Confirmation of Soluble Sulfate at the Phoenix Landing Site: Implications for Martian Geochemistry and HabitabilityOver the past several decades, elemental sulfur in martian soils and rocks has been detected by a number of missions using X-ray spectroscopy [1-3]. Optical spectroscopy has also provided evidence for widespread sulfates on Mars [4,5]. The ubiquitous presence of sulfur in soils has been interpreted as a widely distributed sulfate mineralogy [6]. However, direct confirmation as to the identity and solubility of the sulfur species in martian soil has never been obtained. One goal of the Wet Chemistry Laboratory (WCL) [7] on board the 2007 Phoenix Mars Lander [8] was to determine soluble sulfate in the martian soil. The WCL received three primary samples. Each sample was added to 25 mL of leaching solution and analysed for solvated ionic species, pH, and conductivity [9,10]. The analysis also showed a discrepancy between charge balance, ionic strength, and conductivity, suggesting unidentified anionic species.
Document ID
20100003843
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Extended Abstract
Authors
Kounaves, S. P. (Tufts Univ. Medford, MA, United States)
Hecht, M. H. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Kapit, J. (Tufts Univ. Medford, MA, United States)
Quinn, R. C. (NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Catling, D. C. (Washington Univ. Seattle, WA, United States)
Clark, B. C. (Space Science Inst. Boulder, CO, United States)
Ming, D. W. (NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Gospodinova, K. (Tufts Univ. Medford, MA, United States)
Hredzak, P. (Tufts Univ. Medford, MA, United States)
McElhoney, K. (Tufts Univ. Medford, MA, United States)
Shusterman, J. (Tufts Univ. Medford, MA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 25, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2010
Subject Category
Geophysics
Report/Patent Number
JSC-CN-19612
Meeting Information
Meeting: Lunar and Planetary Science Conference
Location: The Woodlands, TX
Country: United States
Start Date: March 1, 2010
End Date: March 5, 2010
Sponsors: NASA Headquarters, Lunar and Planetary Inst.