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Mineralogical, chemical, organic and microbial properties of subsurface soil cores from Mars Desert Research Station (Utah, USA): Phyllosilicate and sulfate analogues to Mars mission landing sites

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 April 2011

Carol R. Stoker ,
Jonathan Clarke ,
Susana O.L. Direito ,
David Blake ,
Kevin R. Martin ,
Jhony Zavaleta  and
Bernard Foing
Carol R. Stoker*
Affiliation:
NASA Ames Research Center, Space Science Division, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
Jonathan Clarke
Affiliation:
Mars Society Australia, c/o 43 Michell St Monash, ACT 2904, Australia/Australian Centre for Astrobiology, Ground Floor, Biological Sciences Building, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Susana O.L. Direito
Affiliation:
Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
David Blake
Affiliation:
NASA Ames Research Center, Space Science Division, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
Kevin R. Martin
Affiliation:
NASA Ames Research Center, Program Analysis and Business Integration Division, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
Jhony Zavaleta
Affiliation:
NASA Ames Research Center, Space Science Division, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
Bernard Foing
Affiliation:
Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands European Space Agency (ESA), ESTEC SRE-S, Postbus 299, 2200 AG Noordwijk, The Netherlands
*
e-mail: carol.stoker@nasa.gov
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Abstract

We collected and analysed soil cores from four geologic units surrounding Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) Utah, USA, including Mancos Shale, Dakota Sandstone, Morrison formation (Brushy Basin member) and Summerville formation. The area is an important geochemical and morphological analogue to terrains on Mars. Soils were analysed for mineralogy by a Terra X-ray diffractometer (XRD), a field version of the CheMin instrument on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission (2012 landing). Soluble ion chemistry, total organic content and identity and distribution of microbial populations were also determined. The Terra data reveal that Mancos and Morrison soils are rich in phyllosilicates similar to those observed on Mars from orbital measurements (montmorillonite, nontronite and illite). Evaporite minerals observed include gypsum, thenardite, polyhalite and calcite. Soil chemical analysis shows sulfate the dominant anion in all soils and SO4>>CO3, as on Mars. The cation pattern Na>Ca>Mg is seen in all soils except for the Summerville where Ca>Na. In all soils, SO4 correlates with Na, suggesting sodium sulfates are the dominant phase. Oxidizable organics are low in all soils and range from a high of 0.7% in the Mancos samples to undetectable at a detection limit of 0.1% in the Morrison soils. Minerals rich in chromium and vanadium were identified in Morrison soils that result from diagenetic replacement of organic compounds. Depositional environment, geologic history and mineralogy all affect the ability to preserve and detect organic compounds. Subsurface biosphere populations were revealed to contain organisms from all three domains (Archaea, Bacteria and Eukarya) with cell density between 3.0×106 and 1.8×107 cells ml−1 at the deepest depth. These measurements are analogous to data that could be obtained on future robotic or human Mars missions and results are relevant to the MSL mission that will investigate phyllosilicates on Mars.

Keywords

Mars Science LanderCheMin instrumentMars AnalogueMDRS Utahclay mineralsorganicssubsurface biology
Type
Research Article
Information
International Journal of Astrobiology , Volume 10 , Special Issue 3: Special issue: Astrobiology field research in Moon/Mars analogue environments , July 2011 , pp. 269 - 289
Creative Commons
This is a work of U.S. Government and is not subject to copyright protection in United States.
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011 This is a work of U.S. Government and is not subject to copyright protection in United States.

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