Crystallization pathways in the Great Artesian Basin (Australia) spring mound carbonates: Implications for life signatures on Earth and beyond     

Fulvio Franchi  Silvia Frisia 《Sedimentology》2020,67(5):2561-2595

Recent studies of continental carbonates revealed that carbonates with similar fabrics can be formed either by biotic, biologically-induced, biologically-influenced or purely abiotic processes, or a combination of all. The aim of this research is to advance knowledge on the formation of carbonates precipitated (or diagenetically altered) in extreme, continental environments by studying biotic versus abiotic mechanisms of crystallization, and to contribute to the astrobiology debate around terrestrial analogues of Martian extreme environments. Both fossil (upper Pleistocene to Holocene) and active carbonate spring mounds from the Great Artesian Basin (South Australia) have been investigated. These carbonates consist of low-Mg to high-Mg calcite tufa. Four facies have been described: (i) carbonate mudstone/wackestone; (ii) phytohermal framestone/boundstone; (iii) micrite boundstone; and (iv) coarsely crystalline boundstone. The presence of filaments encrusted by micrite, rich in organic compounds, including ultraviolet-protectants, in phytohermal framestone/boundstone and micrite boundstone is clear evidence of the existence of microbial mats at the time of deposition. In contrast, peloidal micrite, despite commonly being considered a microbial precipitate, is not directly associated with filaments in the Great Artesian Basin mounds. It has probably formed from nanocrystal aggregation on colloid particulate. Thus, where biofilms have been documented, it is likely that bacteria catalyzed the development of fabrics. It is less certain that microbes induced calcium carbonate precipitation elsewhere. Trace elements, including rare earth element distribution from laminated facies, highlight strongly evaporative settings (for example, high Li contents). Carbon dioxide degassing and evaporation are two of the main drivers for an increase in fluid alkalinity, resulting in precipitation of carbonates. Hence, although the growth of certain fabrics is fostered by the presence of microbial mats, the formation of carbonate crystals might be independent from it and mainly driven by extrinsic factors. More generally, biological processes may be responsible for fabric and facies development in micritic boundstone whilst micrite nucleation and growth are driven by abiotic factors. Non-classical crystallization pathways (aggregation and fusion of nanoparticles from nucleation clusters) may be more common than previously thought in spring carbonate and this should be carefully considered to avoid misinterpretation of certain fabrics as by-products of life. It is proposed here that the term ‘organic-compound catalyzed mineralization’ should be used for crystal growth in the presence of organic compounds when dealing with astrobiological problems. This term would account for the possibility of multiple crystallization pathways (including non-classical crystallization) that occurred directly from an aqueous solution without the direct influence of microbial mats.  相似文献   

火星电离层电子浓度昼夜变化特性研究          下载免费PDF全文

张学习  雷久侯  万卫星  钟嘉豪 《地球物理学报》2018,61(8):3113-3123

本文利用MAVEN卫星Langmuir Probe and Waves（LPW）仪器的在轨电子浓度探测数据，研究了火星电离层电子浓度随太阳天顶角（Solar Zenith Angle，SZA）的变化以及昼夜电子浓度变化的异同.基于2014年至2017年期间MAVEN的电子浓度数据，我们发现：在200 km以下，白天电离层电子浓度主要受光化学平衡控制，由于白天光电离过程使得昼夜电子浓度差异较大，此时电离层昼夜传输能影响到的最大范围约在SZA=110°；而在200 km以上，白天电离层受输运过程控制，此时昼夜电子浓度差别较小，电离层昼夜间电子浓度变化较为缓慢.通过研究MAVEN在deep-dip（低高度深入探测）期间的电子浓度数据，我们发现火星磁场会显著影响夜间200 km以下的电子浓度分布结构，强磁场中闭合磁力线对电子沉降过程的阻碍作用使得在夜间该区域的电子浓度小于相邻区域.同时，通过比较deep-dip期间昼夜电子浓度随高度的变化，发现夜间电子沉降作用的影响可能主要集中在160 km以下.  相似文献   

High-resolution imaging spectroscopy of planetary atmospheres     

《Comptes Rendus Geoscience》2015,347(3):145-152

Imaging spectroscopy at high resolution, in the infrared range, is a powerful tool for monitoring the behavior of minor species in planetary atmospheres and their evolution with latitude and longitude, season or local hour. Using the TEXES imaging spectrometer at the Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF), this method has been applied for detecting and monitoring hydrogen peroxide and water vapor (using its proxy HDO) on Mars, then for monitoring sulfur dioxide and water (again using HDO) above the H₂SO₄ cloud deck (z = 65 km on Venus). Observations of Mars have shown that its atmosphere and climate are well reproduced by the Global Climatic Models. In contrast, strong spatio-temporal variations of SO₂, observed above the Venus clouds, are not understood by the models. As a support of the forthcoming Juno space mission, a similar program has started on Jupiter to monitor its dynamics through 3-D maps of ammonia and phosphine.  相似文献   

Shaler: in situ analysis of a fluvial sedimentary deposit on Mars     

《Sedimentology》2018,65(1):96-122

This paper characterizes the detailed sedimentology of a fluvial sandbody on Mars for the first time and interprets its depositional processes and palaeoenvironmental setting. Despite numerous orbital observations of fluvial landforms on the surface of Mars, ground‐based characterization of the sedimentology of such fluvial deposits has not previously been possible. Results from the NASA Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover provide an opportunity to reconstruct at fine scale the sedimentary architecture and palaeomorphology of a fluvial environment on Mars. This work describes the grain size, texture and sedimentary facies of the Shaler outcrop, reconstructs the bedding architecture, and analyses cross‐stratification to determine palaeocurrents. On the basis of bedset geometry and inclination, grain‐size distribution and bedform migration direction, this study concludes that the Shaler outcrop probably records the accretion of a fluvial barform. The majority of the outcrop consists of large‐scale trough cross‐bedding of coarse sand and granules. Palaeocurrent analyses and bedform reconstruction indicate that the beds were deposited by bedforms that migrated towards the north‐east, across the surface of a bar that migrated south‐east. Stacked cosets of dune cross‐bedding suggest aggradation of multiple bedforms, which provides evidence for short periods of sustained flow during Shaler deposition. However, local evidence for aeolian reworking and the presence of potential desiccation cracks within the outcrop suggest that fluvial deposition may have been intermittent. The uppermost strata at Shaler are distinct in terms of texture and chemistry and are inferred to record deposition from a different sediment dispersal system with a contrasting provenance. The outcrop as a whole is a testament to the availability of liquid water on the surface of Mars in its early history.  相似文献   

Assimilation of thermal emission spectrometer atmospheric data during the Mars Global Surveyor aerobraking period     

Stephen R. Lewis  Peter L. Read  Barney J. Conrath  John C. Pearl  Michael D. Smith 《Icarus》2007,192(2):327-347

The Thermal Emission Spectrometer aboard the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft has produced an extensive atmospheric data set, beginning during aerobraking and continuing throughout the extended scientific mapping phase. Temperature profiles for the atmosphere below about 40 km, surface temperatures and total dust and water ice opacities, can be retrieved from infrared spectra in nadir viewing mode. This paper describes assimilation of nadir retrievals from the spacecraft aerobraking period, L_S=190°–260°, northern hemisphere autumn to winter, into a Mars general circulation model. The assimilation scheme is able to combine information from temperature and dust optical depth retrievals, making use of a model forecast containing information from the assimilation of earlier observations, to obtain a global, time-dependent analysis. Given sufficient temperature retrievals, the assimilation procedure indicates errors in the a priori dust distribution assumptions even when lacking dust observations; in this case there are relatively cold regions above the poles compared to a model which assumes a horizontally-uniform dust distribution. One major reason for using assimilation techniques is in order to investigate the transient wave behavior on Mars. Whilst the data from the 2-h spacecraft mapping orbit phase is much more suitable for assimilation, even the longer (45–24 h) period aerobraking orbit data contain useful information about the three-dimensional synoptic-scale martian circulation which the assimilation procedure can reconstruct in a consistent way. Assimilations from the period of the Noachis regional dust storm demonstrate that the combined assimilation of temperature and dust retrievals has a beneficial impact on the atmospheric analysis.  相似文献   

Point pattern analysis of north polar crescentic dunes, Mars: A geography of dune self-organization     

Mark A. Bishop 《Icarus》2007,191(1):151-157

The geographic signature of dune distribution and self-organization as measured by the R-statistic offers a viewpoint on the geography of crescentic eolian systems and proposes an index from which to determine the degree of self-organization across a variety of spatial scales. Fields of simple dunes (dome, barchan, barchan-seif) are comparatively less regular in distribution than are those fields, or part thereof, that consist of compound (barchanoid) morphologies whose patterns are more highly regular.  相似文献   

Antarctic dry valleys: Microclimate zonation, variable geomorphic processes, and implications for assessing climate change on Mars     

David R. Marchant  James W. Head III 《Icarus》2007,192(1):187-222

The Antarctic Dry Valleys (ADV) are generally classified as a hyper-arid, cold-polar desert. The region has long been considered an important terrestrial analog for Mars because of its generally cold and dry climate and because it contains a suite of landforms at macro-, meso-, and microscales that closely resemble those occurring on the martian surface. The extreme hyperaridity of both Mars and the ADV has focused attention on the importance of salts and brines on soil development, phase transitions from liquid water to water ice, and ultimately, on process geomorphology and landscape evolution at a range of scales on both planets. The ADV can be subdivided into three microclimate zones: a coastal thaw zone, an inland mixed zone, and a stable upland zone; zones are defined on the basis of summertime measurements of atmospheric temperature, soil moisture, and relative humidity. Subtle variations in these climate parameters result in considerable differences in the distribution and morphology of: (1) macroscale features (e.g., slopes and gullies); (2) mesoscale features (e.g., polygons, including ice-wedge, sand-wedge, and sublimation-type polygons, as well as viscous-flow features, including solifluction lobes, gelifluction lobes, and debris-covered glaciers); and (3) microscale features (e.g., rock-weathering processes/features, including salt weathering, wind erosion, and surface pitting). Equilibrium landforms are those features that formed in balance with environmental conditions within fixed microclimate zones. Some equilibrium landforms, such as sublimation polygons, indicate the presence of extensive near-surface ice; identification of similar landforms on Mars may also provide a basis for detecting the location of shallow ice. Landforms that today appear in disequilibrium with local microclimate conditions in the ADV signify past and/or ongoing shifts in climate zonation; understanding these shifts is assisting in the documentation of the climate record for the ADV. A similar type of landform analysis can be applied to the surface of Mars where analogous microclimates and equilibrium landforms occur (1) in a variety of local environments, (2) in different latitudinal bands, and (3) in units of different ages. Documenting the nature and evolution of the ADV microclimate zones and their associated geomorphic processes is helping to provide a quantitative framework for assessing the evolution of climate on Mars.  相似文献   

The shielding effect of small-scale martian surface geometry on ultraviolet flux   总被引：2，自引：0，他引：2  

J.E. Moores  P.H. Smith  R. Tanner  A.C. Schuerger  K.J. Venkateswaran 《Icarus》2007,192(2):417-433

The atmosphere of Mars does little to attenuate incoming ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Large amounts of UV radiation sterilize the hardiest of terrestrial organisms within minutes, and chemically alter the soil such that organic molecules at or near the surface are rapidly destroyed. Thus the survival of any putative martian life near the surface depends to a large extent on how much UV radiation it receives. Variations in small-scale geometry of the surface such as pits, trenches, flat faces and overhangs can have a significant effect on the incident UV flux and may create “safe havens” for organisms and organic molecules. In order to examine this effect, a 1-D radiative transfer sky model with 836 meshed points (plus the Sun) was developed which includes both diffuse and direct components of the surface irradiance. This model derives the variation of UV flux with latitude and an object's Geometric Shielding Ratio (a ratio which describes the geometry of each situation). The best protection is offered by overhangs with flux reduced to a factor of 1.8±0.2×10⁻⁵ of the unprotected value, a reduction which does not vary significantly by latitude. Pits and cracks are less effective with a reduction in UV flux of only up to 4.5±0.5×10⁻³ for the modeled scenarios; however, they are more effective for the same geometric shielding ratio than overhangs at high latitudes due to the low height of the Sun in the sky. Lastly, polar faces of rocks have the least effective shielding geometry with at most a 1.1±0.1×10⁻¹ reduction in UV flux. Polar faces of rocks are most effective at mid latitudes where the Sun is never directly overhead, as at tropical latitudes, and never exposes the back of the rock, as at polar latitudes. In the most favorable cases, UV flux is sufficiently reduced such that organic in-fall could accumulate beneath overhanging surfaces and in pits and cracks. As well, hardy terrestrial microorganisms such as Bacillus pumilus could persist for up to 100 sols on the outer surfaces of typical spacecraft or several tens of martian years in the most shielded surface niches.  相似文献   

Valley formation on martian volcanoes in the Hesperian: Evidence for melting of summit snowpack, caldera lake formation, drainage and erosion on Ceraunius Tholus     

Caleb I. Fassett 《Icarus》2007,189(1):118-135

Ceraunius Tholus, a Hesperian-aged volcano in the Tharsis region, is characterized by small radial valleys on its flanks, and several larger valleys originating near its summit caldera. All of these large valleys drain from near the lowest present portion of the caldera rim and down the flanks of the volcano. The largest valley debauches into Rahe Crater (an oblique impact crater), forming a depositional fan. Recent study of climate change on Mars suggests that many low-latitude regions (especially large volcanic edifices) were periodically the sites of snow accumulation, likely triggered by variations in spin orbital parameters. We apply a conductive heat flow model to Ceraunius Tholus that suggests that following magmatic intrusion, sufficient heating would be available to cause basal melting of any accumulated summit snowpack and produce sufficient meltwater to cause the radial valleys. The geometry of the volcano summit caldera suggests that meltwater would also accumulate in a volumetrically significant caldera lake. Analysis of the morphology and volumes of the largest valley, as well as depositional features at its base, suggest that fluvial erosion due to drainage of this summit caldera lake formed the large valleys, in a manner analogous to how valleys were formed catastrophically from a lake in Aniakchak caldera in Alaska. Moreover, the event which carved the largest valley on Ceraunius Tholus appears to have led to the formation of a temporary lake within Rahe Crater, at its base. The more abundant, small valleys on the flanks are interpreted to form by radial drainage of melted ice or snow from the outside of the caldera rim. Comparison of Ceraunius Tholus with the volcano-capping Icelandic ice sheet Myrdalsjokull provides insight into the detailed mechanisms of summit heating, ice-cap accumulation and melting, and meltwater drainage. These observations further underline the importance of a combination of circumstances (i.e., climate change to produce summit snowpack and an active period of magmatism to produce melting) to form the valley systems on some martian volcanoes and not on others.  相似文献   

Intracrystalline lipids within sulfates from the Haughton Impact Structure—Implications for survival of lipids on Mars     

Stephen A. Bowden  John Parnell 《Icarus》2007,187(2):422-429

Lipids can be present within gypsum as intracrystalline inclusions if they become incorporated within the mineral as is it precipitates. The lipids that comprise these inclusions are protected against alteration or destruction by an external oxidising chemical environment because a protective mineral matrix surrounds them. Sulfate minerals are abundant on the surface of Mars and were present in the samples that were analysed by the Viking landers. The quantities of secondary intracrystalline fossil-lipids that are present in samples of gypsum and gypsum-rich soils from the Haughton Impact Structure, Devon Island, Canadian High Arctic are sufficient to suggest that if a similar concentration of fossil lipids was present in the sulfate-rich samples analysed by the Viking Landers then they could have been detected. Possible reasons why a secondary fossil-lipid signature was not detected include a poor rate of conversion during pyrolysis, exposure of intracrystalline lipids during periods of weathering to oxidative martian diagenesis, a low level of biological productivity or an absence of a source for lipids on the surface of Mars. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons of meteoritic origin, and terpane biomarkers such as hopanes and steranes, are not present in the Haughton gypsum in sufficient quantities to have been readily detected.  相似文献