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Global Mineralogical and Aqueous Mars History Derived from OMEGA/Mars Express Data

Jean‐Pierre Bibring, Yves Langevin, John F. Mustard, François Poulet, R. E. Arvidson, Aline Gendrin, B. Gondet, Nicolas Mangold, P. Pinet, F. Forget, Michel Berthé, Jean‐Pierre Bibring, Aline Gendrin, Cécile Gomez, B. Gondet, D. Jouglet, François Poulet, A. Soufflot, M. Vincendon, M. Combes, P. Drossart, Thérèse Encrenaz, Thierry Fouchet, Riccardo Merchiorri, G. Belluci, Francesca Altieri, V. Formisano, F. Capaccioni, P. Cerroni, A. Coradini, Sergio Fonti, Oleg Korablev, V. A. Kottsov, N. Ignatiev, Vassili I. Moroz, Dimitri Titov, Ludmilla Zasova, Damien Loiseau, Nicolas Mangold, P. Pinet, S. Douté, Bernard Schmitt, C. Sotin, Ernst Hauber, H. Hoffmann, R. Jaumann, Uwe Keller, Ray Arvidson, John F. Mustard, Tom C. Duxbury, F. Forget, G. Neukum

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Abstract

Global mineralogical mapping of Mars by the Observatoire pour la Mineralogie, l'Eau, les Glaces et l'Activité (OMEGA) instrument on the European Space Agency's Mars Express spacecraft provides new information on Mars' geological and climatic history. Phyllosilicates formed by aqueous alteration very early in the planet's history (the "phyllocian" era) are found in the oldest terrains; sulfates were formed in a second era (the "theiikian" era) in an acidic environment. Beginning about 3.5 billion years ago, the last era (the "siderikian") is dominated by the formation of anhydrous ferric oxides in a slow superficial weathering, without liquid water playing a major role across the planet.

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What this paper is about

Global mineralogical mapping of Mars by the Observatoire pour la Mineralogie, l'Eau, les Glaces et l'Activité (OMEGA) instrument on the European Space Agency's Mars Express spacecraft provides new information on Mars' geological and climatic history. Phyllosilicates formed by aqueous alteration very early in the planet's history (the "phyllocian" era) are found in the oldest terrains; sulfates were formed in a second era (the "theiikian" era) in an acidic environment. Beginning about 3.5 billion years ago, the last era (the "siderikian") is dominated by the formation of anhydrous ferric oxides in a slow superficial weathering, without liquid water playing a major role across the planet.

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Available abstract

Global mineralogical mapping of Mars by the Observatoire pour la Mineralogie, l'Eau, les Glaces et l'Activité (OMEGA) instrument on the European Space Agency's Mars Express spacecraft provides new information on Mars' geological and climatic history. Phyllosilicates formed by aqueous alteration very early in the planet's history (the "phyllocian" era) are found in the oldest terrains; sulfates were formed in a second era (the "theiikian" era) in an acidic environment. Beginning about 3.5 billion years ago, the last era (the "siderikian") is dominated by the formation of anhydrous ferric oxides in a slow superficial weathering, without liquid water playing a major role across the planet.

Key concepts: Mars Exploration Program, Astrobiology, Weathering, Geology, Geochemistry, Planet, Physics, Astrophysics

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