Martian Igneous Geochemistry: The Nature of the Martian MantleMafic igneous rocks probe the interiors of their parent objects, reflecting the compositions and mineralogies of their source regions, and the magmatic processes that engendered them. Incompatible trace element contents of mafic igneous rocks are widely used to constrain the petrologic evolution of planets. We focus on incompatible element ratios of martian meteorites to constrain the petrologic evolution of Mars in the context of magma ocean/cumulate overturn models [1]. Most martian meteorites contain some cumulus grains, but regardless, their incompatible element ratios are close to those of their parent magmas. Martian meteorites form two main petrologic/ age groupings; a 1.3 Ga group composed of clinopyroxenites (nakhlites) and dunites (chassignites), and a <1 Ga group composed of basalts and lherzolites (shergottites).
Document ID
20120013688
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Mittlefehldt, D. W. (NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Elkins-Tanton, L. T. (Carnegie Institution for Science Washington, DC, United States)
Peng, Z. X. (Jacobs Technologies Engineering Science Contract Group Houston, TX, United States)
Herrin, J. S. (Nanyang Technological Univ. Nanyang, Singapore)