Evidence for Multiple Diagenetic Episodes in Ancient Fluvial-Lacustrine Sedimentary Rocks in Gale Crater, Mars.

ABSTRACT: The Curiosity rover's exploration of rocks and soils in Gale crater has provided diverse geochemical and mineralogical data sets, underscoring the complex geological history of the region. We report the crystalline, clay mineral, and amorphous phase distributions of four Gale crater rocks from an 80-m stratigraphic interval. The mineralogy of the four samples is strongly influenced by aqueous alteration processes, including variations in water chemistries, redox, pH, and temperature. Localized hydrothermal events are evidenced by gray hematite and maturation of amorphous SiO₂ to opal-CT. Low-temperature diagenetic events are associated with fluctuating lake levels, evaporative events, and groundwater infiltration. Among all mudstones analyzed in Gale crater, the diversity

SUBMITTER: Achilles CN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7507756 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature