The scale of a martian hydrothermal system explored using combined neutron and x-ray tomographyOPEN ACCESS 

· by · in , ,

Josefin Martell, Carl Alwmark, Luke Daly, Stephen Hall, Sanna Alwmark, Robin Woracek, Johan Hektor, Lukas Helfen, Alessandro Tengattini and Martin Lee

Science Advances • 11 May 2022 • Vol 8, Issue 19

LINK (OPEN ACCESS)
PDF (OPEN ACCESS)

“Nakhlite meteorites are igneous rocks from Mars that were aqueously altered ~630 million years ago. Hydrothermal systems on Earth are known to provide microhabitats; knowledge of the extent and duration of these systems is crucial to establish whether they could sustain life elsewhere in the Solar System. Here, we explore the three-dimensional distribution of hydrous phases within the Miller Range 03346 nakhlite meteorite using nondestructive neutron and x-ray tomography to determine whether alteration is interconnected and pervasive. The results reveal discrete clusters of hydrous phases within and surrounding olivine grains, with limited interconnectivity between clusters. This implies that the fluid was localized and originated from the melting of local subsurface ice following an impact event. Consequently, the duration of the hydrous alteration was likely short, meaning that the martian crust sampled by the nakhlites could not have provided habitable environments that could harbor any life on Mars during the Amazonian.”

Related posts (automatically generated):

  1. Paleointensity and Rock Magnetism of Martian Nakhlite Meteorite Miller Range (MIL) 03346: Evidence for Intense Small Scale Crustal Magnetization on Mars
  2. Understanding the emplacement of Martian volcanic rocks using petrofabrics of the nakhlite meteorites
  3. The Northwest Africa (NWA) 5790 meteorite: A mesostasis-rich nakhlite with little or no Martian aqueous alteration (OPEN ACCESS)
  4. Geologic history of martian regolith breccia Northwest Africa 7034: Evidence for hydrothermal activity and lithologic diversity in the martian crust
  5. What Have We Learned About the Interior and Surface of Mars from Martian Meteorites
  6. Martian Magmatic Clay Minerals Forming Vesicles: Perfect Niches for Emerging Life?OPEN ACCESS 
  7. Exploring the environments of Martian impact-generated hydrothermal systems and their potential to support lifeOPEN ACCESS 
  8. Chalcophile elements in Martian meteorites indicate low sulfur content in the Martian interior and a volatile element-depleted late veneer
  9. Epitaxial fluorapatite vein in Northwest Africa 998 host apatite: Clues on the geochemistry of late hydrothermal fluids on Mars
  10. Formation of iddingsite veins in the martian crust by centripetal replacement of olivine: Evidence from the nakhlite meteorite Lafayette (OPEN ACCESS PDF)
Tags: , , , , , ,