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Mobile Element Studies in Rocks (RAT) from Columbia Hills/West Spur at GusevUsing elemental abundances determined by SPIRIT APX spectrometer on rocks and soils at Gusev Plains and Columbia Hills/ West Spur regions, the Athena Team discussed the aqueous geochemical implications at these sites on Mars. They suggested that these rocks were exposed to variable degrees of aqueous alteration (low to high) at Gusev crater. Earlier, we developed analytical procedures for studying aqueous geochemical behavior of fluids on rocks at Meridiani. In the present study, we apply these methods to rocks at Columbia Hills/West Spur in order to understand the significance of the Gusev rock results in reference to aqueous geochemical processes on Mars . The data analysis procedure is based on treating SO3 ("a") and Cl ("b") as two variables and tracking the relationship between "a" and "b" when the fluids undergo evaporation. This process of evaporation leads to concentration changes in these two elements finally producing salt assemblages on Martian rocks. In some cases on plotting "a"/ "b" versus "b" in salt assemblages, they yield a hyperbolic distribution. The relationship is transformed into a straight line when "a"/"b" is again plotted against 1/"b" in the system. Earlier, we used this procedure in the case of Merdiani rock abrasion tool (RAT) rocks and in this study, we discuss the application of this procedure to Gusev rocks. This study shows that the Gusev Plains rocks were exposed to low SO3/Cl solutions (sulfate-poor) for short period of time (weak interaction), whereas solutions with high SO3/Cl ratios (sulfate-rich) seem to have pervasively interacted with Columbia Hills/ West Spur rocks (strong interaction) at Gusev crater. Our conclusions seem to be consistent with the Mossbauer results given for these rocks
Document ID
20080013255
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Rao, M. N. (Engineering and Science Contract Group Houston, TX, United States)
Nyquist, L. E. (NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Sutton, S. R. (Chicago Univ. Chicago, IL, United States)
Garrison, D. H. (Engineering and Science Contract Group Houston, TX, United States)
Date Acquired
August 24, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2007
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Meeting Information
Meeting: 39th Lunar Planetary Science Conference
Location: League City, TX
Country: United States
Start Date: March 10, 2008
End Date: March 14, 2008
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.

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