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Clay on Mars is an invention of the Curiosity rover. After drilling areas of Mars in a clay-bearing unit, the sample had the highest amount of clay minerals ever to surround the Red Planet.
Curiosity began drilling two rock targets, Aberiady and Kilmaria, then used its mineralogy instruments to analyze rock samples. Clay often forms in the presence of water.
Then the water showed signs of life. It’s this sign that can lead scientists to find out if there was ever microbial life on Mars.
While this discovery is not yet direct evidence that life existed on Mars, it is likely that the samples came from ancient Martian lakes.
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Clay Mineral Abundance on Mars on Gale Crater Sedimentary Rocks
Clay minerals will provide an indicator of the evolution of water conditions. Possibly there was a habitat for life on ancient Mars. Analysis from the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover shows that the Fluvio-lacustrine mudstone in Gale crater contains up to 28% clay minerals.
Launching advances.sciencemag.com, clay mineral species on Mars from X-ray diffraction and analysis of evolving gases show a very strong paleoenvironmental dependence. While the mudstone of Abri Lake has Fe-saponite characteristics.
The scientists found that the stratigraphic intervals associated with episodic lake drainage contain small amounts of dioctahedral smectite bearings. The result is formed through near-surface chemical weathering driven by fluctuations in lake levels and atmospheric infiltration.
This leads to a redistribution of nutrients. Furthermore, it has the potential to influence the gas cycle that helps regulate climate.
Mineralogical and geochemical investigations of these sediments have revealed the dynamic nature of lake water chemistry and initial diagenetic conditions. The evidence is redox stratification in lakes and variations in pH during subsequent diagenesis.
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The Origin of Clay Minerals
Clay minerals are found in samples of sandstone and mudstone by stratigraphy, namely at Windjana in the Kimberley formation. Then various samples of the Murray formation in the Pahrump Hills.
Most of the clays on Mars have been identified as belonging to the phyllosilicates family with various physical, crystallographic and chemical properties.
However, its low abundance is combined with overlapping X-ray diffraction peaks of the occurring pyroxene minerals. Thus preventing crystallography and chemical characterization.
As a result, there is a major obstacle to knowing the origin of clay minerals who cannot access them. Thus, the team provided details if the clay minerals in drill samples from the Murray Formation mudstone were stratigraphically over the Pahrump basalt hills.
Survey of Sedimentary Rocks in Gale
The discovery of a broad spectrum of mineralogical facies in Gale Crater will provide insight into the history of water change processes near the surface of ancient Mars.
Meanwhile on Earth, the aqueous reaction is at the junction of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere. It is central to the biogeochemical cycles that regulate the planet’s climate and biological productivity.
This happens through the withdrawal of greenhouse gases and the release of nutrients. The unexpected abundance and diversity of clay minerals on Mars reside in the sedimentary rocks of Gale Crater.
The longevity of these sediments indicates changes in water near the surface and continues into the Early Hesperian on Mars. When integrated with sedimentological observations, clay mineral diversity provides additional insight.
It is about how environmental conditions developed during and after the deposition of the lower Aeolis Mons strata. The teams will carry out a follow-up survey of sedimentary rocks at Gale.
Possible estimates will cover a variety of conditions. This gives them the opportunity to develop an understanding of how the Martian critical zone operates and affects planetary evolution.
Signal Planet Once Inhabited
The existence of the remains of clay minerals on Mars indicates if the conditions are stable with temperatures around -3 to 15 degrees Celsius. Then from a neutral pH it may have been in the Gale crater. Probably up to a million years.
The presence of glauconite clay is representative for stable conditions. Such conditions are formed friendly for the existence of life.
Curiosity’s find in Gale Crater is a promising sign that Perseverance may be lucky. Evidence like this is the goal of NASA’s Mars rover. The presence of clay on Mars could provide new insights into the evolution of the ancient Gale Crater lake. (R10/HR Online)
Publisher: Jujang
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