Monday, July 27, 1998 MARTIAN AND SNC METEORITES I 1:30 p.m. Walton Theatre Chairs: M. M. Grady G. A. McKay Jakeš P.* Martian Volatiles: Could They be Still at the Surface? Stephan T.* Rost D. Jessberger E. K. Greshake A. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons are Everywhere in Allan Hills 84001 Sephton M. A. Gilmour I.* A “Unique” Distribution of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Allan Hills 84001, or a Selective Attack in Meteorites from Mars? Steele A.* Goddard D. T. Toporski J. K. W. Stapleton D. Wynn-Williams D. D. McKay D. S. Terrestrial Contamination of an Antarctic Chondrite Greenwood J. P.* Riciputi L. R. Taylor L. A. McSween H. Y. Jr. Hydrothermal Modification of Sulfides in Nakhla, Lafayette, and Chassigny Baker L.* Franchi I. A. Wright I. P. Pillinger C. T. Oxygen Isotopes in Water from Martian Meteorites Vicenzi E. P.* Eiler J. Oxygen-Isotopic Composition and High-Resolution Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry Imaging of Martian Carbonate in Lafayette Meteorite Saxton J. M.* Lyon I. C. Turner G. Oxygen-Isotopic Composition of Nakhla Siderite: Implications for Martian Volatiles Bridges J. C.* Grady M. M. Traces of Martian Sediment in Nakhla and Other SNC Meteorites McSween H. Y. Jr.* Harvey R. P. Brine Evaporation: An Alternative Model for the Formation of Carbonates in Allan Hills 84001 Warren P. H.* Petrologic Evidence for Low-Temperature, Possible Flood-Evaporitic Origin of Carbonates in the Allan Hills 84001 Meteorite Schwandt C. S.* Hörz F. Haynes G. Lofgren G. E. Shock Experiments Using Homestake Formation as an Analog for the Carbonate in Meteorite Allan Hills 84001 Scott E. R. D.* Krot A. N. Formation of Preimpact, Interstitial Carbonates in the Allan Hills 84001 Martian Meteorite Eiler J. M.* Valley J. W. Graham C. M. Fournelle J. Geochemistry of Carbonates and Glass in Allan Hills 84001 * Denotes Speaker Boctor N. Z.* Wang J. Alexander C. M. O’D. Hauri E. Bertka C. M. Fei Y. Hydrogen-Isotopic Studies of Carbonate and Phosphate in Martian Meteorite Allan Hills 84001 Pillinger C. T. Sims M. R.* Beagle 2: A Lander for Mars * Denotes Speaker MARTIAN VOLATILES. COULD THEY BE STILL AT THE SURFACE? P. Jakeš, Institute of Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Mineral Resources, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Albertov 6, Praha 2, Czech Republic. The presence of volcanic rocks and the presence of 2NaAlSi3O8 + 2CO2 + 11H2O—> + – water at the martian surface seem to be firmly estab- Al2Si2O5(OH)4 + 2Na + 2HCO3 + 4H4SiO4 lished .The fate of martian volatiles remains mystery (albite) (kaolinite) however. Loss to space and formation of cryosphere (formation of subsurface frozen layer) were advocated. Ocean formed through such weathering has alkaline Beforehand however vigorous isotopic exchange be- character because of high solubility of Na+ and K+ car- ++ tween volatiles and surface rocks have taken place [1]. bonates whereas Ca precipitates in CaCO3. Soda Volcanos in Tharsis region, mineral and chemical ocean (on the Earth) is in equilibrium with the atmos- composition of martian meteorites, composition of Vi- phere that lacks atmospheric molecular O and is com- king and Mars Pathfinder sites [2], leave no doubt that positionally similar to alkaline lakes in volcanic areas volcanism has played an important role in evolution of (Turkey, East African rift zone) and soda lakes in ter- Mars. Also the plains and old cratered terrains are in- restrial non-drained environments (Basin and Range terpreted to be volcanic. The total volume of volcanic province). material produced through martian history was esti- The reaction of soda ocean and infalling pyroclastic mated [3] to be 68.80 × 106km3. This is rather conser- rocks of basaltic composition results in the formation of vative value comparing to other authors and the esti- zeolites[7,8]. mates of total volume of magmatic products are compa- rable to the size of the martian crust. NaAlSi3O8 + H2O —> NaAlSi2O6.H2O + SiO2 The amount of water that was released varies[4,5]. albite + water zeolite (analcime) + quartz Clifford [5] estimates that the northern hemisphere ocean was 102–103 m deep and the amount of water was Because of their properties zeolites could influence 6.5 × 107 km3. Model of martian hydrosphere [5] sug- the behavior of volatiles in early Mars and early Earth. gests that the amount of outgassed water exceeds vol- Rather sudden decrease of volatiles contents in the ume of cryosphere calling thus for subpermafrost Mars atmosphere may have been caused by the intense ground water system. volcanism and formation of zeolites that have a re- It is highly likely that substantial part of volcanic markable adsorption features. activity has taken place in form of pyroclastic erup- A natural zeolite is a framework alumo-silicate whose tions. In terrestrial environment pyroclastic deposits are structure contains channels filled with water and ex- associated with the presence of water in magma and changeable cations. Ion exchange is possible at low with “bubble bursting” when pyroclastic deposits are temperature (100°C at the most) and water is lost usu- formed. The similarity of volatile element composition ally in steps in a large range of temperatures (150° to in martian atmosphere and SNC meteorites suggests 400°C) mostly at about 250°C and reversibly re- and numerous authors have argued that loss of the adsorbed at room temperature. The general formula for volatiles occurred in the early history of Mars. natural zeolites is The history of early outgassing is apparently similar for the Earth and Mars though later evolution has taken (Li,Na,K)a(Mg,Ca,Sr,Ba)d[Al(a+2d)Sin-(a+2d)O2n] mH2O different paths. The idea of origin of the atmosphere and hydrosphere [6] via analogy with the recent vol- where the part in square brackets represents the canic gasses (H2O, CO2, H2S) suggests that Earth’s O- framework atoms and the part outside the square bearing atmosphere is secondary and its chemistry re- brackets represents the extra framework atoms, cations sults from the evolution of life. In order to compensate plus water molecules and allows enormous mineralogi- for the faint Sun in the early history of Earth as well as cal variability within the zeolite family and also within Mars greenhouse gasses CO2, methane, ammonia a single zeolitic species [7]. In place of water the gases served as temperature regulators. And warmer and can be adsorbed, up to 10 wt% in case of CO2 or O2. wetter climate has been proposed for Mars. This feature is employed during the separation of gases The presence of water, high CO2 in the atmosphere in landfills. Thus zeolites could be responsible for the and warm climate lead to intense weathering of sili- vigorous exchange (isotopic exchange) between the cates, consumption of CO2 and formation of protoocean crust and atmosphere. which is “soda ocean” rather than modern “halite Scenario for Mars (and idea of zeolite presence in ocean”[6]. martian surface is not new [9]) involves intense weath- ering, formation of alkaline “soda ocean”, very intense Martian Volatiles: P. Jakeš basaltic volcanism followed by formation of zeolites and exchange cations with the change of temperature and the absence of plate tectonics that allows among conditions (e.g., diurnal adsorption of water and gas- other processes the circulation of water between litho- ses). sphere and hydrosphere reservoirs. Jakosky and Jones [1] have noted that “the isotopic evidence requires sub- stantial exchange of volatiles between the atmosphere References: [1] Jakosky B., and Jones J., (1997) and the crust of Mars. This exchange must have post- Rev. Geophys., 35, 1–16. [2] Rieder R. et al. (1997) dated the early periods that included the hydrodynamic Science, 278, 1771. [3] Greeley R. and Schneid R. outflow epochs as well as the earliest epochs recorded (1991) Science, 254, 996–998. [4] Clifford S. M. in the geologic history”. These processes have taken (1993) JGR Planets, 98, 10973–11016. [5] Rubey W. place during occasional warmer and wetter environ- W. (1951) Geol. Soc. Amer. Bull., 62, 1111–1148. [6] ments, probably in soda ocean in the presence of zeo- Kempe S. and Degens E. T.(1985) Chem. Geol, 53, 95– lites. In the search for the non-atmospheric reservoir of 108. [7] Gottardi G. and Galli E. (1985) Natural zeo- volatiles. Zeolites are excellent candidates. In the lites, Springer-Verlag. [8] Basu A., Schmitt J., and search for extremophile (martian) organism zeolites Crossey L. J., (1998) LPSC XXIX, CD. [9] Golden D. should be looked closely since catalytic features in di- C., Morris R. V., and Ming D. W. (1993) JGR, 98, rect toward and their ability to act as molecular sieves 3401–3411. POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS ARE EVERYWHERE IN ALLAN HILLS 84001. T. Stephan1, D. Rost1, E. K. Jessberger1, and A. Greshake2, 1Institut für Planetologie/Interdisciplinary Center for Electron Microscopy and Microanalysis, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Wilhelm-Klemm-Strasse 10, D-48149 Münster, Germany ([email protected]) 2Museum für Naturkunde, Institut für Mineralogie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstrasse 43, D-10115 Berlin, Germany. Introduction: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons three different chips of ALH84001 and were prepared (PAHs) observed on fracture surfaces of the Martian at different times in two different laboratories. This meteorite ALH 84001 were suggested as a major evi- should minimize the probability of a common con- dence for possible relic biogenic activity on our neigh- tamination with external PAHs during processing. A boring planet [1]. In general, the origin of PAHs is not section of Chassigny [4] that was treated exactly like restricted to biological processes, but the proposed one of our ALH 84001 sections and measured directly spatial association of PAHs with carbonates that in before and after ALH 84001 contained no PAHs. In an turn contain internal structures resembling terrestrial attempt to further investigate the (possible) contami- microfossils was taken as evidence for a genetic link nation problem we employed various sputtering tech- between both observations [1].