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Encyclopedia of Astrobiology pp 1Cite as

Carbonate on Mars

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Synonyms

Calcareous sediment; Limestone

Definition

The term carbonate either refers to a mineral or to a rock. Examples of carbonate minerals are calcite (CaCO3) and dolomite (MgCa(CO3)2), which are common constituents of limestones and other calcareous sediments; siderite (FeCO3), which also occurs in sedimentary rocks; magnesite (MgCO3), an alteration product of ultramafic rock; and malachite Cu2(CO3)(OH)2, smithsonite (ZnCO3), and cerussite (PbCO3), which result from surficial alteration of metallic ore deposits. The term is also applied to sediments or sedimentary rockssuch as limestones or dolostones that are composed predominantly of carbonate minerals. In the Precambrian, particularly the Proterozoic, carbonate minerals precipitated on microbial mats by their photosynthetic activity and resulting alkalinity of the surface are common. Most Phanerozoic carbonates are composed to a large degree of the shells, tests, and spicules or their fragments of marine organisms, cemented by...

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Maison des Géosciences, LGCA, Université J. Fourier, 1381, rue de la Piscine, 38400, St-Martin d’Hères, France

    Nicholas Arndt

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  1. Nicholas Arndt
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Correspondence to Nicholas Arndt .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Ricardo Amils

  2. Labo. d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux (LAB), Observatoire Aquitain des Sciences de l'Univers (OASU), Floirac CX, France

    Muriel Gargaud

  3. Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), Inst. Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial, Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain

    José Cernicharo Quintanilla

  4. Geophysical Lab., Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

    Henderson James Cleaves

  5. Astronomy Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA

    William M. Irvine

  6. Dépt. Sc. de la Terre et de l’Atmosphère, Université du Québec, Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada

    Daniele Pinti

  7. Centre National d'Etudes Spatiale (CNES) DPI/E2U, Paris CX, France

    Michel Viso

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© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Arndt, N. (2014). Carbonate on Mars. In: Amils, R., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_234-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_234-3

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27833-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Physics and AstronomyReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Chemistry, Materials and Physics

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Chapter history

  1. Latest

    Carbonate on Mars
    Published:
    18 November 2020

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_234-4

  2. Original

    Carbonate on Mars
    Published:
    29 April 2015

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_234-3

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