NanoSIMS Analyses of Apatite and Melt Inclusions in the GRV 020090 Martian Meteorite: Hydrogen Isotope Evidence for Recent Past Underground Hydrothermal Activity on Mars

S. Hua, Y. Lina, J. Zhanga, J. Haoa, L. Fenga, L. Xub, Yanga and J. Yanga

aKey Laboratory of the Earth’s Deep Interior, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
bNational Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100012, China

We measured the hydrogen isotopes and water contents of melt inclusions and apatite that locate far from shock-induced melt veins in the Martian meteorite GRV 020090, using nano-scale secondary ion mass spectrometry (nanoSIMS). The melt inclusions in olivine show hydration profiles, with both the water contents and the δD values increasing from the cores (2σ) (170±7 ppm and 3386±126 ‰) to the rims (5337±200 ppm and 5519±65 ‰). The extremely high δD values of the melt inclusions relative to a maximum of 4239±81 ‰ of apatite that crystallized from the last residual melt convincingly argue that the observed hydration postdated emplacement of the parent magma of GRV 020090. This is also a robust line of evidence for past-presence of liquid water on Mars. Diffusion simulation of the hydration profiles of both water contents and δD values constrains the duration of liquid water up to 130,000-250,000 years at 0 °C or 700-1,500 years at 40 °C. All analyses of the melt inclusions, including the hydration profiles, show a logarithmic correlation between the water contents and the δD values, plotting within a two-endmember mixing area. The extremely D-enriched endmember represents Martian underground water, with a δD value of 6034±72 ‰ (2σ). This is the highest δD value reported in Martian meteorites and it is consistent with the recent analyses of Martian soils by the Curiosity rover (Leshin et al., 2013), suggestive of more water escaped from Mars than previous estimates.
The analyses of apatite show a distinct positive correlation between the water contents (0.10-0.58 wt%) and the δD values (737-4239 ‰), which can be explained by assimilation of D-rich Martian crustal materials and enhancement of water via fractional crystallization. The observed correlation suggests that the water contents of Martian mantle reservoirs might have been overestimated from D-enriched apatite in previous studies. Our estimation based on the least contaminated apatite grains from GRV 020090 turned out a low water content of the primordial parent magma (380-750 ppm), which was likely derived from a relatively dry Martian mantle reservoir of GRV 020090 (∼38-75 ppm H2O).

Reference
Hu S, Lin Y, Zhang J, Hao J, Feng L, Xu L, Yang W and Yang J  (in press) NanoSIMS Analyses of Apatite and Melt Inclusions in the GRV 020090 Martian Meteorite: Hydrogen Isotope Evidence for Recent Past Underground Hydrothermal Activity on Mars. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
[doi:10.1016/j.gca.2014.05.008]
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The composition of M-type asteroids II: Synthesis of spectroscopic and radar observations

J.R. Neeleya,b, B.E. Clarka, M.E. Ockert-Bella, M.K. Shepardc, J. Conklind, E.A. Cloutise, S. Fornasierf and S.J. Busg

aDepartment of Physics, Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY 14850
bDepartment of Physics, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011
cDepartment of Geography and Geosciences, Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg, PA 17815
dDepartment of Mathematics, Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY 14850
eDepartment of Geography, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB, R3B 2E9
fLESIA, Observatoire de Paris, 5 Place Jules Janssen, F-92195 Meudon Principal Cedex, France
gInstitute for Astronomy, 2680 Woodlawn Dr., Honolulu, HI 96822

This work updates and expands on results of our long-term radar-driven observational campaign of main-belt asteroids (MBAs) focused on Bus-DeMeo Xc- and Xk-type objects (Tholen X and M class asteroids) using the Arecibo radar and NASA Infrared Telescope Facilities (Ockert-Bell et al., 2008Ockert-Bell et al., 2010,Shepard et al., 2008aShepard et al., 2008b and Shepard et al., 2010). Eighteen of our targets were near-simultaneously observed with radar and those observations are described in Shepard et al. (2010). We combine our near-infrared data with available visible wavelength data for a more complete compositional analysis of our targets. Compositional evidence is derived from our target asteroid spectra using two different methods, a χ2 search for spectral matches in the RELAB database and parametric comparisons with meteorites. We present four new methods of parametric comparison, including discriminant analysis. Discriminant analysis identifies meteorite type with 85% accuracy. This paper synthesizes the results of these two analog search algorithms and reconciles those results with analogs suggested from radar data (Shepard et al. 2010). We have observed 29 asteroids, 18 in conjunction with radar observations. For eighteen out of twenty-nine objects observed (62%) our compositional predictions are consistent over two or more methods applied. We find that for our Xc and Xk targets the best fit is an iron meteorite for 34% of the samples. Enstatite Chondrites were best fits for 6 of our targets (21%). Stony-iron meteorites were best fits for 2 of our targets (7%). A discriminant analysis suggests that asteroids with no absorption band can be compared to iron meteorites and asteroids with both a 0.9 and 1.9 μm absorption band can be compared to stony-iron meteorites.

Reference
Neeley JR, Clark BE, Ockert-Bell ME, Shepard MK, Conklin J, Cloutis EA, Fornasier S and Bus SJ  (in press) The composition of M-type asteroids II: Synthesis of spectroscopic and radar observations. Icarus
[doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2014.05.008]
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Water Delivery and Giant Impacts in the ‘Grand Tack’ Scenario

David P. O’Briena, Kevin J. Walshb, Alessandro Morbidellic, Sean N. Raymondd,e and Avi M. Mandellf

aPlanetary Science Institute, 1700 E. Ft. Lowell, Suite 106, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
bDepartment of Space Studies, Southwest Research Institute, 1050 Walnut Street, Suite 300, Boulder, Colorado 80302, USA
cUniversité de Nice — Sophia Antipolis, CNRS, Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, BP 4229, 06304 Nice Cedex 4, France
dUniversité de Bordeaux, Observatoire Aquitain des Sciences de l’Univers, 2 Rue de l’Observatoire, BP 89, F-33270 Floirac Cedex, France
eCNRS, UMR 5804, Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de Bordeaux, 2 Rue de l’Observatoire, BP 89, F-33270 Floirac Cedex, France
fNASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 693, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA

A new model for terrestrial planet formation (Hansen, 2009 and Walsh et al., 2011) has explored accretion in a truncated protoplanetary disk, and found that such a configuration is able to reproduce the distribution of mass among the planets in the Solar System, especially the Earth/Mars mass ratio, which earlier simulations have generally not been able to match. Walsh et al., 2011 tested a possible mechanism to truncate the disk—a two-stage, inward-then-outward migration of Jupiter and Saturn, as found in numerous hydrodynamical simulations of giant planet formation. In addition to truncating the disk and producing a more realistic Earth/Mars mass ratio, the migration of the giant planets also populates the asteroid belt with two distinct populations of bodies—the inner belt is filled by bodies originating inside of 3 AU, and the outer belt is filled with bodies originating from between and beyond the giant planets (which are hereafter referred to as ‘primitive’ bodies).
One implication of the truncation mechanism proposed in Walsh et al. (2011) is the scattering of primitive planetesimals onto planet crossing orbits during the formation of the planets. We find here that the planets will accrete on order 1–2% of their total mass from these bodies. For an assumed value of 10% for the water mass fraction of the primitive planetesimals, this model delivers a total amount of water comparable to that estimated to be on the Earth today. The radial distribution of the planetary masses and the dynamical excitation of their orbits are a good match to the observed system. However, we find that a truncated disk leads to formation timescales more rapid than suggested by radiometric chronometers. In particular the last giant impact is typically earlier than 20 Myr, and a substantial amount of mass is accreted after that event. This is at odds with the dating of the Moon-forming impact and the estimated amount of mass accreted by Earth following that event. However, 5 of the 27 planets larger than half an Earth mass formed in all simulations do experience large late impacts and subsequent accretion consistent with those constraints.

Reference
O’Brien DP, Walsh KJ, Morbidelli A, Raymond SN and Mandell AM (in press) Water Delivery and Giant Impacts in the ‘Grand Tack’ Scenario. Icarus
[doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2014.05.009]
Copyright Elsevier

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