Evolved gas analyses of sedimentary rocks and eolian sediment in Gale Crater, Mars: Results of the Curiosity rover's sample analysis at Mars instrument from Yellowknife Bay to the Namib Dune

• Published in: Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets
• Main Authors: Sutter, Brad, Mcadam, Amy C., Mahaffy, Paul R., Ming, Doug W., Edgett, Ken S., Rampe, Elizabeth B., Eigenbrode, Jennifer L., Franz, Heather B., Freissinet, Caroline, Grotzinger, John P., Steele, Andrew, House, Christopher H., Archer, P. Douglas, Malespin, Charles A., Navarro-González, Rafael, Stern, Jennifer C., Bell, James F., Calef, Fred J., Gellert, Ralf, Glavin, Daniel P., Thompson, Lucy M., Yen, Albert S.
• Other Authors: Jacobs Technology ESCG, NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC), NASA, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Malin Space Science Systems (MSSS), Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science (ARES), NASA-NASA, Center for Research and Exploration in Space Science and Technology GSFC (CRESST), PLANETO - LATMOS, Laboratoire Atmosphères, Milieux, Observations Spatiales (LATMOS), Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences Pasadena, California Institute of Technology (CALTECH), Geophysical Laboratory Carnegie Institution, Carnegie Institution for Science, Department of Geosciences PennState, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), Penn State System-Penn State System-Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), Penn State System-Penn State System, Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares Mexico, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México = National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), School of Earth and Space Exploration Tempe (SESE), Arizona State University Tempe (ASU), Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), NASA-California Institute of Technology (CALTECH), Guelph-Waterloo Physics Institute, University of Guelph-University of Waterloo Waterloo, Planetary and Space Science Centre (PASSC), University of New Brunswick (UNB)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2017
• Subjects: [SDU.STU.GP]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Geophysics [physics.geo-ph]; Yellowknife; Yellowknife Bay
• Online Access: https://hal-insu.archives-ouvertes.fr/insu-01562821; https://hal-insu.archives-ouvertes.fr/insu-01562821/document; https://hal-insu.archives-ouvertes.fr/insu-01562821/file/Sutter_et_al-2017-Journal_of_Geophysical_Research__Planets.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1002/2016JE005225

International audience The Sample Analysis at Mars instrument evolved gas analyzer (SAM-EGA) has detected evolved water, H 2 , SO 2 , H 2 S, NO, CO 2 , CO, O 2 and HCl from two eolian sediments and nine sedimentary rocks from Gale Crater, Mars. These evolved gas detections indicate nitrates, organics, oxychlorine phase, and sulfates are widespread with phyllosilicates and carbonates occurring in select Gale Crater materials. Coevolved CO 2 (160 ± 248 - 2373 ± 820 μgC (CO2) /g), and CO (11 ± 3 - 320 ± 130 μgC (CO) /g) suggest organic-C is present in Gale Crater materials. Five samples evolved CO 2 at temperatures consistent with carbonate (0.32± 0.05 - 0.70± 0.1 wt.% CO 3 ). Evolved NO amounts to 0.002 ± 0.007 - 0.06 ± 0.03 wt.% NO 3 . Evolution of O 2 suggests oxychlorine phases (chlorate/perchlorate) (0.05 ± 0.025 - 1.05 ± 0.44wt. % ClO 4 ) are present while SO 2 evolution indicates the presence of crystalline and/or poorly crystalline Fe- and Mg-sulfate and possibly sulfide. Evolved H 2 O (0.9 ± 0.3 - 2.5 ± 1.6 wt.% H 2 O) is consistent with the presence of adsorbed water, hydrated salts, interlayer/structural water from phyllosilicates, and possible inclusion water in mineral/amorphous phases. Evolved H 2 and H 2 S suggest reduced phases occur despite the presence of oxidized phases (nitrate, oxychlorine, sulfate, carbonate). SAM results coupled with CheMin mineralogical and APXS elemental analyses indicate that Gale Crater sedimentary rocks have experienced a complex authigenetic/diagenetic history involving fluids with varying pH, redox, and salt composition. The inferred geochemical conditions were favorable for microbial habitability and if life ever existed, there was likely sufficient organic-C to support a small microbial population.