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The Sedimentary Archive of Atmospheric Co2 on Mars 51st Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (2020) 1293.pdf 1 1 THE SEDIMENTARY ARCHIVE OF ATMOSPHERIC CO2 ON MARS. L. E. Kissick , N. J. Tosca , and T. A. Mather1, 1Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3AN, UK ([email protected]). 2+ Introduction: Mars’ “missing” carbonates ite and natural forsterite (Fo: Mg2SiO4; Fo>90). Fe and Carbon dioxide was likely the main constituent of Mg2+ are two common cations derived from Mars’ Mars’ Noachian atmosphere given expected outgassing mafic crust and so are readily available to react with behaviour during crustal formation, yet carbonate- both ground- and surface waters. Strictly anoxic condi- bearing bedrock exposures (namely the Fe(II)- tions were maintained to simulate Mars’ lack of O2 by carbonate siderite; FeCO3) remain surprisingly rare at conducting all experiments and analytical preparation the surface [1, 2]. Nevertheless, carbonates have long techniques within N2/H2 glove-boxes maintained at 0 been recognised within Martian meteorites, often asso- ppm O2. Experiments ran over intervals of 12 hours to ciated with minerals that require at least neutral pH to 85 days, were each sampled regularly at 10 intervals, form [e.g., 3]. Carbonate-rich rocks have also been and the solutions filtered for later analysis. Upon each recognised from orbit in Noachian terrains, especially experiment’s termination, solids were filtered. where subsurface lithologies are exposed [e.g., 2]. This Results: Conditions for carbonatE prEcipitation suggests that some environments on the early martian Solution samples were analysed via both Inductive- surface produced carbonates while others did not. ly Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry and At least two possibilities may account for the rela- Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. In all tive paucity and stratigraphic distribution of carbonate experiments, under the equivalent of 0.1 to 1.0 bar of minerals on Mars: either 1) the partial pressure of Noa- atmospheric CO2, multiple solution samples exceeded chian CO2 was significantly lower than the ~1 bar re- the saturation point of siderite. Thermodynamically, quired to stabilise liquid water [4], raising to question this predicts the formation of a precipitate. This is what alternative atmosphere supported the early Mar- graphically represented in in Figure 1, where the Fe2+ tian surface; or 2) carbonate formation on early Mars activity of all solution samples (aFe2+ = cFe2+ × yFe2+, was strongly controlled by kinetic factors that may where a is activity, c is Fe2+ molar concentration, and y have restricted deposition to specific environments. is the activity coefficient of Fe2+) is displayed against In this study we experimentally investigate the lat- the corresponding solution pH in separate graphs for ter, and reproduce in the laboratory anoxic water-rock dissolved CO2 levels. From left to right in each graph, interactions between acidified fluids and ferromagne- the grey lines represent saturation states (or Ω, where sian minerals to more closely examine the processes Ω = [aFe2+][aCO32-]/Ksp, and Ksp is the solubility product that control the precipitation of Fe(II)-carbonates. of siderite) of 1 (beyond which a precipitate is thermo- Methods: ExpErimEntal geochemistry dynamically predicted), 100, and 5000, the latter two We conducted water-rock interaction experiments being highly super-saturated. The heavier grey line is within closed vessels at varying water-rock ratios the limit beyond which Fe(II)-carbonate spontaneously (W/R; at 1:1 or 1:500), initial pH (2 or 4), and dis- nucleates from solution0.1 pCO as amorphous Fe(II)-carbonate0.5 pCO 2 2 solved CO2 content (0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 bars equivalent (AFC) [8], which is a metastable precursor to siderite. 10-2 10-2 atmospheric CO2). As a planet in atmospheric decline from ~3.7-3.0 Ga, Mars is expected to have grown Figure 1: Fe2+ activity and pH of all solution samples drier and more acidic through time; our variety of pa- for anoxic water-rock interaction experiments conduct- activity activity ed unde10-4 r 0.1-1.0 bar CO2. Grey lines represent10-4 siderite rameters reflect both Mars’ earlier, more clement con- 2+ 2+ ditions, as well as its transition to the present day’s saturaFe tion states of 1, 100, and 5000 (leftFe -right); heavy aridity. These solutions were added to either pure syn- grey line is the AFC line [8]. Initial pH of experiments thetic fayalite (Fa: Fe2SiO4), or a mixture of both fayal- are red (pH2 2) or blue4 (pH6 4). 8 2 4 6 8 pH pH 0.1 0.1pCO pCOpCO2 0.5 0.5pCOpCO pCO2 1.01.0 p COCO2 2 2 2 2 2 10-210-2 10-210-2 10-2 Fe-bearing, pH 2 Fe-bearing, pH 4 Fe-Mg-bearing, pH 2 activity activity activity activity activity 10-410-4 10-410-4 10-4 Fe-Mg-bearing, pH 4 2+ 2+ 2+ 2+ 2+ Fe Fe Fe Fe Fe Fe-bearing, low w/r, pH 2 Fe-bearing, low w/r, pH 4 2 2 4 4 6 6 8 8 2 2 4 4 6 6 8 8 2 4 6 8 pH pH pH pH pH 1.0 1.0CO CO 2 2 10-210-2 activity activity 10-410-4 2+ 2+ Fe Fe 2 2 4 4 6 6 8 8 pH pH 51st Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (2020) 1293.pdf after sufficient residence time within a mafic substrate. Under such an environment, migrating fluids become buffered to highly alkaline pH from mafic wall-rock alteration, which may overwhelm the acidity contribut- ed by a high pCO2 atmosphere. Oxygen species are also lost, and Fe remains in the reduced state. Fe2+ in solution then precipitates in the presence of high alka- linity and CO2, which may migrate into the system from the atmosphere, to produce Fe(II)-carbonate. This is in contrast to surface waters, which, in equilibrium with a CO2-rich atmosphere, will be buffered to mild acidity and be less likely to cross requisite nucleation thresholds for Fe(II)-carbonate. Figure 2: Aligned nanometre-scaled precipitates upon The above scenarios require liquid water, reducing a fayalite grain. EDS shows elevated carbon levels for conditions, and a source of CO2, which are all met in this sample than unreacted or other reacted solids. the Noachian era of anticipated higher temperatures and a substantial CO2 atmosphere. This is consistent While many solution samples display siderite satu- with Fe(II)-carbonate identification in some of the old- ration states that exceed 1, only experiments bearing est terrains on Mars exposed via impact [e.g., 2, 7, 9]. both fayalite and forsterite (denoted by squares) exceed These exposures are windows into an ancient, aqueous, supersaturation levels of 100, and most of these are Fe2+-rich, neutral-to-alkaline environment once in con- experiments begun at pH 4 (blue, 11 out of 14) and tact with CO2-bearing fluids, which agrees with the more commonly where CO2 levels are highest (9 sam- criteria for Fe(II)-carbonate formation observed in our ples for 1.0 compared to 1 for 0.1). This suggests under experimental research. Attributing a lack of Fe(II)- a wide range of conditions, siderite saturation state carbonates on Mars to a lack of atmospheric CO2 is failed to reach the point of spontaneous nucleation. therefore unreasonable considering strict parameters of Only one datapoint exceeds the AFC line: one bearing pH and a Fe2+ must also be met for their precipitation. Fa/Fo, begun at pH 4, and under 1.0 bar CO2. Conclusions: The corresponding experiment for this datapoint Our experiments demonstrate that Fe(II)-carbonate reached the highest pH recorded (8.2). It was the only precipitation is subject to strong kinetic control under experiment of 162 to yield a possible precipitate: na- chemical conditions relevant to the early Martian sur- nometre-scale plates were observed via Scanning Elec- face. This can explain why carbonate minerals are rare tron Microscopy (SEM; see Figure 2). Energy Disper- at the surface but more abundant with depth, and is sive X-Ray Spectrometry (EDS) determined elevated consistent with the current inventory of Fe(II)- levels of carbon present in the phase; due to their size, carbonates. This research also suggests the rarity of the specific phase could not be determined with the carbon stored in the Martian sedimentary record can be analytical techniques employed thus far. attributed not to low atmospheric CO2 but to a rarity of Discussion: CO2 in thE Martian rock rEcord both deep carbonate exposures and the combined fac- What are the prerequisites for carbonate for- tors that enable their precipitation. mation? Set in a kinetic framework, our experimental Acknowledgements: data indicate that anoxic water-rock systems on Mars L. E. Kissick gratefully acknowledges the support evolve along a chemical pathway that only surpasses of the Planetary Science Institute’s Pierazzo Interna- the threshold for spontaneous Fe(II)-carbonate nuclea- tional Student Travel Award, which fully enabled the tion under the combined conditions of: high Fe2+ activ- presentation of this research at LPSC. ity; high alkalinity; and high dissolved CO2, whereby RefErEncEs: [1] Leshin L. A. et al. (2013) Science, pH and Fe2+ activity must reach higher levels in a 0.1 341, 1238937. [2] Wray J. J. et al. (2016) JGR: Plan- bar scenario than a 1.0 bar. We can best explain Fe(II)- ets, 121, 652-677. [3] McSween H. Y. and Harvey R. carbonate distribution on Mars by asking, where would P. (1998) Int. Geol. Rev., 40, 774-783. [4] Bristow T. these criteria best combine, and accordingly, where is F. et al. (2017) PNAS, 114, 2166-2170.
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