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Carbonates identified by the Curiosity rover indicate a carbon cycle operated on ancient Mars

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journal contribution
posted on 2025-05-07, 14:42 authored by Benjamin M Tutolo, Elisabeth M Hausrath, Edwin S Kite, Elizabeth B Rampe, Thomas F Bristow, Robert T Downs, Allan Treiman, Tanya S Peretyazhko, Michael T Thorpe, John P Grotzinger, Amelie L Roberts, P Douglas Archer, David J Des Marais, David F Blake, David T Vaniman, Shaunna M Morrison, Steve Chipera, Robert M Hazen, Richard V Morris, Valerie M Tu, Sarah L Simpson, Aditi Pandey, Albert Yen, Stephen R Larter, Patricia Craig, Nicholas Castle, Douglas W Ming, Johannes M Meusburger, Abigail A Fraeman, David G Burtt, Heather B Franz, Brad Sutter, Joanna V Clark, William Rapin, John BridgesJohn Bridges, Matteo Loche, Patrick Gasda, Jens Frydenvang, Ashwin R Vasavada
Ancient Mars had surface liquid water and a dense carbon dioxide (CO 2 )–rich atmosphere. Such an atmosphere would interact with crustal rocks, potentially leaving a mineralogical record of its presence. We analyzed the composition of an 89-meter stratigraphic section of Gale crater, Mars, using data collected by the Curiosity rover. An iron carbonate mineral, siderite, occurs in abundances of 4.8 to 10.5 weight %, colocated with highly water-soluble salts. We infer that the siderite formed in water-limited conditions, driven by water-rock reactions and evaporation. Comparison with orbital data indicates that similar strata (deposited globally) sequestered the equivalent of 2.6 to 36 millibar of atmospheric CO 2 . The presence of iron oxyhydroxides in these deposits indicates that a partially closed carbon cycle on ancient Mars returned some previously sequestered CO 2 to the atmosphere.

History

Author affiliation

College of Science & Engineering Physics & Astronomy

Version

  • AM (Accepted Manuscript)

Published in

Science

Volume

388

Issue

6744

Pagination

292 - 297

Publisher

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

issn

0036-8075

eissn

1095-9203

Copyright date

2025

Available date

2025-05-07

Language

en

Deposited by

Professor John Bridges

Deposit date

2025-04-17

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