Acidic Fluids Across Mars: Detections of Magnesium-Nickel Sulfates
Calcium, magnesium and ferric iron sulfates have been detected by the instrument suites on the Mars rovers. A subset of the magnesium sulfates show clear associations with nickel. These associations indicate Ni(2+) co-precipitation with or substitution for Mg(2+) from sulfate-saturated solutions. Nickel is ex-tracted from primary rocks almost exclusively at pH values less than 6, constraining the formation of these Mg-Ni sulfates to mildly to strongly acidic conditions. There is clear evidence for aqueous alteration at the rim of Endeavour Crater (Meridiani Planum), in the Murray formation mudstone (Gale Crater), and near Home Plate (Gusev Crater). The discovery of Mg-Ni sulfates at these locations indicates a history of fluid-rock interactions at low pH.