Chemical alteration of fine-grained sedimentary rocks at Gale crater

Nicolas Mangold; E. Dehouck; C. Fedo; Olivier Forni; C. Achilles; T. Bristow; R. T. Downs; J. Frydenvang; Olivier Gasnault; J. L'Haridon; L. Le Deit; Sylvestre Maurice; S. M. McLennan; Pierre-Yves Meslin; S. Morrison; H. E. Newsom; E. Rampe; William Rapin; F. Rivera-Hernandez; M. Salvatore

doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2018.11.004

Chemical alteration of fine-grained sedimentary rocks at Gale crater

Nicolas Mangold, E. Dehouck, C. Fedo, Olivier Forni, C. Achilles, T. Bristow, R. T. Downs, J. Frydenvang, Olivier Gasnault, J. L'Haridon, L. Le Deit, Sylvestre Maurice, S. M. McLennan, Pierre-Yves Meslin, S. Morrison, H. E. Newsom, E. Rampe, William Rapin, F. Rivera-Hernandez, M. Salvatore

21 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

From Sol 750 to 1550, the Curiosity rover documented>100 m thick stack of fine-grained sedimentary rocks making up part of the Murray formation, at the base of Mt Sharp, Gale crater. Here, we use data collected by the ChemCam instrument to estimate the level of chemical weathering in these sedimentary rocks. Both the Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA) and the Weathering Index Scale (WIS) indicate a progressive increase in alteration up section, reaching values of CIA of 63 and WIS of 25%. The increase in CIA and WIS values is coupled with a decrease in calcium abundance, suggesting partial dissolution of Ca-bearing minerals (clinopyroxene and plagioclase). Mineralogy from the CheMin X-ray diffraction instrument indicates a decrease in mafic minerals compared with previously analyzed strata and a significant proportion of phyllosilicates consistent with this interpretation. These observations suggest that the sediments were predominantly altered in an open system, before or during their emplacement, contrasting with the rock-dominated conditions inferred in sedimentary deposits analyzed at Yellowknife Bay.

Original language	English
Journal	Icarus
Volume	321
Pages (from-to)	619-631
Number of pages	13
ISSN	0019-1035
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2018.11.004
Publication status	Published - 15 Mar 2019

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Mangold, N., Dehouck, E., Fedo, C., Forni, O., Achilles, C., Bristow, T., Downs, R. T., Frydenvang, J., Gasnault, O., L'Haridon, J., Le Deit, L., Maurice, S., McLennan, S. M., Meslin, P.-Y., Morrison, S., Newsom, H. E., Rampe, E., Rapin, W., Rivera-Hernandez, F., & Salvatore, M. (2019). Chemical alteration of fine-grained sedimentary rocks at Gale crater. Icarus, 321, 619-631. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2018.11.004

Mangold, N, Dehouck, E, Fedo, C, Forni, O, Achilles, C, Bristow, T, Downs, RT, Frydenvang, J, Gasnault, O, L'Haridon, J, Le Deit, L, Maurice, S, McLennan, SM, Meslin, P-Y, Morrison, S, Newsom, HE, Rampe, E, Rapin, W, Rivera-Hernandez, F & Salvatore, M 2019, 'Chemical alteration of fine-grained sedimentary rocks at Gale crater', Icarus, vol. 321, pp. 619-631. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2018.11.004

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title = "Chemical alteration of fine-grained sedimentary rocks at Gale crater",

abstract = "From Sol 750 to 1550, the Curiosity rover documented>100 m thick stack of fine-grained sedimentary rocks making up part of the Murray formation, at the base of Mt Sharp, Gale crater. Here, we use data collected by the ChemCam instrument to estimate the level of chemical weathering in these sedimentary rocks. Both the Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA) and the Weathering Index Scale (WIS) indicate a progressive increase in alteration up section, reaching values of CIA of 63 and WIS of 25%. The increase in CIA and WIS values is coupled with a decrease in calcium abundance, suggesting partial dissolution of Ca-bearing minerals (clinopyroxene and plagioclase). Mineralogy from the CheMin X-ray diffraction instrument indicates a decrease in mafic minerals compared with previously analyzed strata and a significant proportion of phyllosilicates consistent with this interpretation. These observations suggest that the sediments were predominantly altered in an open system, before or during their emplacement, contrasting with the rock-dominated conditions inferred in sedimentary deposits analyzed at Yellowknife Bay.",

author = "Nicolas Mangold and E. Dehouck and C. Fedo and Olivier Forni and C. Achilles and T. Bristow and Downs, {R. T.} and J. Frydenvang and Olivier Gasnault and J. L'Haridon and {Le Deit}, L. and Sylvestre Maurice and McLennan, {S. M.} and Pierre-Yves Meslin and S. Morrison and Newsom, {H. E.} and E. Rampe and William Rapin and F. Rivera-Hernandez and M. Salvatore",

year = "2019",

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doi = "10.1016/j.icarus.2018.11.004",

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T1 - Chemical alteration of fine-grained sedimentary rocks at Gale crater

AU - Mangold, Nicolas

AU - Dehouck, E.

AU - Fedo, C.

AU - Forni, Olivier

AU - Achilles, C.

AU - Bristow, T.

AU - Downs, R. T.

AU - Frydenvang, J.

AU - Gasnault, Olivier

AU - L'Haridon, J.

AU - Le Deit, L.

AU - Maurice, Sylvestre

AU - McLennan, S. M.

AU - Meslin, Pierre-Yves

AU - Morrison, S.

AU - Newsom, H. E.

AU - Rampe, E.

AU - Rapin, William

AU - Rivera-Hernandez, F.

AU - Salvatore, M.

PY - 2019/3/15

Y1 - 2019/3/15

N2 - From Sol 750 to 1550, the Curiosity rover documented>100 m thick stack of fine-grained sedimentary rocks making up part of the Murray formation, at the base of Mt Sharp, Gale crater. Here, we use data collected by the ChemCam instrument to estimate the level of chemical weathering in these sedimentary rocks. Both the Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA) and the Weathering Index Scale (WIS) indicate a progressive increase in alteration up section, reaching values of CIA of 63 and WIS of 25%. The increase in CIA and WIS values is coupled with a decrease in calcium abundance, suggesting partial dissolution of Ca-bearing minerals (clinopyroxene and plagioclase). Mineralogy from the CheMin X-ray diffraction instrument indicates a decrease in mafic minerals compared with previously analyzed strata and a significant proportion of phyllosilicates consistent with this interpretation. These observations suggest that the sediments were predominantly altered in an open system, before or during their emplacement, contrasting with the rock-dominated conditions inferred in sedimentary deposits analyzed at Yellowknife Bay.

AB - From Sol 750 to 1550, the Curiosity rover documented>100 m thick stack of fine-grained sedimentary rocks making up part of the Murray formation, at the base of Mt Sharp, Gale crater. Here, we use data collected by the ChemCam instrument to estimate the level of chemical weathering in these sedimentary rocks. Both the Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA) and the Weathering Index Scale (WIS) indicate a progressive increase in alteration up section, reaching values of CIA of 63 and WIS of 25%. The increase in CIA and WIS values is coupled with a decrease in calcium abundance, suggesting partial dissolution of Ca-bearing minerals (clinopyroxene and plagioclase). Mineralogy from the CheMin X-ray diffraction instrument indicates a decrease in mafic minerals compared with previously analyzed strata and a significant proportion of phyllosilicates consistent with this interpretation. These observations suggest that the sediments were predominantly altered in an open system, before or during their emplacement, contrasting with the rock-dominated conditions inferred in sedimentary deposits analyzed at Yellowknife Bay.

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DO - 10.1016/j.icarus.2018.11.004

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SN - 0019-1035

VL - 321

SP - 619

EP - 631

JO - Icarus

JF - Icarus

ER -

Chemical alteration of fine-grained sedimentary rocks at Gale crater

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