extend the data set of B in Ca-sulfate veins across Gale crater, comparing the detection frequency and relative abundances with Li. We report 33 new detections of B within veins analyzed between Sols 1548 and 2311 where detections increase in Pettegrove Point and Jura members, which form Vera Rubin ridge. The presence of B and Li in the Ca-sulfate veins is possibly due to dissolution of preexisting B in clays of the bedrock by acids or neutral water and redistribution of the elements into the veins. Elevated frequency of B detection in veins of Gale crater correlates with presence of dehydration features such as desiccation cracks, altered clay minerals and detections of evaporites such as Mg-sulfates and chloride salts in the host rocks. The increased observations of B also coincide with decreased Li concentration in the veins (average Li concentration of veins drops by ~15 ppm). Boron and Li have varying solubilities, and Li does not form salts as readily upon dehydration as B, causing it to remain in the solution. So the weak negative correlation between B and Li may reflect the crystallization sequence during dehydration on Vera Rubin ridge.
KW - boron
KW - ChemCam
KW - Curiosity
KW - Gale crater
KW - lithium
KW - VRR
U2 - 10.1029/2019JE006301
DO - 10.1029/2019JE006301
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:85089847070
VL - 125
JO - Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth
JF - Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth
SN - 0148-0227
IS - 8
M1 - e2019JE006301
ER -
ID: 247795253