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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2008

Phyllosilicate and Hydrated Sulfate Deposits in Meridiani

Several phyllosilicate and hydrated sulfate deposits in Meridiani have been mapped in detail with high resolution MRO CRISM [1] data. Previous studies have documented extensive exposures of outcrop in Meridiani (fig 1), or etched terrain (ET), that has been interpreted to be sedimentary in origin [e.g., 2,3]. These deposits have been mapped at a regional scale with OMEGA data and show enhanced hydration (1.9 m absorption) in several areas [4]. However, hydrated sulfate detections were restricted to valley exposures in northern Meridiani ET [5]. New high resolution CRISM images show that hydrated sulfates are present in several spatially isolated exposures throughout the ET (fig 1). The hydrated sulfate deposits in the valley are vertically heterogeneous with layers of mono and polyhydrated sulfates and are morphologically distinct from other areas of the ET. We are currently mapping the detailed spatial distribution of sulfates and searching for distinct geochemical horizons that may be traced back to differential ground water recharge and/or evaporative loss rates. The high resolution CRISM data has allowed us to map out several phyllosilicate deposits within the fluvially dissected Noachian cratered terrain (DCT) to the south and west of the hematite-bearing plains (Ph) and ET (fig 1). In Miyamoto crater, phyllosilicates are located within ~30km of the edge of Ph, which is presumably underlain by acid sulfate deposits similar to those explored by Opportunity. The deposits within this crater may record the transition from fluvial conditions which produced and/or preserved phyllosilicates deposits to a progressively acid sulfate dominated groundwater system in which large accumulations of sulfate-rich evaporites were deposited .

Wiseman, S. M.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Spectral behavior of hydrated sulfate salts: implications for Europa mission spectrometer design

Remote sensing of the surface of Europa with near-infrared instruments has suggested the presence of hydrated materials, including sulfate salts. Attention has been focused on these salts for the information they might yield regarding the evolution of a putative interior ocean, and the evaluation of its astrobiological potential. These materials exhibit distinct infrared absorption features due to bound water. The interactions of this water with the host molecules lead to fine structure that can be used to discriminate among these materials on the basis of their spectral behavior. This fine structure is even more pronounced at the low temperatures prevalent on icy satellites. Examination of hydrated sulfate salt spectra measured under cryogenic temperature conditions provides realistic constraints for future remote-sensing missions to Europa. In particular, it suggests that a spectrometer system capable of 2-5 nm spectral resolution or better, with a spatial resolution approaching 100 m, would be able to differentiate among proposed hydrated surface materials, if present, and constrain their distributions across the surface. Such information would provide valuable insights into the evolutionary history of Europa.

Astronomy↗
NASA NTRS2006

Identification of Hydrated Sulfates Collected in the Northern Rio Tinto Valley by Reflectance and Raman Spectroscopy

OMEGA recently identified spectral signatures of kieserite, gypsum, and other polyhydrated sulfates at multiple locations on the surface of Mars [1,2]. The presence of sulfates was confirmed through in situ spectroscopy by MER Opportunity [3]. An approach to validate these interpretations is to collect corresponding spectral data from sulfate-rich terrestrial analog sites. The northern Rio Tinto Valley near Nerva, Spain, is a good Martian analog locale because it features extensive seasonal sulfate mineralization driven by highly acidic waters [4]. We report on mineralogical compositions identified by field VNIR spectroscopy and laboratory Raman spectroscopy.

Chemtob, S. M.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Aram Chaos: a Long Lived Subsurface Aqueous Environment with Strong Water Resources Potential for Human Missions on Mars

Aram Chaos, Mars is a crater 280 kilometers in diameter with elevations circa. minus 2 to minus 3 kilometers below datum that provides a compelling landing site for future human explorers as it features multiple scientific regions of interest (ROI) paired with a rich extensible Resource ROI that features poly-hydrated sulfates [1]. The geologic history of Aram Chaos suggests several past episodes of groundwater recharge and infilling by liquid water, ice, and other materials [1-3]. The creation of the fractured region with no known terrestrial equivalent may have been caused by melting of deep ice reservoirs that triggered the collapse of terrain followed by catastrophic water outflows over the region. Aram Chaos is of particular scientific interest because it is hypothesized that the chaotic terrain may be the source of water that contributed to the creation of nearby valleys such as Ares Vallis flowing toward Chryse Planitia. The liquid water was likely sourced as groundwater and therefore represents water derived from a protected subsurface environment making it a compelling astrobiological site [2]. The past history of water is also represented by high concentrations of hematite, Fe-oxyhydroxides, mono-hydrated and poly-hydrated sulfates [1, 2]. Poly-hydrated sulfates are likely to contain abundant water that evolves at temperatures below 500 degrees Centigrade thus conferring Aram Chaos a potentially high value for early in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) [4]. The geologic history also calls for future prospecting of deep ice deposits and possibly liquid water via deep drilling. The most recent stratigraphic units in the central part of Aram Chaos are not fractured, and are part of a dome-shaped formation that features bright, poorly-consolidated material that contains both hydrated sulfates and ferric oxides according to OMEGA (Observatoire pour la Minéralogie, l'Eau, les Glaces et l'Activité) data [5]. These surface material characteristics are preliminary indications of their potential use in civil engineering activities that involve regolith moving and hauling, while further study is needed to assess traverse-ability challenges. The widespread distribution of sulfates is also of interest as a resource for the use of sulfur as a binding compound in regolith-based concrete for constructions. The terrain depressions caused by the rock fracturing events may challenge surface mobility but also suggest the possibility of using such natural features for additional shielding from space radiation and as emplacement of nuclear surface power reactors for the same reason. The high concentration of hematite (up to 16 percent) in some of the smoother recent terrains of the central part of Aram Chaos [2] is a favorable attribute for metal extraction ISRU to create iron-based feedstock for in-situ fabrication of replacement parts or their repairs. Preliminary data on Aram Chaos indicate that it offers a combination of many critical criteria for human missions to the surface of Mars: equatorial region at low Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA), evidence of hydrated minerals over large areas and at high concentrations tied to historic evidence of liquid water over long periods.

Sibille, L.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Advances in X-ray Instruments to Support Mars Sample Return

The Mars 2020 Perseverance rover is currently collecting drill cores of ancient igneous and sedimentary rock in and around Jezero crater for potential transport to Earth. These samples from the martian surface will enable detailed mineralogical, geochemical, and petrological measurements to characterize ancient depositional and diagenetic environments, quantitatively age-date the samples, and identify the building blocks for life or evidence for life itself. Furthermore, these drill cores are especially precious because they may represent the most pristine samples from the martian surface and our best chance at identifying martian life, as future sample return missions may be conducted by humans that can introduce biological contaminants to the samples. Because of the importance of these samples, we must take great care in their handling, curation, and preliminary analyses so that they are preserved for scientific measurements for decades to come. In-situ measurements by Perseverance have identified minerals that further warrant special treatment of the returned samples. Hydrated sulfate carbonate, swelling clay minerals, and oxychlorine salts are extremely sensitive to changes in temperature and relative humidity. The structures of hydrated sulfates and oxychlorine minerals, in particular, readily change when exposed to different conditions, meaning the mineral assemblage of the as-returned samples may be lost if the samples aren’t handled properly. Characterizing the as-returned mineral assemblage, particularly of the salts, is essential for reconstructing past aqueous conditions and habitability. To characterize the as-returned mineral assemblage, the samples must be analyzed rapidly before phase changes occur and/or under controlled conditions (e.g., within a glove box). Significant recent advances in X-ray instrumentation for robotic exploration of the solar system have resulted in high-resolution miniaturized instruments that would provide mineralogical, geochemical, and petrological information on the returned martian samples without degradation of the mineral assemblage. Here, we describe a combined X-ray diffractometer/X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (XRD/XRF), an X-ray computed tomographic (XCT) instrument, and a scanned beam XRF mapping instrument that could be used in a glove box so that the martian samples remain under controlled conditions.

E. B. Rampe↗
NASA NTRS2002

Theoretical Study of Infrared and Raman Spectra of Hydrated Magnesium Sulfate Salts

Harmonic and anharmonic vibrational frequencies, as well as infrared and Raman intensities, are calculated for MgSO4.nH20 (n=1-3). Electronic structure theory at the second order Moller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2) level with a triple-zeta + polarization (TZP) basis set is used to determine the geometry, properties, and vibrational spectra of pure and hydrated MgSO4 salts. The direct vibrational self-consistent field (VSCF) method and its correlation corrected (CC-VSCF) extension are used to determine anharmonic corrections to vibrational frequencies and intensities for the pure MgSO4 and its complex with one water molecule. Very significant differences are found between vibrational of water molecules in complexes with MgSO4 and pure water. Some of the O-H stretching frequencies are shifted to the red very significantly (by up to 1500-2000/cm) upon complexation with magnesium sulfate. They should be observed between 1700 and 3000/cm in a region very different from the corresponding O-H stretch frequency region of pure water (3700-3800/cm). In addition, the SO2 stretching vibrations are found at lower frequency regions than the water vibrations. They can serve as unique identifiers for the presence of sulfate salts. The predicted infrared and Raman spectra should be of valuable help in the design of future missions and analysis of observed data from the ice surface of Jupiter's moon Europa that possibly contains hydrated MgSO4 salts.

Chaban, Galina M.↗
DOE OSTI2023

X-ray diffraction reveals two structural transitions in szomolnokite

Hydrated sulfates have been identified and studied in a wide variety of environments on Earth, Mars, and the icy satellites of the solar system. The subsurface presence of hydrous sulfur-bearing phases to any extent necessitates a better understanding of their thermodynamic and elastic properties at pressure. End-member experimental and computational data are lacking and are needed to accurately model hydrous, sulfur-bearing planetary interiors. In this work, high-pressure X-ray diffraction (XRD) and synchrotron Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) measurements were conducted on szomolnokite (FeSO 4 ·H 2 O) up to ~83 and 24 GPa, respectively. This study finds a monoclinic-triclinic (C2/c to P1¯) structural phase transition occurring in szomolnokite between 5.0(1) and 6.6(1) GPa and a previously unknown triclinic-monoclinic (P1¯ to P2 1 ) structural transition occurring between 12.7(3) and 16.8(3) GPa. The high-pressure transition was identified by the appearance of distinct reflections in the XRD patterns that cannot be attributed to a second phase related to the dissociation of the P1¯ phase, and it is further characterized by increased H 2 O bonding within the structure. We fit third-order Birch-Murnaghan equations of state for each of the three phases identified in our data and refit published data to compare the elastic parameters of szomolnokite, kieserite (MgSO 4 ·H 2 O), and blödite (Na 2 Mg(SO 4 ) 2 ·4H 2 O). At ambient pressure, szomolnokite is less compressible than blödite and more than kieserite, but by 7 GPa both szomolnokite and kieserite have approximately the same bulk modulus, while blödite’s remains lower than both phases up to 20 GPa. Furthermore, these results indicate the stability of szomolnokite’s high-pressure monoclinic phase and the retention of water within the structure up to pressures found in planetary deep interiors.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Hydrogel-Salt Hydrate Composite for Highly Stable Heat Energy Storage with Reduced Supercooling

Phase change materials (PCM) have potential for use in thermal energy storage in buildings, medical devices, and water heat pumps. Sodium sulfate hydrate (SSD) is appealing due to its high energy storage capability and affordability. However, SSD has issues including high supercooling (> 15°C) and low thermal cyclic stability. In this study, we introduced an ionic molecular nucleating agent that decreases the supercooling temperature to under 2°C. When this SSD was combined with a hydrogel, it maintained its thermal energy storage capacity for over 100 cycles without any decline. The success is attributed to the polymer confining the SSD crystals, preventing large-scale phase separation and the nucleating agent which resulted in nucleation of many small SSD crystals at small undercoolings rather than a small number of larger crystals. As a proof-of-application, we synthesized this composite at a kg scale and demonstrated its properties in a close to real-world demonstration.

chemical composition, thermodynamics↗
DOE OSTI2023

High Density Thermal Energy Storage by Highly Stable Glauber’s Salt Composites with Low Supercooling for Building-Scale Application

Phase change materials (PCM) are a promising candidate for thermal energy storage in building infrastructure, enabling grid-integrated peak load shaving by utilizing energy production in off-peak hours. Glauber’s salt (Na2SO4.10H2O, Sodium sulfate hydrate) are highly attractive due to their high energy storage capacity and low cost but Glauber’s salt suffers from long-standing challenges including high supercooling ( > 15oC) and low thermal cyclic stability, which is a major setback for practical building-scale energy storage applications. Here, we developed a unique ionic molecular nucleating agent for Glauber’s salt which reduced the supercooling temperature to less than 5oC. By combining this nucleated SSD with a polymer, phase segregation of salt hydrate for over 100 thermal cycles without degradation was achieved. Key was that the polymer confined the SSD crystals, preventing phase separation. In addition, we applied our stable Glauber’s salt composite in a miniatured building model and demonstrate that our PCM composite can be utilized for real-world building infrastructure.

additives↗
NASA NTRS1982

Release of volatiles from possible Martian analogs

Viking data suggest the presence of volatile-rich materials in the Martian regolith. The thermal stabilities of mineral phases and their volatile release profiles were studied in detail in our laboratory. Thermal analysis, combined with mass spectrometry, was applied to the study of the behavior of carbonates, sulfates, hydrates, and clays. The results indicate that these techniques are useful in the preliminary mineralogical characterizations of volatile-rich minerals. However, our results also indicate that great care must be taken in the incorporation into planetary probes of such methods as hearing rates, pressure, composition of atmospheres, grain size, etc., because these factors effect volatile release.

Kotra, R. K.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Chemical Weathering of Soils from the Dry Valleys of Antarctica: a Terrestrial Analog of Martian Weathering Processes

Martian soil subjected to chemical weathering processes could contain the following likely constituents: (1) fresh primary silicate material; (2) partially altered primary silicates; (3) secondary minerals, possibly including clay minerals, evaporites, carbonates, sulfates, hydrates, and zeolites; and (4) altered volcanic glass or impact glass. The soil may also include palogonite and other alteration products and secondary minerals. It is unlikely therefore that an equilibrium assemblage of minerals would be present. From the detailed study of the soils from the Dry Valleys of Antarctica, it is obvious that the complex processes in operation produce major changes in the parent materials, depending upon where the constituents reside and the degree to which weathering and diagenesis operates. It is clear that natural near surface environments, even in very cold and dry regions, may produce extremely complex soils. Extreme caution must be taken when interpreting the results and drawing conclusions, especially about possible processes operating in regoliths in cold, arid environments similar to those of the Dry Valleys or Mars.

Gibson, E. K., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Physical properties of cryovolcanic brines: Applications to the evolution of Ganymede

Carbonaceous chondrites contain abundant veins of water soluble salts, including carbonates and hydrated sulfates of Mg, Ca, Na, Ni, and Fe. These constitute over 1/4 of the mass of the meteorite Orgueil. Magnesium sulfate is the most abundant salt, constituting nearly half the mass of all salt components combined (anhydrous), and 73 pct. of the highly water soluble salts. The assumption that icy satellites and asteroids contain rock compositionally similar to carbonaceous chondrites suggests that salts may be important in the cryoigneous evolution of icy satellites and asteroids. Ordinary chondrites, an alternative rock component of icy satellites, lack abundant salts, although their anhydrous silicate assemblages are unstable with respect to water and would react to produce salts upon initial melting of ice. Some basic physiochemical properties are reviewed of likely cryovolcanic brines and how the existence of soluble salts in Ganymede might affect its structure and evolution is considered. Observations indicate late stage (post heavy bombardment and post tectonic) volcanism on Ganymede. The highly fluid character of Ganymedian volcanism is consistent with extrusions of either water or salt water brines.

Kargel, Jeffrey S.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Phase equilibria of the magnesium sulfate-water system to 4 kbars

Magnesium sulfate is the most abundant salt in carbonaceous chondrites, and it may be important in the low-temperature igneous evolution and aqueous differentiation of icy satellites and large chondritic asteroids. Accordingly, we are investigating high-pressure phase equilibria in MgSO4-H2O solutions under pressures up to four kbars. An initial report was presented two years ago. This abstract summarizes our results to date including studies of solutions containing 15.3 percent, 17 percent, and 22 percent MgSO4. Briefly, these results demonstrate that increasing pressure causes the eutectic and peritectic compositions to shift to much lower concentrations of magnesium sulfate, and the existence of a new low-density phase of magnesium sulfate hydrate.

Hogenboom, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Analysis of Multispectral Galileo SSI Images of the Conamara Chaos Region, Europa

Multispectral imaging of Europa s surface by Galileo s Solid State Imaging (SSI) camera has revealed two major surface color units, which appear as white and red-brown regions in enhanced color images of the surface (see figure). The Galileo Near- Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (NIMS) experiment suggests that the whitish material is icy, almost pure water ice, while the spectral signatures of the reddish regions are dominated by a non-ice material. Two endmember models have been proposed for the composition of the non-ice material: magnesium sulfate hydrates [1] and sulfuric acid and its byproducts [2]. There is also debate concerning whether the origin of this non-ice material is exogenic or endogenic [3].Goals: The key questions this work addresses are: 1) Is the non-ice material exogenic or endogenic in origin? 2) Once emplaced, is this non-ice material primarily modified by exogenic or endogenic processes? 3) Is the non-ice material within ridges, bands, chaos, and lenticulae the same non-ice material across all such geological features? 4) Does the distribution of the non-ice material provide any evidence for or against any of the various models for feature formation? 5) To what extent do the effects of scattered light in SSI images change the spectral signatures of geological features?

Spaun, N. A.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Geomorphic and Aqueous Chemistry of a Portion of the Upper Rio Tinto System, Spain

Observations from the two Mars rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, combined with discoveries of extensive hydrated sulfate deposits from OMEGA and CRISM show that aqueous deposition and alteration involving acidic systems and sulfate deposition has been a key contributor to the martian geologic record. Rio Tinto, Spain, provides a process model for formation of sulfates on Mars by evaporation of acidic waters within shallow fluvial pools, particularly during dry seasons. We present results from a detailed investigation of an upper portion of the Rio Tinto, focusing on geomorphology, clastic sediment transport, and acidic aqueous processes. We also lay out lessons-learned for under-standing sulfate formation and alteration on Mars.

Osburn, M. R.↗