Phyllosilicates and nanophase aluminosilicates at Mawrth Vallis and their geochemical implications
Abstract
Modelling of TES data has shown the presence of allophane in several sites on Mars with the highest abundances in the Mawrth Vallis region [1]. Analyses of CRISM data at Mawrth Vallis are also consistent with the nanophase aluminosilicates allophane and imogolite in the upper Al/Si-rich phyllosilicatebearing unit [2,3]. We report here on recent lab analyses of several allophane and imogolite samples and new analyses of CRISM and TES data enabled with this larger spectral library. Clay-type components are modelled across the Mawrth Vallis region at ~50-75 vol% in bright units and ~35-55 vol% in dark units using TES data. Identification of nanophase aluminosilicates at Mawrth Vallis helps reconcile the NIR and TIR data of the region, and has important implications for understanding past pedogenic and igneous processes.
- Publication:
-
European Planetary Science Congress
- Pub Date:
- September 2013
- Bibcode:
- 2013EPSC....8..411B