Oxidation of manganese in an ancient aquifer, Kimberley formation, Gale crater, Mars

Nina L. Lanza; Roger C. Wiens; Raymond E. Arvidson; Benton C. Clark; Woodward W. Fischer; Ralf Gellert; John P. Grotzinger; Joel A. Hurowitz; Scott M. McLennan; Richard V. Morris; Melissa S. Rice; James Bell; Jeffrey A. Berger; Diana L. Blaney; Nathan T. Bridges; Fred Calef; John L. Campbell; Samuel M. Clegg; Agnes Cousin; Kenneth S. Edgett; Cécile Fabre; Martin R. Fisk; Olivier Forni; Jens Frydenvang; Keian R. Hardy; Craig Hardgrove; Jeffrey R. Johnson; Jeremie Lasue; Stéphane Le Mouélic; Michael C. Malin; Nicolas Mangold; Javier Martìn-Torres; Sylvestre Maurice; Marie J. McBride; Douglas W. Ming; Horton E. Newsom; Ann M. Ollila; Violaine Sautter; Susanne Schröder; Lucy M. Thompson; Allan H. Treiman; Scott VanBommel; David T. Vaniman; Marìa Paz Zorzano

doi:10.1002/2016GL069109

Oxidation of manganese in an ancient aquifer, Kimberley formation, Gale crater, Mars

Nina L. Lanza, Roger C. Wiens, Raymond E. Arvidson, Benton C. Clark, Woodward W. Fischer, Ralf Gellert, John P. Grotzinger, Joel A. Hurowitz, Scott M. McLennan, Richard V. Morris, Melissa S. Rice, James Bell, Jeffrey A. Berger, Diana L. Blaney, Nathan T. Bridges, Fred Calef, John L. Campbell, Samuel M. Clegg, Agnes Cousin, Kenneth S. EdgettCécile Fabre, Martin R. Fisk, Olivier Forni, Jens Frydenvang, Keian R. Hardy, Craig Hardgrove, Jeffrey R. Johnson, Jeremie Lasue, Stéphane Le Mouélic, Michael C. Malin, Nicolas Mangold, Javier Martìn-Torres, Sylvestre Maurice, Marie J. McBride, Douglas W. Ming, Horton E. Newsom, Ann M. Ollila, Violaine Sautter, Susanne Schröder, Lucy M. Thompson, Allan H. Treiman, Scott VanBommel, David T. Vaniman, Marìa Paz Zorzano

Earth and Space Exploration, School of (SESE)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

101 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Curiosity rover observed high Mn abundances (>25 wt % MnO) in fracture-filling materials that crosscut sandstones in the Kimberley region of Gale crater, Mars. The correlation between Mn and trace metal abundances plus the lack of correlation between Mn and elements such as S, Cl, and C, reveals that these deposits are Mn oxides rather than evaporites or other salts. On Earth, environments that concentrate Mn and deposit Mn minerals require water and highly oxidizing conditions; hence, these findings suggest that similar processes occurred on Mars. Based on the strong association between Mn-oxide deposition and evolving atmospheric dioxygen levels on Earth, the presence of these Mn phases on Mars suggests that there was more abundant molecular oxygen within the atmosphere and some groundwaters of ancient Mars than in the present day.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	7398-7407
Number of pages	10
Journal	Geophysical Research Letters
Volume	43
Issue number	14
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL069109
State	Published - Jul 28 2016

Keywords

ChemCam
MSL
Mars
manganese
oxidation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Geophysics
General Earth and Planetary Sciences

Access to Document

10.1002/2016GL069109

Cite this

Lanza, N. L., Wiens, R. C., Arvidson, R. E., Clark, B. C., Fischer, W. W., Gellert, R., Grotzinger, J. P., Hurowitz, J. A., McLennan, S. M., Morris, R. V., Rice, M. S., Bell, J., Berger, J. A., Blaney, D. L., Bridges, N. T., Calef, F., Campbell, J. L., Clegg, S. M., Cousin, A., ... Zorzano, M. P. (2016). Oxidation of manganese in an ancient aquifer, Kimberley formation, Gale crater, Mars. Geophysical Research Letters, 43(14), 7398-7407. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL069109

Lanza, NL, Wiens, RC, Arvidson, RE, Clark, BC, Fischer, WW, Gellert, R, Grotzinger, JP, Hurowitz, JA, McLennan, SM, Morris, RV, Rice, MS, Bell, J, Berger, JA, Blaney, DL, Bridges, NT, Calef, F, Campbell, JL, Clegg, SM, Cousin, A, Edgett, KS, Fabre, C, Fisk, MR, Forni, O, Frydenvang, J, Hardy, KR, Hardgrove, C, Johnson, JR, Lasue, J, Le Mouélic, S, Malin, MC, Mangold, N, Martìn-Torres, J, Maurice, S, McBride, MJ, Ming, DW, Newsom, HE, Ollila, AM, Sautter, V, Schröder, S, Thompson, LM, Treiman, AH, VanBommel, S, Vaniman, DT & Zorzano, MP 2016, 'Oxidation of manganese in an ancient aquifer, Kimberley formation, Gale crater, Mars', Geophysical Research Letters, vol. 43, no. 14, pp. 7398-7407. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL069109

@article{d8662003d820400fab31524e9c49ecaf,

title = "Oxidation of manganese in an ancient aquifer, Kimberley formation, Gale crater, Mars",

abstract = "The Curiosity rover observed high Mn abundances (>25 wt % MnO) in fracture-filling materials that crosscut sandstones in the Kimberley region of Gale crater, Mars. The correlation between Mn and trace metal abundances plus the lack of correlation between Mn and elements such as S, Cl, and C, reveals that these deposits are Mn oxides rather than evaporites or other salts. On Earth, environments that concentrate Mn and deposit Mn minerals require water and highly oxidizing conditions; hence, these findings suggest that similar processes occurred on Mars. Based on the strong association between Mn-oxide deposition and evolving atmospheric dioxygen levels on Earth, the presence of these Mn phases on Mars suggests that there was more abundant molecular oxygen within the atmosphere and some groundwaters of ancient Mars than in the present day.",

keywords = "ChemCam, MSL, Mars, manganese, oxidation",

author = "Lanza, {Nina L.} and Wiens, {Roger C.} and Arvidson, {Raymond E.} and Clark, {Benton C.} and Fischer, {Woodward W.} and Ralf Gellert and Grotzinger, {John P.} and Hurowitz, {Joel A.} and McLennan, {Scott M.} and Morris, {Richard V.} and Rice, {Melissa S.} and James Bell and Berger, {Jeffrey A.} and Blaney, {Diana L.} and Bridges, {Nathan T.} and Fred Calef and Campbell, {John L.} and Clegg, {Samuel M.} and Agnes Cousin and Edgett, {Kenneth S.} and C{\'e}cile Fabre and Fisk, {Martin R.} and Olivier Forni and Jens Frydenvang and Hardy, {Keian R.} and Craig Hardgrove and Johnson, {Jeffrey R.} and Jeremie Lasue and {Le Mou{\'e}lic}, St{\'e}phane and Malin, {Michael C.} and Nicolas Mangold and Javier Mart{\`i}n-Torres and Sylvestre Maurice and McBride, {Marie J.} and Ming, {Douglas W.} and Newsom, {Horton E.} and Ollila, {Ann M.} and Violaine Sautter and Susanne Schr{\"o}der and Thompson, {Lucy M.} and Treiman, {Allan H.} and Scott VanBommel and Vaniman, {David T.} and Zorzano, {Mar{\`i}a Paz}",

year = "2016",

month = jul,

day = "28",

doi = "10.1002/2016GL069109",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "43",

pages = "7398--7407",

journal = "Geophysical Research Letters",

issn = "0094-8276",

publisher = "American Geophysical Union",

number = "14",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Oxidation of manganese in an ancient aquifer, Kimberley formation, Gale crater, Mars

AU - Lanza, Nina L.

AU - Wiens, Roger C.

AU - Arvidson, Raymond E.

AU - Clark, Benton C.

AU - Fischer, Woodward W.

AU - Gellert, Ralf

AU - Grotzinger, John P.

AU - Hurowitz, Joel A.

AU - McLennan, Scott M.

AU - Morris, Richard V.

AU - Rice, Melissa S.

AU - Bell, James

AU - Berger, Jeffrey A.

AU - Blaney, Diana L.

AU - Bridges, Nathan T.

AU - Calef, Fred

AU - Campbell, John L.

AU - Clegg, Samuel M.

AU - Cousin, Agnes

AU - Edgett, Kenneth S.

AU - Fabre, Cécile

AU - Fisk, Martin R.

AU - Forni, Olivier

AU - Frydenvang, Jens

AU - Hardy, Keian R.

AU - Hardgrove, Craig

AU - Johnson, Jeffrey R.

AU - Lasue, Jeremie

AU - Le Mouélic, Stéphane

AU - Malin, Michael C.

AU - Mangold, Nicolas

AU - Martìn-Torres, Javier

AU - Maurice, Sylvestre

AU - McBride, Marie J.

AU - Ming, Douglas W.

AU - Newsom, Horton E.

AU - Ollila, Ann M.

AU - Sautter, Violaine

AU - Schröder, Susanne

AU - Thompson, Lucy M.

AU - Treiman, Allan H.

AU - VanBommel, Scott

AU - Vaniman, David T.

AU - Zorzano, Marìa Paz

PY - 2016/7/28

Y1 - 2016/7/28

N2 - The Curiosity rover observed high Mn abundances (>25 wt % MnO) in fracture-filling materials that crosscut sandstones in the Kimberley region of Gale crater, Mars. The correlation between Mn and trace metal abundances plus the lack of correlation between Mn and elements such as S, Cl, and C, reveals that these deposits are Mn oxides rather than evaporites or other salts. On Earth, environments that concentrate Mn and deposit Mn minerals require water and highly oxidizing conditions; hence, these findings suggest that similar processes occurred on Mars. Based on the strong association between Mn-oxide deposition and evolving atmospheric dioxygen levels on Earth, the presence of these Mn phases on Mars suggests that there was more abundant molecular oxygen within the atmosphere and some groundwaters of ancient Mars than in the present day.

AB - The Curiosity rover observed high Mn abundances (>25 wt % MnO) in fracture-filling materials that crosscut sandstones in the Kimberley region of Gale crater, Mars. The correlation between Mn and trace metal abundances plus the lack of correlation between Mn and elements such as S, Cl, and C, reveals that these deposits are Mn oxides rather than evaporites or other salts. On Earth, environments that concentrate Mn and deposit Mn minerals require water and highly oxidizing conditions; hence, these findings suggest that similar processes occurred on Mars. Based on the strong association between Mn-oxide deposition and evolving atmospheric dioxygen levels on Earth, the presence of these Mn phases on Mars suggests that there was more abundant molecular oxygen within the atmosphere and some groundwaters of ancient Mars than in the present day.

KW - ChemCam

KW - MSL

KW - Mars

KW - manganese

KW - oxidation

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84978477020&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84978477020&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1002/2016GL069109

DO - 10.1002/2016GL069109

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84978477020

SN - 0094-8276

VL - 43

SP - 7398

EP - 7407

JO - Geophysical Research Letters

JF - Geophysical Research Letters

IS - 14

ER -

Oxidation of manganese in an ancient aquifer, Kimberley formation, Gale crater, Mars

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this