Volatile, isotope, and organic analysis of martian fines with the Mars curiosity rover

L. A. Leshin; P. R. Mahaffy; C. R. Webster; M. Cabane; P. Coll; P. G. Conrad; P. D. Archer; S. K. Atreya; A. E. Brunner; A. Buch; J. L. Eigenbrode; G. J. Flesch; H. B. Franz; C. Freissinet; D. P. Glavin; A. C. McAdam; K. E. Miller; D. W. Ming; R. V. Morris; R. Navarro-González; P. B. Niles; T. Owen; R. O. Pepin; S. Squyres; A. Steele; J. C. Stern; R. E. Summons; D. Y. Sumner; B. Sutter; C. Szopa; S. Teinturier; M. G. Trainer; J. J. Wray; J. P. Grotzinger

doi:10.1126/science.1238937

Volatile, isotope, and organic analysis of martian fines with the Mars curiosity rover

L. A. Leshin^*, P. R. Mahaffy, C. R. Webster, M. Cabane, P. Coll, P. G. Conrad, P. D. Archer, S. K. Atreya, A. E. Brunner, A. Buch, J. L. Eigenbrode, G. J. Flesch, H. B. Franz, C. Freissinet, D. P. Glavin, A. C. McAdam, K. E. Miller, D. W. Ming, R. V. Morris, R. Navarro-GonzálezP. B. Niles, T. Owen, R. O. Pepin, S. Squyres, A. Steele, J. C. Stern, R. E. Summons, D. Y. Sumner, B. Sutter, C. Szopa, S. Teinturier, M. G. Trainer, J. J. Wray, J. P. Grotzinger

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

383 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Samples from the Rocknest aeolian deposit were heated to ∼835°C under helium flow and evolved gases analyzed by Curiosity 's Sample Analysis at Mars instrument suite. H₂O, SO₂, CO₂, and O₂ were the major gases released. Water abundance (1.5 to 3 weight percent) and release temperature suggest that H₂O is bound within an amorphous component of the sample. Decomposition of fine-grained Fe or Mg carbonate is the likely source of much of the evolved CO₂. Evolved O₂ is coincident with the release of Cl, suggesting that oxygen is produced from thermal decomposition of an oxychloride compound. Elevated δD values are consistent with recent atmospheric exchange. Carbon isotopes indicate multiple carbon sources in the fines. Several simple organic compounds were detected, but they are not definitively martian in origin.

Original language	English
Article number	1238937
Pages (from-to)	1238937-11238937-9
Number of pages	9
Journal	Science
Volume	341
Issue number	6153
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1238937
Publication status	Published - 2013

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Leshin, L. A., Mahaffy, P. R., Webster, C. R., Cabane, M., Coll, P., Conrad, P. G., Archer, P. D., Atreya, S. K., Brunner, A. E., Buch, A., Eigenbrode, J. L., Flesch, G. J., Franz, H. B., Freissinet, C., Glavin, D. P., McAdam, A. C., Miller, K. E., Ming, D. W., Morris, R. V., ... Grotzinger, J. P. (2013). Volatile, isotope, and organic analysis of martian fines with the Mars curiosity rover. Science, 341(6153), 1238937-11238937-9. Article 1238937. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1238937

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abstract = "Samples from the Rocknest aeolian deposit were heated to ∼835°C under helium flow and evolved gases analyzed by Curiosity 's Sample Analysis at Mars instrument suite. H2O, SO2, CO2, and O2 were the major gases released. Water abundance (1.5 to 3 weight percent) and release temperature suggest that H2O is bound within an amorphous component of the sample. Decomposition of fine-grained Fe or Mg carbonate is the likely source of much of the evolved CO2. Evolved O2 is coincident with the release of Cl, suggesting that oxygen is produced from thermal decomposition of an oxychloride compound. Elevated δD values are consistent with recent atmospheric exchange. Carbon isotopes indicate multiple carbon sources in the fines. Several simple organic compounds were detected, but they are not definitively martian in origin.",

author = "Leshin, {L. A.} and Mahaffy, {P. R.} and Webster, {C. R.} and M. Cabane and P. Coll and Conrad, {P. G.} and Archer, {P. D.} and Atreya, {S. K.} and Brunner, {A. E.} and A. Buch and Eigenbrode, {J. L.} and Flesch, {G. J.} and Franz, {H. B.} and C. Freissinet and Glavin, {D. P.} and McAdam, {A. C.} and Miller, {K. E.} and Ming, {D. W.} and Morris, {R. V.} and R. Navarro-Gonz{\'a}lez and Niles, {P. B.} and T. Owen and Pepin, {R. O.} and S. Squyres and A. Steele and Stern, {J. C.} and Summons, {R. E.} and Sumner, {D. Y.} and B. Sutter and C. Szopa and S. Teinturier and Trainer, {M. G.} and Wray, {J. J.} and Grotzinger, {J. P.}",

year = "2013",

doi = "10.1126/science.1238937",

language = "English",

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pages = "1238937--11238937--9",

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Leshin, LA, Mahaffy, PR, Webster, CR, Cabane, M, Coll, P, Conrad, PG, Archer, PD, Atreya, SK, Brunner, AE, Buch, A, Eigenbrode, JL, Flesch, GJ, Franz, HB, Freissinet, C, Glavin, DP, McAdam, AC, Miller, KE, Ming, DW, Morris, RV, Navarro-González, R, Niles, PB, Owen, T, Pepin, RO, Squyres, S, Steele, A, Stern, JC, Summons, RE, Sumner, DY, Sutter, B, Szopa, C, Teinturier, S, Trainer, MG, Wray, JJ & Grotzinger, JP 2013, 'Volatile, isotope, and organic analysis of martian fines with the Mars curiosity rover', Science, vol. 341, no. 6153, 1238937, pp. 1238937-11238937-9. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1238937

TY - JOUR

T1 - Volatile, isotope, and organic analysis of martian fines with the Mars curiosity rover

AU - Leshin, L. A.

AU - Mahaffy, P. R.

AU - Webster, C. R.

AU - Cabane, M.

AU - Coll, P.

AU - Conrad, P. G.

AU - Archer, P. D.

AU - Atreya, S. K.

AU - Brunner, A. E.

AU - Buch, A.

AU - Eigenbrode, J. L.

AU - Flesch, G. J.

AU - Franz, H. B.

AU - Freissinet, C.

AU - Glavin, D. P.

AU - McAdam, A. C.

AU - Miller, K. E.

AU - Ming, D. W.

AU - Morris, R. V.

AU - Navarro-González, R.

AU - Niles, P. B.

AU - Owen, T.

AU - Pepin, R. O.

AU - Squyres, S.

AU - Steele, A.

AU - Stern, J. C.

AU - Summons, R. E.

AU - Sumner, D. Y.

AU - Sutter, B.

AU - Szopa, C.

AU - Teinturier, S.

AU - Trainer, M. G.

AU - Wray, J. J.

AU - Grotzinger, J. P.

PY - 2013

Y1 - 2013

N2 - Samples from the Rocknest aeolian deposit were heated to ∼835°C under helium flow and evolved gases analyzed by Curiosity 's Sample Analysis at Mars instrument suite. H2O, SO2, CO2, and O2 were the major gases released. Water abundance (1.5 to 3 weight percent) and release temperature suggest that H2O is bound within an amorphous component of the sample. Decomposition of fine-grained Fe or Mg carbonate is the likely source of much of the evolved CO2. Evolved O2 is coincident with the release of Cl, suggesting that oxygen is produced from thermal decomposition of an oxychloride compound. Elevated δD values are consistent with recent atmospheric exchange. Carbon isotopes indicate multiple carbon sources in the fines. Several simple organic compounds were detected, but they are not definitively martian in origin.

AB - Samples from the Rocknest aeolian deposit were heated to ∼835°C under helium flow and evolved gases analyzed by Curiosity 's Sample Analysis at Mars instrument suite. H2O, SO2, CO2, and O2 were the major gases released. Water abundance (1.5 to 3 weight percent) and release temperature suggest that H2O is bound within an amorphous component of the sample. Decomposition of fine-grained Fe or Mg carbonate is the likely source of much of the evolved CO2. Evolved O2 is coincident with the release of Cl, suggesting that oxygen is produced from thermal decomposition of an oxychloride compound. Elevated δD values are consistent with recent atmospheric exchange. Carbon isotopes indicate multiple carbon sources in the fines. Several simple organic compounds were detected, but they are not definitively martian in origin.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84885641974&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1126/science.1238937

DO - 10.1126/science.1238937

M3 - Article

C2 - 24072926

AN - SCOPUS:84885641974

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 341

SP - 1238937-11238937-9

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 6153

M1 - 1238937

ER -

Volatile, isotope, and organic analysis of martian fines with the Mars curiosity rover

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