Spectral Analysis of Clay-bearing Outcrops in Northern Xanthe Terra, Mars: Comparison with Oxia Planum, the Landing Site for the ExoMars Rover Mission
Clay minerals detected on Mars are valuable targets to seek traces of life on the planet, where biosignatures might be preserved. Here, we report an in-depth spectral analysis of clay-rich outcrops identified in northern Xanthe Terra (300°–320° E, 10°–20° N). We focused particularly on the absorptio...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
IOP Publishing
2023-01-01
|
| Series: | The Planetary Science Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/acb3bc |
| _version_ | 1827359572525842432 |
|---|---|
| author | Jeremy Brossier Francesca Altieri Maria Cristina De Sanctis Alessandro Frigeri Marco Ferrari Simone De Angelis Andrea Apuzzo the Ma_MISS team |
| author_facet | Jeremy Brossier Francesca Altieri Maria Cristina De Sanctis Alessandro Frigeri Marco Ferrari Simone De Angelis Andrea Apuzzo the Ma_MISS team |
| author_sort | Jeremy Brossier |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Clay minerals detected on Mars are valuable targets to seek traces of life on the planet, where biosignatures might be preserved. Here, we report an in-depth spectral analysis of clay-rich outcrops identified in northern Xanthe Terra (300°–320° E, 10°–20° N). We focused particularly on the absorptions centered in the 1.0–2.6 μ m spectral range to (1) constrain the mineralogy of the clay outcrops, (2) map their strength and distribution throughout the region, and thus (3) develop a better understanding of the geologic environment at circum–Chryse Planitia. We then compared the infrared signatures in Xanthe Terra and Oxia Planum. Like in Oxia Planum, Xanthe’s clays are consistent with either Fe-bearing saponites or vermiculites. However, the spectral signatures in Xanthe are weaker relative to Oxia Planum, perhaps due to significant dust cover in the region. Besides the spectral signatures, northern Xanthe Terra displays several morphological features similar to Oxia Planum, indicating long-lasting aqueous activity (fluvial channels and fan deltas). Clays found at the fan deltas could be detrital (fluvial transport) or authigenic (lacustrine or deltaic sedimentation), while the origin of clays seen elsewhere on the surrounding plateaus remains undetermined. Oxia Planum has been selected as the landing site for ESA’s ExoMars “Rosalind Franklin” rover, where its instruments will search for signs of life and constrain the nature and origin of the clays. This exploration will indubitably provide new clues on the clays found in the circum-Chryse basin. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T06:32:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-46116dd9388f44f58982edf23595e404 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2632-3338 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T06:32:09Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Planetary Science Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-46116dd9388f44f58982edf23595e4042024-02-03T11:10:53ZengIOP PublishingThe Planetary Science Journal2632-33382023-01-01422710.3847/PSJ/acb3bcSpectral Analysis of Clay-bearing Outcrops in Northern Xanthe Terra, Mars: Comparison with Oxia Planum, the Landing Site for the ExoMars Rover MissionJeremy Brossier0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7423-2494Francesca Altieri1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6338-8300Maria Cristina De Sanctis2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3463-4437Alessandro Frigeri3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9140-3977Marco Ferrari4Simone De Angelis5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0264-7233Andrea Apuzzo6the Ma_MISS teamInstitute for Space Astrophysics and Planetology IAPS–INAF , Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, I-00133 Rome, Italy ; Jeremy.brossier@inaf.it, brossier.jrmy@gmail.comInstitute for Space Astrophysics and Planetology IAPS–INAF , Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, I-00133 Rome, Italy ; Jeremy.brossier@inaf.it, brossier.jrmy@gmail.comInstitute for Space Astrophysics and Planetology IAPS–INAF , Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, I-00133 Rome, Italy ; Jeremy.brossier@inaf.it, brossier.jrmy@gmail.comInstitute for Space Astrophysics and Planetology IAPS–INAF , Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, I-00133 Rome, Italy ; Jeremy.brossier@inaf.it, brossier.jrmy@gmail.comInstitute for Space Astrophysics and Planetology IAPS–INAF , Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, I-00133 Rome, Italy ; Jeremy.brossier@inaf.it, brossier.jrmy@gmail.comInstitute for Space Astrophysics and Planetology IAPS–INAF , Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, I-00133 Rome, Italy ; Jeremy.brossier@inaf.it, brossier.jrmy@gmail.comUniversity Roma Tre , Dpt. of Sciences, Largo San Leonardo Murialdo 1, I-00146 Rome, ItalyClay minerals detected on Mars are valuable targets to seek traces of life on the planet, where biosignatures might be preserved. Here, we report an in-depth spectral analysis of clay-rich outcrops identified in northern Xanthe Terra (300°–320° E, 10°–20° N). We focused particularly on the absorptions centered in the 1.0–2.6 μ m spectral range to (1) constrain the mineralogy of the clay outcrops, (2) map their strength and distribution throughout the region, and thus (3) develop a better understanding of the geologic environment at circum–Chryse Planitia. We then compared the infrared signatures in Xanthe Terra and Oxia Planum. Like in Oxia Planum, Xanthe’s clays are consistent with either Fe-bearing saponites or vermiculites. However, the spectral signatures in Xanthe are weaker relative to Oxia Planum, perhaps due to significant dust cover in the region. Besides the spectral signatures, northern Xanthe Terra displays several morphological features similar to Oxia Planum, indicating long-lasting aqueous activity (fluvial channels and fan deltas). Clays found at the fan deltas could be detrital (fluvial transport) or authigenic (lacustrine or deltaic sedimentation), while the origin of clays seen elsewhere on the surrounding plateaus remains undetermined. Oxia Planum has been selected as the landing site for ESA’s ExoMars “Rosalind Franklin” rover, where its instruments will search for signs of life and constrain the nature and origin of the clays. This exploration will indubitably provide new clues on the clays found in the circum-Chryse basin.https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/acb3bcMars |
| spellingShingle | Jeremy Brossier Francesca Altieri Maria Cristina De Sanctis Alessandro Frigeri Marco Ferrari Simone De Angelis Andrea Apuzzo the Ma_MISS team Spectral Analysis of Clay-bearing Outcrops in Northern Xanthe Terra, Mars: Comparison with Oxia Planum, the Landing Site for the ExoMars Rover Mission The Planetary Science Journal Mars |
| title | Spectral Analysis of Clay-bearing Outcrops in Northern Xanthe Terra, Mars: Comparison with Oxia Planum, the Landing Site for the ExoMars Rover Mission |
| title_full | Spectral Analysis of Clay-bearing Outcrops in Northern Xanthe Terra, Mars: Comparison with Oxia Planum, the Landing Site for the ExoMars Rover Mission |
| title_fullStr | Spectral Analysis of Clay-bearing Outcrops in Northern Xanthe Terra, Mars: Comparison with Oxia Planum, the Landing Site for the ExoMars Rover Mission |
| title_full_unstemmed | Spectral Analysis of Clay-bearing Outcrops in Northern Xanthe Terra, Mars: Comparison with Oxia Planum, the Landing Site for the ExoMars Rover Mission |
| title_short | Spectral Analysis of Clay-bearing Outcrops in Northern Xanthe Terra, Mars: Comparison with Oxia Planum, the Landing Site for the ExoMars Rover Mission |
| title_sort | spectral analysis of clay bearing outcrops in northern xanthe terra mars comparison with oxia planum the landing site for the exomars rover mission |
| topic | Mars |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/acb3bc |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jeremybrossier spectralanalysisofclaybearingoutcropsinnorthernxantheterramarscomparisonwithoxiaplanumthelandingsitefortheexomarsrovermission AT francescaaltieri spectralanalysisofclaybearingoutcropsinnorthernxantheterramarscomparisonwithoxiaplanumthelandingsitefortheexomarsrovermission AT mariacristinadesanctis spectralanalysisofclaybearingoutcropsinnorthernxantheterramarscomparisonwithoxiaplanumthelandingsitefortheexomarsrovermission AT alessandrofrigeri spectralanalysisofclaybearingoutcropsinnorthernxantheterramarscomparisonwithoxiaplanumthelandingsitefortheexomarsrovermission AT marcoferrari spectralanalysisofclaybearingoutcropsinnorthernxantheterramarscomparisonwithoxiaplanumthelandingsitefortheexomarsrovermission AT simonedeangelis spectralanalysisofclaybearingoutcropsinnorthernxantheterramarscomparisonwithoxiaplanumthelandingsitefortheexomarsrovermission AT andreaapuzzo spectralanalysisofclaybearingoutcropsinnorthernxantheterramarscomparisonwithoxiaplanumthelandingsitefortheexomarsrovermission AT themamissteam spectralanalysisofclaybearingoutcropsinnorthernxantheterramarscomparisonwithoxiaplanumthelandingsitefortheexomarsrovermission |