Carbonates on Mars

Estimating carbon in the Nili Fossae plains region of Mars from orbiters (2 September 2015).

The formation of carbonates on Mars have been suggested based on evidence of the presence of liquid water and atmospheric carbon dioxide in the planet's early stages.[1] Moreover, due to their utility in registering changes in environmental conditions such as pH, temperature, fluid composition,[2] carbonates have been considered as a primary target for planetary scientists' research.[1] However, since their first detection in 2008,[3] the large deposits of carbonates that were one expected on Mars have not been found,[4] leading to multiple potential explanations that can explain why carbonates did not form massively on the planet.

  1. ^ a b Niles, Paul B.; Catling, David C.; Berger, Gilles; Chassefière, Eric; Ehlmann, Bethany L.; Michalski, Joseph R.; Morris, Richard; Ruff, Steven W.; Sutter, Brad (January 2013). "Geochemistry of Carbonates on Mars: Implications for Climate History and Nature of Aqueous Environments". Space Science Reviews. 174 (1–4): 301–328. Bibcode:2013SSRv..174..301N. doi:10.1007/s11214-012-9940-y. ISSN 0038-6308.
  2. ^ Bridges, John C.; Hicks, Leon J.; Treiman, Allan H. (2019-01-01), Filiberto, Justin; Schwenzer, Susanne P. (eds.), "Chapter 5 - Carbonates on Mars", Volatiles in the Martian Crust, Elsevier, pp. 89–118, doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-804191-8.00005-2, ISBN 978-0-12-804191-8, retrieved 2024-04-30
  3. ^ Ehlmann, Bethany L.; Mustard, John F.; Murchie, Scott L.; Poulet, Francois; Bishop, Janice L.; Brown, Adrian J.; Calvin, Wendy M.; Clark, Roger N.; Marais, David J. Des; Milliken, Ralph E.; Roach, Leah H.; Roush, Ted L.; Swayze, Gregg A.; Wray, James J. (19 December 2008). "Orbital Identification of Carbonate-Bearing Rocks on Mars". Science. 322 (5909): 1828–1832. Bibcode:2008Sci...322.1828E. doi:10.1126/science.1164759. PMID 19095939. S2CID 1190585.
  4. ^ Fairén, Alberto G.; Fernández-Remolar, David; Dohm, James M.; Baker, Victor R.; Amils, Ricardo (September 2004). "Inhibition of carbonate synthesis in acidic oceans on early Mars". Nature. 431 (7007): 423–426. Bibcode:2004Natur.431..423F. doi:10.1038/nature02911. ISSN 1476-4687. PMID 15386004.