Abstract
As Viking Landers did not measure rock compositions, Pathfinder (PF) data are the first in this respect. This review gives no proof yet whether the PF rocks are igneous or sedimentary, but for petrogenetic reasons they could be igneous. We suggest a model in which Mars is covered by about 50% basaltic and 50% andesitic igneous rocks. The soils are a mixture of the two with addition of Mg-sulfate and -chloride plus iron compounds possibly derived from the hematite deposits.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ariskin, A., and Barmina, G.: 1999, 'An Empirical Model for the Calculation of Spinel-melt Equilibria in Mafic Igneous Systems at Atmospheric Pressure:2. Fe-Ti Oxides', Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. 134, 251-263.
Ariskin, A.A., Frenkel, M.Y., Barmina, G.S., and Nielsen, R.L.: 1993, 'Comagmat: A FORTRAN Program to Model Magma Differentiation Processes', Comput. Geosci. 19, 1155-1170.
Bandfield, J.L., Hamilton, V.E., and Christensen, P.R.: 2000, 'A Global View of Martian Surface Compositions from MGS-TES', Science 287, 1626-1630.
Banin, A., Clark, B.C., and Wänke, H.: 1992, 'Surface Chemistry and Mineralogy', in H.H. Kieffer et al. (eds.), Mars, Univ. Arizona Press, Tucson, pp. 594-625.
Bell, J.F., III, et al.: 2000, 'Mineralogic and Compositional Properties of Martian Soil and Dust: Results from Mars Pathfinder', J. Geophys. Res. 105, 1721-1755.
Bogard, D.D., and Johnson, P.: 1983, 'Martian Gases in an Antarctic Meteorite', Science 221, 651-654.
Brückner, J., Dreibus, G., Lugmair, G.W., Rieder, R., Wänke, H., and Economou, T.: 1999, 'Chemical Composition of the Martian Surface as Derived from Pathfinder, Viking, and Martian Meteorite Data', Proc. 30 th Lunar Planet. Sci. Conf., LPI, Houston, abstract #1250 (CD-ROM).
Brückner, J., Dreibus, G., Rieder, R., and Wänke, H.: 2001, 'Revised Data of APXS Analyses of Soils and Rocks at the Pathfinder Site', in preparation.
Christensen, P.R., et al.: 2000, 'Detection of Crystalline Hematite Mineralization on Mars by the Thermal Emission Spectrometer:E vidence for Near-surfaceWater', J. Geophys. Res. 105, 9623-9642.
Clark, B.C., Baird, A.K., Weldon, R.J., Tsusaki, D.M., Schnabel, L., and Candelaria, M.P.: 1982, 'Chemical Composition of Martian Fines', J. Geophys. Res. 87, 10,059-10,067.
Clark, B.C.: 1999, 'On the Non-observability of Carbonates on Mars', 5 th Int. Conf. on Mars, LPI Contrib. 972, LPI, Houston, abstract #6214 (CD-ROM).
Crawford, A.J., Falloon, T.J., and Green, D.H.: 1989, 'Classification, Petrogenesis and Tectonic Setting of Boninites', in A.J. Crawford (ed.), Boninites and Related Rocks, Unwin and Hyman, pp. 1-49.
Dreibus, G., and Wänke, H.: 1987, 'Volatiles on Earth and Mars: A Comparison', Icarus 71, 225-240.
Dreibus, G., Ryabchikov, I., Rieder, R., Economou, T., Brückner, J., McSween, M.Y., Jr., and Wänke, H.: 1998, 'Relationship Between Rocks and Soil at the Pathfinder Landing Site and the Martian Meteorites', Proc. 29 th Lunar Planet. Sci., LPI, Houston, abstract #1348 (CD-ROM).
Ghiorso, M.S., and Sack, R.S.: 1995, 'Chemical Mass Transfer in Magmatic Processes, IV. A Revised and Internally Consistent Thermodynamic Model for the Interpolation and Extrapolation of Liquid-solid Equilibria in Magmatic Systems at Elevated Temperatures and Pressures', Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. 119, 197-202.
Golombek, M.P., et al.: 1999, 'Overview of the Mars Pathfinder Mission: Launch through Landing, Surface Operations, Data Sets, and Science Results', J. Geophys. Res. 104, 8523-8553.
Haggerty, S.E.: 1978, 'The Redox State of Planetary Basalts', Geophys. Res. Lett. 5, 443-446.
Le Bas, M.J., Le Maitre, R.W., Streckeisen, A., and Zanettin, B.: 1986, 'A Chemical Classification of Volcanic Rocks Based on the Total Alkali-silica Diagram', J. Petrol. 27, 745-750.
McLennan, S.M.: 2000, 'Chemical Composition of Martian Soil and Rocks: Complex Mixing and Sedimentary Transport', Geophys. Res. Lett. 27, 1335-1338.
McSween, H.Y., Jr.: 1994, 'What we Have Learned About Mars from SNC Meteorites', Meteoritics 29, 757-779.
McSween, H.Y., Jr., et al.: 1999, 'Chemical, Multispectral, and Textural Constraints on the Composition and Origin of Rocks at the Mars Pathfinder Landing Site', J. Geophys. Res. 104, 8679-8715.
McSween, H.Y., Jr., and Keil, K.: 2000, 'Mixing Relationships in the Martian Regolith and the Composition of Globally Homogeneous Dust', Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 64, 2155-2166.
Palme, H., Suess, H.E., and Zeh, H.D.: 1981, 'Abundances of the Elements in the Solar System', in K. Schaifers and H.H. Voigt (eds.), Landoldt-Börnstein 2, Springer, Berlin, pp. 257-273.
Philpotts, A.R.: 1982, 'Compositions of Immiscible Liquids in Volcanic Rocks', Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. 80, 201-218.
Rieder, R., Wänke, H., Economou, T., and Turkevich, A.: 1997a, 'Determination of the Chemical Composition of Martian Soil and Rocks:The Alpha Proton X-Ray Spectrometer', J. Geophys. Res. 102, 4027-4044.
Rieder, R., Economou, T., Wänke, H., Turkevich, A., Crisp, J., Brückner, J., Dreibus, G., McSween, H.Y., Jr.: 1997b, 'The Chemical Composition of Martian Soil and Rocks Returned by the Mobile Alpha Proton X-ray Spectrometer:Preliminary Results from the X-ray Mode', Science 278, 1771-1774.
Roedder, E.: 1951, 'Low Temperature Liquid Immiscibility in the System K2O-FeO-Al2O3-SiO2', Am. Mineral. 36, 282-286.
Roedder, E.: 1992, 'Fluid Inclusion Evidence for Immiscibility in Magmatic Differentiation', Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 56, 5-20.
Roedder, E., and Weiblein, P.W.: 1970, 'Lunar Petrology of Silicate Melt Inclusions, Apollo 11 Rocks', Proc. Apollo 11 Lunar Sci. Conf., Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, Suppl. 1, 801-837.
Ryabchikov, I.D., Solovova, I.P., Babansky, A.D., and Borsuk, A.M.: 1985, 'Origin and Differentiation Conditions of Strongly Reduced Andesitic Magmas', IZV. AN SSSR, ser. Geol. 10 (in Russian).
Ryabchikov, I.D., and Wänke, H.: 1996, 'Magma Generation in Martian Mantle', Geochemistry International 34, 621-627.
Stolper, E., and McSween, H.Y., Jr.: 1979, 'Petrology and Origin of the Shergottite Meteorites', Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 43, 1475-1498.
Surkov, Yu.A., Barsukov, V.L., Moskaleva, L.P., Kharyukova, V.P., Zaitseva, S.Ye., Smirnov, G.G., and Manvelyan, O.S.: 1989, 'Determination of the Elemental Composition of Martian Rocks from Phobos 2', Nature 341, 595-598.
Walker, D., Stolper, E.M., and Hays, J.F.: 1979, 'Basaltic Volcanism: The Importance of Planet Size', Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, Suppl. 11, 1995-2015.
Wänke, H., and Dreibus, G.: 1988, 'Chemical Composition and Accretion History of Terrestrial Planets', Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. A325, 545-557.
Wänke, H., and Dreibus, G.: 1994, 'Chemistry and Accretion History of Mars', Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. A349, 295-293.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wänke, H., Brückner, J., Dreibus, G. et al. Chemical Composition of Rocks and Soils at the Pathfinder Site. Space Science Reviews 96, 317–330 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011961725645
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011961725645