June 2006 Volume 2, Number 3 ISSN 1811-5209 WaterWater onon MarsMars Geomorphological Evidence Orbital Search for Alteration Materials Water at the Poles and in Permafrost Regions Aqueous Processes Recorded by Martian Meteorites Water at Meridiani Water and Possible Martian Life ABOUT THE COVER: Elements is published jointly by the Volume 2, Number 3 • June 2006 This mosaic of THEMIS daytime Mineralogical Society of America, the infrared images shows the densely Mineralogical Society of Great Britain dissected region of Warrego and Ireland, the Mineralogical Association Valles, Mars, located near 43° S, of Canada, the Geochemical Society, 266° E. The dissection was likely caused by some form of water The Clay Minerals Society, the European Water on Mars 135 erosion, possibly due to surface Association for Geochemistry, the Inter- Harry Y. McSween Jr., Guest Editor runoff during a period of warmer national Association of GeoChemistry, climate or to subsurface runoff and the Société Française de Minéralogie associated with the melting of a et de Cristallographie. It is provided as layer of snow or ice. This image a benefit to members of these societies. Geomorphological Evidence covers an area of ~120 × 160 km at a resolution of 100 m per pixel. Elements is published six times a year. 139 for Water on Mars IMAGE CREDIT NASA/JPL/ARIZONA Individuals are encouraged to join any Victor R. Baker STATE UNIVERSITY one of the participating societies to receive Elements. Institutional subscribers to any of the following journals The Orbital Search for Altered Materials on Mars —American Mineralogist, The Canadian 145 Mineralogist, Clays and Clay Minerals, Michael B. Wyatt and Harry Y. McSween Jr. Mineralogical Magazine, and Clay Minerals—will also receive Elements as part of their 2006 subscription. Institu- tional subscriptions are available for 151 Water at the Poles and in Permafrost US$125 a year in 2006. Contact the Regions of Mars managing editor ([email protected]) Philip R. Christensen for information. Copyright ©2006 by the Mineralogical Society of America Aqueous Processes Recorded by Martian 157 Meteorites: Analyzing Martian Water on Earth All rights reserved. Reproduction in any Laurie A. Leshin and Edward Vicenzi form, including translation to other languages, or by any means—graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or information storage Evidence for Water at Meridiani 163 Bradley L. Jolliff, Scott M. McLennan, and the Athena Science Team and retrieval systems—without written permission from the copyright holder is strictly prohibited. Publications mail agreement Water on Mars and the Prospect of Martian Life no. 40037944 169 Andrew H. Knoll and John Grotzinger Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: PO Box 503 RPO West Beaver Creek Departments Richmond Hill, ON L4B 4R6 Editorial . 131 Printed in Canada From the Editors . 132 ISSN 1811-5209 www.elementsmagazine.org Triple Point . 133 Letters to the Editors . 134 Meet the Authors . .138 Society News Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland . 174 The Clay Minerals Society . 176 European Association for Geochemistry . 178 Mineralogical Society of America . 180 Mineralogical Association of Canada . 182 International Association of GeoChemistry . 184 Geochemical Society . 185 Société Française de Minéralogie et de Cristallographie 186 International Mineralogical Association . 187 International Association for the Study of Clays . 188 Book Review . 189 Calendar . 190 Parting Shots . 192 Advertisers in this Issue . .191 129 Participating Societies The Mineralogical The Mineralogical The Geochemical (Iceland), Carsten Muenker (Germany), Society of America Association of Canada Society is an interna- Eric Oelkers (France), Graham Pearson is composed of indivi- was incorporated in tional non-profit (UK), Andrew Putnis (Germany), Susan duals interested in 1955 to promote and organization for Stipp (Denmark), Gerhard Wörner mineralogy, crystallog- advance the knowl- scientists involved in (Germany) raphy, petrology, and edge of mineralogy the practice, study, Membership information: geochemistry. Founded in 1919, the and the related disciplines of crystallo- and teaching of geochemistry. Our www.eag.eu.com/membership Society promotes, through education graphy, petrology, geochemistry, and principal roles are to provide our and research, the understanding and economic geology. Any person engaged members with programs and services The International application of mineralogy by industry, or interested in the fields of mineralo- that will help them to be better geo- Association of Geo- universities, government, and the gy, crystallography, petrology, geo- chemists; to enrich the professional Chemistry (IAGC) has public. Membership benefits include chemistry, and economic geology may development and careers of geochemists been a pre-eminent special subscription rates for American become a member of the Association. through information, education, international geo- Mineralogist as well as other journals, Membership benefits include a relationships, and resources; and to chemical organization 25% discount on Reviews in Mineralogy subscription to Elements, reduced cost advance the thought and application for over 40 years. Its principal and Geochemistry series and Mono- for subscribing to The Canadian of geochemistry. objectives are to foster cooperation graphs, Elements, reduced registration Mineralogist, a 20% discount on short Membership includes a subscription to in, and advancement of, applied geo- fees for MSA meetings and short course volumes and special publica- Elements, access to the online quarterly chemistry, by sponsoring specialist courses, and participation in a society tions, and a discount on the newsletter Geochemical News, as well as scientific symposia and the activities that supports the many facets of registration fee at our annual meeting. an optional subscription to Geochimica organized by its working groups, and mineralogy. For additional information, PRESIDENT: Kurt Kyser, Queen’s et Cosmochimica Acta (24 issues per by supporting its journal Applied contact the MSA business office. University, ON year). Members receive discounts on Geochemistry. The administration and PRESIDENT: John W. Valley, University PAST PRESIDENT: Daniel J. Kontak, publications (GS Special Publications, activities of IAGC are conducted by its of Wisconsin–Madison Nova Scotia Department of Natural MSA, Elsevier and Wiley/Jossey-Bass), Council, comprising an Executive and PAST PRESIDENT: Robert M. Hazen, Resources, NS and on conference registrations, ten ordinary members. Day-to-day Carnegie Inst. Washington VICE PRESIDENT: Peter C. Burns, including the V.M. Goldschmidt administration is performed through VICE PRESIDENT: Barb Dutrow, Louisiana University of Notre Dame, USA Conference, the fall AGU meeting, the IAGC Business Office. State University SECRETARY: David A. Fowle, University and the annual GSA meeting. For PRESIDENT: John Ludden, France SECRETARY: George Harlow, American of Kansas, USA more details on our programs or infor- VICE PRESIDENT: Russell Harmon, USA Museum of Natural History TREASURER: Martine Savard, Geological mation on how to join, please visit our SECRETARY: Attila Demeny, Hungary TREASURER: John M. Hughes, Miami Survey of Canada, Québec website at: http://gs.wustl.edu TREASURER: Gunter Faure, USA University (Ohio) Mineralogical Association of Canada PRESIDENT: Susan L. Brantley, BUSINESS MANAGER: Mel Gascoyne, SOCIETY NEWS EDITOR: Andrea Koziol, P.O. Box 78087, Meriline Postal Outlet Pennsylvania State University Canada University of Dayton 1460 Merivale Road VICE PRESIDENT: Marty Goldhaber, USGS IAGC Business Office Ottawa, ON, Canada K2E 1B1 Mineralogical Society of America Box 501 Tel.: 613-226-3642 SECRETARY: Jeremy B. Fein, University 3635 Concorde Pkwy Ste 500 Pinawa, Manitoba R0E 1L0 Canada Fax: 613-226-4651 of Notre Dame Chantilly, VA 20151-1125, USA [email protected] [email protected] TREASURER: Youxue Zhang, University Tel.: 703-652-9950 www.iagc.ca Fax: 703-652-9951 www.mineralogicalassociation.ca of Michigan [email protected] BUSINESS MANAGER: Seth Davis The Société Française The Clay Minerals www.minsocam.org Geochemical Society de Minéralogie et de Society (CMS) began Washington University Cristallographie, as the Clay Minerals The Mineralogical Earth & Planetary Sciences the French mineralogy Committee of the US One Brookings Drive, Campus Box #1169 Society of Great and crystallography National Academy of St. Louis, MO 63130-4899, USA Britain and Ireland, society, was founded Sciences – National Tel.: 314-935-4131 also known as the on March 21, 1878. The purpose of Research Council in 1952. By 1962, Fax: 314-935-4121 MinSoc, is the [email protected] the society is to promote mineralogy the CMS was incorporated with the international society http://gs.wustl.edu/ and crystallography. Membership primary purpose of stimulating for all those working in the mineral benefits include the “bulletin de research and disseminating informa- sciences. The Society aims to advance The European liaison” (in French), the European tion relating to all aspects of clay the knowledge of the science of Association for Journal of Mineralogy and now science and technology. The member- mineralogy and its application to Geochemistry was Elements, and reduced registration ship includes those interested in other subjects, including crystallogra- founded in 1985 to fees for SFMC meetings. phy, geochemistry, petrology, mineralogy,