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Gillespie J, Cavosie AJ, Fougerouse D, Ciobanu CL, Rickard WDA, Saxey DW, Benedix GK, Bland PA. Zircon trace element evidence for early hydrothermal activity on Mars. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadq3694. [PMID: 39576864 PMCID: PMC11584009 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adq3694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 10/22/2024] [Indexed: 11/24/2024]
Abstract
Finding direct evidence for hydrous fluids on early Mars is of interest for understanding the origin of water on rocky planets, surface processes, and conditions essential for habitability, but it is challenging to obtain from martian meteorites. Micro- to nanoscale microscopy of a unique impact-shocked zircon from the regolith breccia meteorite NWA7034 reveals textural and chemical indicators of hydrothermal conditions on Mars during crystallization 4.45 billion years ago. Element distribution maps show sharp alternating zoning defined by marked enrichments of non-formula elements, such as Fe, Al, and Na, and ubiquitous nanoscale magnetite inclusions. The zoning and inclusions are similar to those reported in terrestrial zircon crystallizing in the presence of aqueous fluid and are here interpreted as primary features recording zircon growth from exsolved hydrous fluids at ~4.45 billion years. The unique record of crustal processes preserved in this grain survived early impact bombardment and provides previously unidentified petrological evidence for a wet pre-Noachian martian crust.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack Gillespie
- Institute of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Geosciences and Environment, University of Lausanne, Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
- School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Bentley WA 6845, Australia
| | - Aaron J Cavosie
- School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Bentley WA 6845, Australia
- Space Science and Technology Centre, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Perth Bentley WA 6845, Australia
| | - Denis Fougerouse
- School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Bentley WA 6845, Australia
- Geoscience Atom Probe Facility, John de Laeter Centre, Curtin University, Perth, Bentley WA 6845, Australia
| | - Cristiana L Ciobanu
- School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - William D A Rickard
- School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Bentley WA 6845, Australia
- Geoscience Atom Probe Facility, John de Laeter Centre, Curtin University, Perth, Bentley WA 6845, Australia
| | - David W Saxey
- School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Bentley WA 6845, Australia
- Geoscience Atom Probe Facility, John de Laeter Centre, Curtin University, Perth, Bentley WA 6845, Australia
| | - Gretchen K Benedix
- Space Science and Technology Centre, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Perth Bentley WA 6845, Australia
| | - Phil A Bland
- Space Science and Technology Centre, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Perth Bentley WA 6845, Australia
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Zhang Z, Jiang H, Ju P, Pan L, Rouillard J, Zhou G, Huang F, Hao J. Evaluating the abiotic synthesis potential and the stability of building blocks of life beneath an impact-induced steam atmosphere. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1032073. [PMID: 37089554 PMCID: PMC10116804 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1032073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
A prerequisite for prebiotic chemistry is the accumulation of critical building blocks of life. Some studies argue that more frequent impact events on the primitive Earth could have induced a more reducing steam atmosphere and thus favor widespread and more efficient synthesis of life building blocks. However, elevated temperature is also proposed to threaten the stability of organics and whether life building blocks could accumulate to appreciable levels in the reducing yet hot surface seawater beneath the steam atmosphere is still poorly examined. Here, we used a thermodynamic tool to examine the synthesis affinity of various life building blocks using inorganic gasses as reactants at elevated temperatures and corresponding steam pressures relevant with the steam-seawater interface. Our calculations show that although the synthesis affinity of all life building blocks decreases when temperature increases, many organics, including methane, methanol, and carboxylic acids, have positive synthesis affinity over a wide range of temperatures, implying that these species were favorable to form (>10-6 molal) in the surface seawater. However, cyanide and formaldehyde have overall negative affinities, suggesting that these critical compounds would tend to undergo hydrolysis in the surface seawaters. Most of the 18 investigated amino acids have positive affinities at temperature <220°C and their synthesis affinity increases under more alkaline conditions. Sugars, ribose, and nucleobases have overall negative synthesis affinities at the investigated range of temperatures. Synthesis affinities are shown to be sensitive to the hydrogen fugacity. Higher hydrogen fugacity (in equilibrium with FQI or IW) favors the synthesis and accumulation of nearly all the investigated compounds, except for HCN and its derivate products. In summary, our results suggest that reducing conditions induced by primitive impacts could indeed favor the synthesis/accumulation of some life building blocks, but some critical species, particularly HCN and nucleosides, were still unfavorable to accumulate to appreciable levels. Our results can provide helpful guidance for future efforts to search for or understand the stability of biomolecules on other planets like Mars and icy moons. We advocate examining craters formed by more reducing impactors to look for the preservation of prebiotic materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zongbin Zhang
- Deep Space Exploration Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Crust-Mantle Materials and Environments, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Haofan Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Crust-Mantle Materials and Environments, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Pengcheng Ju
- State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics, Northwest University, Xi’an, China
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Early Life and Environment, Department of Geology, Northwest University, Xi’an, China
| | - Lu Pan
- Deep Space Exploration Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Centre for Star and Planet Formation, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Joti Rouillard
- Deep Space Exploration Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Crust-Mantle Materials and Environments, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Comparative Planetology, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Gentao Zhou
- Deep Space Exploration Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Crust-Mantle Materials and Environments, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Fang Huang
- Deep Space Exploration Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Jihua Hao
- Deep Space Exploration Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Crust-Mantle Materials and Environments, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Comparative Planetology, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Hefei, Anhui, China
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Lagain A, Bouley S, Zanda B, Miljković K, Rajšić A, Baratoux D, Payré V, Doucet LS, Timms NE, Hewins R, Benedix GK, Malarewic V, Servis K, Bland PA. Early crustal processes revealed by the ejection site of the oldest martian meteorite. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3782. [PMID: 35821210 PMCID: PMC9276826 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31444-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The formation and differentiation of the crust of Mars in the first tens of millions of years after its accretion can only be deciphered from incredibly limited records. The martian breccia NWA 7034 and its paired stones is one of them. This meteorite contains the oldest martian igneous material ever dated: ~4.5 Ga old. However, its source and geological context have so far remained unknown. Here, we show that the meteorite was ejected 5-10 Ma ago from the north-east of the Terra Cimmeria-Sirenum province, in the southern hemisphere of Mars. More specifically, the breccia belongs to the ejecta deposits of the Khujirt crater formed 1.5 Ga ago, and it was ejected as a result of the formation of the Karratha crater 5-10 Ma ago. Our findings demonstrate that the Terra Cimmeria-Sirenum province is a relic of the differentiated primordial martian crust, formed shortly after the accretion of the planet, and that it constitutes a unique record of early crustal processes. This province is an ideal landing site for future missions aiming to unravel the first tens of millions of years of the history of Mars and, by extension, of all terrestrial planets, including the Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Lagain
- Space Science and Technology Centre, School of Earth and Planetary Science, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.
| | - S Bouley
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, GEOPS, 91405, Orsay, France.,IMCCE, Observatoire de Paris, 77 avenue Denfert-Rochereau, 75005, Paris, France
| | - B Zanda
- IMCCE, Observatoire de Paris, 77 avenue Denfert-Rochereau, 75005, Paris, France.,Institut de Minéralogie, de Physique des Matériaux et de Cosmochimie (IMPMC), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Sorbonne Université et CNRS, 75005, Paris, France
| | - K Miljković
- Space Science and Technology Centre, School of Earth and Planetary Science, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - A Rajšić
- Space Science and Technology Centre, School of Earth and Planetary Science, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - D Baratoux
- Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, University of Toulouse, CNRS and IRD, Toulouse, 31400, France.,Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - V Payré
- Department of Astronomy and Planetary Science, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - L S Doucet
- Earth Dynamics Research Group, TIGeR, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - N E Timms
- Space Science and Technology Centre, School of Earth and Planetary Science, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.,The Institute for Geoscience Research (TIGeR), Curtin University, Perth, 6845, WA, Australia
| | - R Hewins
- Institut de Minéralogie, de Physique des Matériaux et de Cosmochimie (IMPMC), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Sorbonne Université et CNRS, 75005, Paris, France.,EPS, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - G K Benedix
- Space Science and Technology Centre, School of Earth and Planetary Science, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.,Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Western Australian Museum, Perth, WA, Australia.,Planetary Sciences Institute, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - V Malarewic
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, GEOPS, 91405, Orsay, France.,Institut de Minéralogie, de Physique des Matériaux et de Cosmochimie (IMPMC), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Sorbonne Université et CNRS, 75005, Paris, France
| | - K Servis
- Space Science and Technology Centre, School of Earth and Planetary Science, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.,Pawsey Supercomputing Centre, CSIRO, Kensington, WA, Australia
| | - P A Bland
- Space Science and Technology Centre, School of Earth and Planetary Science, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
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