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Field Characterization of the Mineralogy and Organic Chemistry of Carbonates from the 2010 Arctic Mars Analog Svalbard Expedition by Evolved Gas AnalysisThe 2010 Arctic Mars Analog Svalbard Expedition (AMASE) investigated two geologic settings using methodologies and techniques being developed or considered for future Mars missions, such as the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), ExoMars, and Mars Sample Return. The Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) [1] instrument suite, which will be on MSL, consists of a quadrupole mass spectrometer (QMS), a gas chromatograph (GC), and a tunable laser mass spectrometer (TLS); all will be applied to analyze gases created by pyrolysis of samples. During AMASE, a Hiden Evolved Gas Analysis-Mass Spectrometer (EGA-MS) system represented the EGA-MS capability of SAM. Another MSL instrument, CheMin, will use x-ray diffraction (XRD) and x-ray fluorescence (XRF) to perform quantitative mineralogical characterization of samples [e.g., 2]. Field-portable versions of CheMin were used during AMASE. AMASE 2010 focused on two sites that represented biotic and abiotic analogs. The abiotic site was the basaltic Sigurdfjell vent complex, which contains Mars-analog carbonate cements including carbonate globules which are excellent analogs for the globules in the ALH84001 martian meteorite [e.g., 3, 4]. The biotic site was the Knorringfjell fossil methane seep, which featured carbonates precipitated in a methane-supported chemosynthetic community [5]. This contribution focuses on EGA-MS analyses of samples from each site, with mineralogy comparisons to CheMin team results. The results give insight into organic content and organic-mineral associations, as well as some constraints on the minerals present.
Document ID
20110007795
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Other
Authors
McAdam, A. C. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Ten Kate, I. L. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Stern, J. C. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Mahaffy, P. R. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Blake, D. F. (NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Morris, R. V. (NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Steele, A. (Carnegie Institution of Washington Washington, DC, United States)
Amundson, H. E. F. (Earth and Planetary Exploration Services Jac Aalla, Norway)
Date Acquired
August 25, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2011
Subject Category
Geophysics
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.

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