Jarosite and goethite identified by Mossbauer spectroscopy on the surface of Mars: Mineralogical evidence for aqueous processes

Citation

Klingelhöfer G, Morris R, Rodionov DS, Schröder C, Fleischer I, Yen AS & Ming DW (2007) Jarosite and goethite identified by Mossbauer spectroscopy on the surface of Mars: Mineralogical evidence for aqueous processes. 17th Annual V.M. Goldschmidt Conference Cologne, Germany August 2007, Cologne, 19/08/2007 - 24/08/3007. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 71 (S15), pp. A494-A494. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2007.06.019

Abstract
The Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) Spirit and Opportunity have explored the Martian surface at Gusev Crater and Meridiani Planum for more than 3 Earth years, traveling more than ~ 10km (Opportunity) and ~ 7km (Spirit), each carrying our Mössbauer Spectrometer (MBS) MIMOS II. Each of the instruments have analyzed more than 100 targets during their ongoing missions (>1100 sols). More than 15 different minerals have been identified so far by the Mössbauer instruments on board the two rovers. Mössbauer spectroscopy identified the secondary Fe3+-bearing minerals jarosite, hematite, and nanophase iron oxides in the sulfate-rich outcrop rocks at Meridiani Planum. The sulfate rich outcrop material covers the whole area Opportunity traveled across so far, without significant changes in the mineralogical composition. At Gusev Crater rocks are much more diverse, ranging from little altered basaltic material in the plains to pervasively altered basalt in the Columbia Hills. Secondary minerals include the Fe3+-bearing minerals hematite, goethite, nanophase iron oxides, and an unspecified iron sulfate phase. The relation between primary and secondary minerals varies over short spatial scales. Recent results from Gusev Crater indicate the presence of hematite in greater abundance than in many targets at Meridiani.

Notes
Output Type: Meeting Abstract

Journal
Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta: Volume 71, Issue S15

People

Dr Christian Schroeder

Senior Lecturer, Biological and Environmental Sciences