Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Originally published in Science Express on 17 February 2005
Science 11 March 2005:
Vol. 307. no. 5715, pp. 1594 - 1597
DOI: 10.1126/science.1109098
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Reports

Olivine and Pyroxene Diversity in the Crust of Mars

J. F. Mustard,1* F. Poulet,2 A. Gendrin,2 J.-P. Bibring,2 Y. Langevin,2 B. Gondet,2 N. Mangold,3 G. Bellucci,4 F. Altieri4

Datafromthe Observatoire pour la Minéralogie, l'Eau, les Glaces, et l'Activité (OMEGA) on the Mars Express spacecraft identify the distinct mafic, rock-forming minerals olivine, low-calcium pyroxene (LCP), and high-calcium pyroxene (HCP) on the surface of Mars. Olivine- and HCP-rich regions are found in deposits that span the age range of geologic units. However, LCP-rich regions are found only in the ancient Noachian-aged units, which suggests that melts for these deposits were derived from a mantle depleted in aluminum and calcium. Extended dark regions in the northern plains exhibit no evidence of strong mafic absorptions or absorptions due to hydrated materials.

1 Geological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA.
2 Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale, Bâtiment 121, 91405 Orsay Campus, France.
3 IDES, Bâtiment 509, 91405 Orsay Campus, France.
4 IFSI-INAF, Rome, Italy.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: john_mustard{at}brown.edu

Read the Full Text


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Opaline silica in young deposits on Mars.
R.E. Milliken, G.A. Swayze, R.E. Arvidson, J.L. Bishop, R.N. Clark, B.L. Ehlmann, R.O. Green, J.P. Grotzinger, R.V. Morris, S.L. Murchie, et al. (2008)
Geology 36, 847-850
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Olivine dissolution by acidic fluids in Argyre Planitia, Mars: Evidence for a widespread process?.
J. L. Bandfield and A. D. Rogers (2008)
Geology 36, 579-582
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Occurrence, composition and growth of polyhedral serpentine.
M. Andreani, O. Grauby, A. Baronnet, and M. Munoz (2008)
European Journal of Mineralogy 20, 159-171
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Using a mineral lifetime diagram to evaluate the persistence of olivine on Mars.
A. A. Olsen and J. D. Rimstidt (2007)
American Mineralogist 92, 598-602
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Reflectance spectroscopy (0.3-2.5 {micro}m) at various scales for bulk-rock identification.
M. Sgavetti, L. Pompilio, and S. Meli (2006)
Geosphere 2, 142-160
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Global mineralogical and aqueous mars history derived from OMEGA/Mars Express data..
J.-P. Bibring, Y. Langevin, J. F. Mustard, F. Poulet, R. Arvidson, A. Gendrin, B. Gondet, N. Mangold, P. Pinet, F. Forget, et al. (2006)
Science 312, 400-404
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Ancient Mars: Wet in Many Places.
D. A. Paige (2005)
Science 307, 1575-1576
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Spectral Reflectance and Morphologic Correlations in Eastern Terra Meridiani, Mars.
R. E. Arvidson, F. Poulet, J.-P. Bibring, M. Wolff, A. Gendrin, R. V. Morris, J. J. Freeman, Y. Langevin, N. Mangold, and G. Bellucci (2005)
Science 307, 1591-1594
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Sulfates in Martian Layered Terrains: The OMEGA/Mars Express View.
A. Gendrin, N. Mangold, J.-P. Bibring, Y. Langevin, B. Gondet, F. Poulet, G. Bonello, C. Quantin, J. Mustard, R. Arvidson, et al. (2005)
Science 307, 1587-1591
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Mars Surface Diversity as Revealed by the OMEGA/Mars Express Observations.
J.-P. Bibring, Y. Langevin, A. Gendrin, B. Gondet, F. Poulet, M. Berthe, A. Soufflot, R. Arvidson, N. Mangold, J. Mustard, et al. (2005)
Science 307, 1576-1581
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)