Hawaii and Gale Crater: A Mars Analogue Study of Igneous, Sedimentary, Weathering, and Alteration Trends in Geochemistry

Author:

Berger, J. A., Flemming, R. L., Schmidt, M. E., Gellert, R., Morris, R. V., Ming, D.W.

Title:

Hawaii and Gale Crater: A Mars Analogue Study of Igneous, Sedimentary, Weathering, and Alteration Trends in Geochemistry

Periodical:

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Year:

2017

Subject:

Geochemistry Mars Sedimentation and deposition Mauna Kea Volcano Kohala Volcano

Summary:

Sedimentary rocks in Gale Crater on Mars indicate a varied provenance with a range of alteration and weathering. Geochemical trends identified in basaltic and alkalic sedimentary rocks by the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) on the Mars rover Curiosity represent a complex interplay of igneous, sedimentary, weathering, and alteration processes. Assessing the relative importance of these processes is challenging with unknown compositions for parent sediment sources and with the constraints provided by Curiosity's instruments. We therefore look to Mars analogues on Earth where higher-resolution analyses and geologic context can constrain interpretations of Gale Crater geochemical observations. We selected Maunakea (AKA Mauna Kea) and Kohala volcanoes, Hawai'i, for an analogue study because they are capped by post-shield transitional basalts and alkalic lavas (hawaiites, mugearites) with compositions similar to Gale Crater [1, 3]. Our aim was to characterize Hawaiian geochemical trends associated with igneous processes, sediment transport, weathering, and alteration. Here, we present initial results and discuss implications for selected trends observed by APXS in Gale Crater.

URL:

https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20170001685

Date:

March 20, 2017

Collection:

Monographs