Evidence for calcium carbonate at the Mars Phoenix landing site.
Science
; 325(5936): 61-4, 2009 Jul 03.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-19574384
ABSTRACT
Carbonates are generally products of aqueous processes and may hold important clues about the history of liquid water on the surface of Mars. Calcium carbonate (approximately 3 to 5 weight percent) has been identified in the soils around the Phoenix landing site by scanning calorimetry showing an endothermic transition beginning around 725 degrees C accompanied by evolution of carbon dioxide and by the ability of the soil to buffer pH against acid addition. Based on empirical kinetics, the amount of calcium carbonate is most consistent with formation in the past by the interaction of atmospheric carbon dioxide with liquid water films on particle surfaces.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Calcium Carbonate
/
Mars
Type of study:
Prognostic_studies
Language:
En
Journal:
Science
Year:
2009
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
United States