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Mineralogical Characterization of a Potential Mars-Analog Field Site: Gypsum- and Carbonate-Bearing Formations in the Quebradas Back Country, New Mexico, USAThe Quebradas Back Country field site is located approximately six miles east of Socorro, NM, USA and provides access to Pennsylvanian and Permian age sedimentary formations that record environments ranging from lacustrine to hypersaline supratidal mudflats in deposits of carbonate, sulfate, and clay minerals. These deposits demonstrate a critical climate transition from cold and wet to largely arid conditions, which may parallel the drying of ancient Mars. The Quebradas sulfate and carbonate deposits can provide insight into the formation and weathering of Mars-relevant sulfates and elucidate potential causes for the prevalence of calcium sulfate and paucity of calcium carbonate on Mars. Deciphering the environmental cues held within evaporites is particularly timely now with mounting evidence for sulfate-rich fluids in Jezero crater and the Curiosity rover analyzing the sulfate-bearing unit in Gale crater.
Document ID
20240015878
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
S J Ralston
(Amentum (United States) Dallas, Texas, United States)
A Pandey
(Lunar and Planetary Institute Houston, Texas, United States)
T S Peretyazhko
(Amentum (United States) Dallas, Texas, United States)
B Sutter
(Amentum (United States) Dallas, Texas, United States)
D S Jones
(New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Socorro, New Mexico, United States)
Date Acquired
December 11, 2024
Subject Category
Lunar and Planetary Science and Exploration
Meeting Information
Meeting: 56th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC)
Location: The Woodlands, TX
Country: US
Start Date: March 10, 2025
End Date: March 14, 2025
Sponsors: Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI), National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: 80JSC022DA035
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Portions of document may include copyright protected material.
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