Trace Element Mobility During Volcanic Degassing on Mars: Insights from Experimental Degassing

Volcanic degassing can add particulate material to Martian fines on the surface. Potential trace element enrichments in the degassing products have not been well understood. This study investigates the degassing products of Wishstone composition glass (analyzed by Spirit rover) doped with Cs, Rb, Sr, Ga, Ge, Pb, Zn as well as S, Cl and H2O (1-3 wt. %). The Wishstone composition is characterized by elevated P, Ti and Ca. These experiments are based on the previously developed experimental degassing technique by Nekvasil et al. (2019).

Source glasses were synthesized at 1 GPa and 1300 °C and degassed in an evacuated silica glass tube at 1200 °C under a strong thermal gradient. The table below summarizes the vapor deposited phases identified by SEM that can contribute to the fines on the planet's surface in form of salts, oxides or silicates.