Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

The scale of a martian hydrothermal system explored using combined neutron and x-ray tomography

Martell, Josefin LU ; Alwmark, Carl LU ; Daly, Luke ; Hall, Stephen LU ; Alwmark, Sanna LU ; Woracek, Robin ; Hektor, Johan LU ; Helfen, Lukas ; Tengattini, Alessandro and Lee, Martin (2022) In Science Advances 8(19).
Abstract
Nakhlite meteorites are igneous rocks from Mars that were aqueously altered ~630 million years ago. Hydrothermal systems on Earth are known to provide microhabitats; knowledge of the extent and duration of these systems is crucial to establish whether they could sustain life elsewhere in the Solar System. Here, we explore the three-dimensional distribution of hydrous phases within the Miller Range 03346 nakhlite meteorite using nondestructive neutron and x-ray tomography to determine whether alteration is interconnected and pervasive. The results reveal discrete clusters of hydrous phases within and surrounding olivine grains, with limited interconnectivity between clusters. This implies that the fluid was localized and originated from the... (More)
Nakhlite meteorites are igneous rocks from Mars that were aqueously altered ~630 million years ago. Hydrothermal systems on Earth are known to provide microhabitats; knowledge of the extent and duration of these systems is crucial to establish whether they could sustain life elsewhere in the Solar System. Here, we explore the three-dimensional distribution of hydrous phases within the Miller Range 03346 nakhlite meteorite using nondestructive neutron and x-ray tomography to determine whether alteration is interconnected and pervasive. The results reveal discrete clusters of hydrous phases within and surrounding olivine grains, with limited interconnectivity between clusters. This implies that the fluid was localized and originated from the melting of local subsurface ice following an impact event. Consequently, the duration of the hydrous alteration was likely short, meaning that the martian crust sampled by the nakhlites could not have provided habitable environments that could harbor any life on Mars during the Amazonian. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Neutron tomography, Martian meteorites, Impact cratering, planetary science, Planetary geology, Meteorite, x-ray imaging, image analysis, 3D Visualisation
in
Science Advances
volume
8
issue
19
article number
3044
publisher
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
external identifiers
  • scopus:85129949680
  • pmid:35544576
ISSN
2375-2548
DOI
10.1126/sciadv.abn3044
project
Leave no trace: A non-destructive correlative approach providing new insights into impactites and meteorites
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
b9c4b659-3a75-4a45-92dd-c78293ed15b5
date added to LUP
2022-06-02 15:47:05
date last changed
2022-11-10 23:41:56
@article{b9c4b659-3a75-4a45-92dd-c78293ed15b5,
  abstract     = {{Nakhlite meteorites are igneous rocks from Mars that were aqueously altered ~630 million years ago. Hydrothermal systems on Earth are known to provide microhabitats; knowledge of the extent and duration of these systems is crucial to establish whether they could sustain life elsewhere in the Solar System. Here, we explore the three-dimensional distribution of hydrous phases within the Miller Range 03346 nakhlite meteorite using nondestructive neutron and x-ray tomography to determine whether alteration is interconnected and pervasive. The results reveal discrete clusters of hydrous phases within and surrounding olivine grains, with limited interconnectivity between clusters. This implies that the fluid was localized and originated from the melting of local subsurface ice following an impact event. Consequently, the duration of the hydrous alteration was likely short, meaning that the martian crust sampled by the nakhlites could not have provided habitable environments that could harbor any life on Mars during the Amazonian.}},
  author       = {{Martell, Josefin and Alwmark, Carl and Daly, Luke and Hall, Stephen and Alwmark, Sanna and Woracek, Robin and Hektor, Johan and Helfen, Lukas and Tengattini, Alessandro and Lee, Martin}},
  issn         = {{2375-2548}},
  keywords     = {{Neutron tomography; Martian meteorites; Impact cratering; planetary science; Planetary geology; Meteorite; x-ray imaging; image analysis; 3D Visualisation}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{05}},
  number       = {{19}},
  publisher    = {{American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)}},
  series       = {{Science Advances}},
  title        = {{The scale of a martian hydrothermal system explored using combined neutron and x-ray tomography}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abn3044}},
  doi          = {{10.1126/sciadv.abn3044}},
  volume       = {{8}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}