Weathering of sulfides on Mars
Pyrrhotite-pentlandite assemblages in mafic and ultramafic igneous rocks may have contributed significantly to the chemical weathering reactions that produce degradation products in the Martian regolith. By analogy and terrestrial processes, a model is proposed whereby supergene alteration of these...
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1987
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ftnasantrs:oai:casi.ntrs.nasa.gov:19880020278 2023-05-15T17:57:16+02:00 Weathering of sulfides on Mars Burns, Roger G. Fisher, Duncan S. Unclassified, Unlimited, Publicly available JAN 1, 1987 http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19880020278 unknown http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19880020278 Accession ID: 88N29662 No Copyright CASI 91 Lunar and Planetary Inst., MEVTV Workshop on Nature and Composition of Surface Units on Mars; p 34-36 1987 ftnasantrs 2012-02-15T17:28:03Z Pyrrhotite-pentlandite assemblages in mafic and ultramafic igneous rocks may have contributed significantly to the chemical weathering reactions that produce degradation products in the Martian regolith. By analogy and terrestrial processes, a model is proposed whereby supergene alteration of these primary Fe-Ni sulfides on Mars has generated secondary sulfides (e.g., pyrite) below the water table and produced acidic groundwater containing high concentrations of dissolved Fe, Ni, and sulfate ions. The low pH solutions also initiated weathering reactions of igneous feldspars and ferromagnesian silicates to form clay silicate and ferric oxyhydroxide phases. Near-surface oxidation and hydrolysis of ferric sulfato-and hydroxo-complex ions and sols formed gossan above the water table consisting of poorly crystalline hydrated ferric sulfates (e.g., jarosite), oxides (ferrihydrite, goethite), and silica (opal). Underlying groundwater, now permafrost contains hydroxo sulfato complexes of Fe, Al, Mg, Ni, which may be stabilized in frozen acidic solutions beneath the surface of Mars. Sublimation of permafrost may replenish colloidal ferric oxides, sulfates, and phyllosilicates during dust storms on Mars. Other/Unknown Material permafrost NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) |
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NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) |
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ftnasantrs |
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unknown |
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91 |
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91 Burns, Roger G. Fisher, Duncan S. Weathering of sulfides on Mars |
topic_facet |
91 |
description |
Pyrrhotite-pentlandite assemblages in mafic and ultramafic igneous rocks may have contributed significantly to the chemical weathering reactions that produce degradation products in the Martian regolith. By analogy and terrestrial processes, a model is proposed whereby supergene alteration of these primary Fe-Ni sulfides on Mars has generated secondary sulfides (e.g., pyrite) below the water table and produced acidic groundwater containing high concentrations of dissolved Fe, Ni, and sulfate ions. The low pH solutions also initiated weathering reactions of igneous feldspars and ferromagnesian silicates to form clay silicate and ferric oxyhydroxide phases. Near-surface oxidation and hydrolysis of ferric sulfato-and hydroxo-complex ions and sols formed gossan above the water table consisting of poorly crystalline hydrated ferric sulfates (e.g., jarosite), oxides (ferrihydrite, goethite), and silica (opal). Underlying groundwater, now permafrost contains hydroxo sulfato complexes of Fe, Al, Mg, Ni, which may be stabilized in frozen acidic solutions beneath the surface of Mars. Sublimation of permafrost may replenish colloidal ferric oxides, sulfates, and phyllosilicates during dust storms on Mars. |
format |
Other/Unknown Material |
author |
Burns, Roger G. Fisher, Duncan S. |
author_facet |
Burns, Roger G. Fisher, Duncan S. |
author_sort |
Burns, Roger G. |
title |
Weathering of sulfides on Mars |
title_short |
Weathering of sulfides on Mars |
title_full |
Weathering of sulfides on Mars |
title_fullStr |
Weathering of sulfides on Mars |
title_full_unstemmed |
Weathering of sulfides on Mars |
title_sort |
weathering of sulfides on mars |
publishDate |
1987 |
url |
http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19880020278 |
op_coverage |
Unclassified, Unlimited, Publicly available |
genre |
permafrost |
genre_facet |
permafrost |
op_source |
CASI |
op_relation |
http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19880020278 Accession ID: 88N29662 |
op_rights |
No Copyright |
_version_ |
1766165664522829824 |