Martian Hematite Deposits

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Martian Hematite Deposits

• Damian Kraemer

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Outline

• What is Hematite?
• Hematite on Mars
• How did it get there?
• What does the topography say?

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What is Hematite?

• ?-Fe2O3
• Forms when water dissolves Iron bearing rocks
• Iron is oxidized and precipitates out of solution

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Hematite Formation
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Hematite On Mars

• Sinus Meridiani Region
• Coarse grained, 10s to 100s of microns
• Covers 10 to 15 of surface
• Correlates with a smooth layered unit

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TES Mineral Map of Mars
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Sinus Meridiani Region
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Sinus Meridiani Region
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Transition Region
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How did it get there?

• Precipitation from standing water
• Hydrothermal activity
• Groundwater leaching
• Surface weathering
• Magnetite rich, oxidizing lavas

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What does topography say?

• Examine topography to see if it can help decide
  on a mechanism
• Given present topography, could not have a large
  standing body of water
• Might be consistent with small pools and/or
  seepage

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Elev. Map of Hematite Region
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Elev. Map of Hematite Region
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Conclusions

• Hematite region has no closed contours
• No large standing bodies of water here

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Special Thanks to

• Shane Byrne
• Joseph Kirschvink
• George Rossman

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Mars Ocean?