Weathering of Mars - Antarctic analog studies
Subaerial extrusion of lavas above permafrost is proposed as a possible weathering regime leading to the presence of Martian surface fines, and the characteristics of this process are examined through a study of the analogous altered terrestrial basalts from Antarctica. On the basis of mineralogical...
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1981
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ftnasantrs:oai:casi.ntrs.nasa.gov:19810053540 2023-05-15T13:46:48+02:00 Weathering of Mars - Antarctic analog studies Berkley, J. L. Drake, M. J. Unclassified, Unlimited, Publicly available Jan 1, 1981 http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19810053540 unknown http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19810053540 Accession ID: 81A37944 Copyright Other Sources 91 Icarus; 45; Jan. 198 1981 ftnasantrs 2012-02-15T14:41:23Z Subaerial extrusion of lavas above permafrost is proposed as a possible weathering regime leading to the presence of Martian surface fines, and the characteristics of this process are examined through a study of the analogous altered terrestrial basalts from Antarctica. On the basis of mineralogical and petrological analyses of samples obtained from core cuttings recovered by the Dry Valley Drilling Program from rocks predominantly of an aklalic basalt-phonolite suite, it is found that in the absence of liquid water, weathering is geologically slow, and that zeolites predominate over clays as secondary mineral. Of the possible weathering processes proposed for Mars, it is concluded that both subaerial extrusion and subpermafrost intrusion of lavas involving liquid water would be less important volumetrically than the hydrothermal alteration of impact melt sheets if water were present during an intense phase of early bombardment, or than subsequent solid-gas alteration reactions. It is thus predicted that the present Martian fines should contain a major contribution from the ancient crust as typified by the southern cratered highlands, and a lesser contribution from the younger basaltic lavas. Other/Unknown Material Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica permafrost NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) Antarctic |
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NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) |
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ftnasantrs |
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91 |
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91 Berkley, J. L. Drake, M. J. Weathering of Mars - Antarctic analog studies |
topic_facet |
91 |
description |
Subaerial extrusion of lavas above permafrost is proposed as a possible weathering regime leading to the presence of Martian surface fines, and the characteristics of this process are examined through a study of the analogous altered terrestrial basalts from Antarctica. On the basis of mineralogical and petrological analyses of samples obtained from core cuttings recovered by the Dry Valley Drilling Program from rocks predominantly of an aklalic basalt-phonolite suite, it is found that in the absence of liquid water, weathering is geologically slow, and that zeolites predominate over clays as secondary mineral. Of the possible weathering processes proposed for Mars, it is concluded that both subaerial extrusion and subpermafrost intrusion of lavas involving liquid water would be less important volumetrically than the hydrothermal alteration of impact melt sheets if water were present during an intense phase of early bombardment, or than subsequent solid-gas alteration reactions. It is thus predicted that the present Martian fines should contain a major contribution from the ancient crust as typified by the southern cratered highlands, and a lesser contribution from the younger basaltic lavas. |
format |
Other/Unknown Material |
author |
Berkley, J. L. Drake, M. J. |
author_facet |
Berkley, J. L. Drake, M. J. |
author_sort |
Berkley, J. L. |
title |
Weathering of Mars - Antarctic analog studies |
title_short |
Weathering of Mars - Antarctic analog studies |
title_full |
Weathering of Mars - Antarctic analog studies |
title_fullStr |
Weathering of Mars - Antarctic analog studies |
title_full_unstemmed |
Weathering of Mars - Antarctic analog studies |
title_sort |
weathering of mars - antarctic analog studies |
publishDate |
1981 |
url |
http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19810053540 |
op_coverage |
Unclassified, Unlimited, Publicly available |
geographic |
Antarctic |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica permafrost |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica permafrost |
op_source |
Other Sources |
op_relation |
http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19810053540 Accession ID: 81A37944 |
op_rights |
Copyright |
_version_ |
1766245227118460928 |