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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 refers either to a mineral or to a rock. Examples of carbonate minerals are:

  1. 1.

    Calcite (CaCO3) and dolomite (MgCa(CO3)2), which are common constituents of limestones and other calcareous sediments

  2. 2.

    Siderite (FeCO3), which also occurs in sedimentary rocks

  3. 3.

    Magnesite (MgCO3), an alteration product of ultramafic rock

  4. 4.

    Malachite Cu2(CO3)(OH)2, smithsonite (ZnCO3), rhodocrosite (MnCO3), withérite (BaCO3), and cerussite (PbCO3), which result from surficial alteration of metallic ore deposits.

The term “carbonate” 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...

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Maison des Géosciences, LGCA, Université J. Fourier, St-Martin d’Hères, France

    Nicholas Arndt

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  1. Nicholas Arndt
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Correspondence to Nicholas Arndt .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

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

    Muriel Gargaud

  2. Astronomy Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA

    William M. Irvine

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

    Ricardo Amils

  4. Geophysical Lab., Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, DC, USA

    Henderson James Cleaves

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

    Daniele Pinti

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

    José Cernicharo Quintanilla

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

    Michel Viso

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Arndt, N. (2021). Carbonate on Mars. In: Gargaud, M., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_234-4

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

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-27833-4

  • 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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