Olivine-Carbonate Mineralogy of Jezero Crater

Original · EN

A well-preserved, ancient delta deposit, in combination with ample exposures of Mg-carbonate rich materials, make Jezero Crater in Nili Fossae a compelling astrobiological site and a top candidate for future landed missions to Mars. We use CRISM observations to characterize the surface mineralogy of the crater and surrounding watershed. We have identified a three- endmember sequence of olivine-bearing lithologies that we hypothesize are distinguished by their Mg content. We find that Mg-carbonates are consistently identified in association with one of the olivine-bearing lithologies, although that lithology is not fully carbonatized. Surprisingly, this lithology contains relatively Fe-rich olivine. We address a range of formation scenarios, including the possibility that these olivine and carbonate associations are indicators of serpentinization on early Mars. These deposits provide an opportunity for deepening our understanding of early Mars by revealing the thermal history of the martian interior and potentially changes in its tectonic regime with time.