Atmospheric origins of perchlorate on Mars and in the Atacama

Catling, David C.; Claire, Mark; Zahnle, Kevin; Quinn, R. C.; Clark, B. C.; Hecht, M. H.; Kounaves, Samuel P.

doi:10.1029/2009je003425

Cited by 264 publications

(223 citation statements)

References 112 publications

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“…Indigenous natural ClO4 -also is associated with natural surficial NO3 -deposits in the vicinity of Death Valley, California at concentrations ranging from 0.25 to 23 mg/kg Lybrand et al, 2013). Similarly, ClO4 -concentrations as high as 1.1 mg/kg were reported in surficial deposits in the Dry Valleys region of Antarctica (Kounaves et al, 2010;Jackson et al, 2013).…”

Section: Indigenous Natural Perchlorate In the Usmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of Perchlorate Sources in the Rialto-Colton and Chino California Subbasins using Chlorine and Oxygen Isotope Ratio Analysis

Hatzinger¹,

Boehlke²,

Izbicki³

et al. 2015

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T he public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to a ven:~~ge 1 hour per response. including t he time for reviewing instruction-;. search ing exist ing dat a sources. gathering and maintaining t he data needed. end completing and review ing th e collection of information_ Send comments reg arding t his burden estimate or any othe . Perchlorate in groundwater can be from synthetic or natmal sources. the latter of which include both historical application of impotted nitrate fertilizers fi·om the Atacama Desert of Chile and atmospheric perchlorate. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of isotopic data to distinguish somces of perchlorate in groundwater in a specific region of the Rialto-Colton and Chino. CA groundwater subbasins. Perchlorate extrac ted from wells in tlus region was analyzed for chlorine and oxygen stable isotope ratios and radioactive chlorine-36 isotopic abundance. along w ith other geochenucal. isotopic. and hydrogeologic data. The stable isotope and chlOI~ne-36 data provided relatively unambiguous discrinunation of synthetic and Atacama perchlorate sources in most wells having relatively high concentt·ations. providing regional perspective on anthl'Opogenic perchlorate contamination in the Rialto-Colton and Cluno subbasins. Where indigenous natmal perchlorate was indicated as a substantial component. total perchlorate concentt·ations were low and concentrations of anthropogenic components were near backgrotmd levels.

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Section: Indigenous Natural Perchlorate In the Usmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of Perchlorate Sources in the Rialto-Colton and Chino California Subbasins using Chlorine and Oxygen Isotope Ratio Analysis

Hatzinger¹,

Boehlke²,

Izbicki³

et al. 2015

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“…[23] Previous studies have proposed that perchlorate on Mars might form from atmospheric interactions between ozone and volatile chlorine compounds as aerosols or at the surface, as in the Atacama Desert of Chile [Catling et al, 2010] and the Antarctic Dry Valleys [Kounaves et al, 2010a[Kounaves et al, , 2010b. Dissolution and redistribution of perchlorate could occur when summer mid-day temperatures exceed the perchlorate eutectic point.…”

Section: Perchlorate At the Phoenix Landing Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

Concentrated perchlorate at the Mars Phoenix landing site: Evidence for thin film liquid water on Mars

Cull

Arvidson

Catalano

et al. 2010

Geophysical Research Letters

103

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NASA's Phoenix mission, which landed on the northern plains of Mars in 2008, returned evidence of the perchlorate anion distributed evenly throughout the soil column at the landing site. Here, we use spectral data from Phoenix's Surface Stereo Imager to map the distribution of perchlorate salts at the Phoenix landing site, and find that perchlorate salt has been locally concentrated into subsurface patches, similar to salt patches that result from aqueous dissolution and redistribution on Earth. We propose that thin films of liquid water are responsible for translocating perchlorate from the surface to the subsurface, and for concentrating it in patches. The thin films are interpreted to result from melting of minor ice covers related to seasonal and long‐term obliquity cycles.

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“…The Yungay (Chile) and Arequipa (Peru) regions of the Atacama Desert are the driest hot places on Earth, serving as a compositional Martian analogue because of its sulphate and perchlorate mineralogy and low organic content (Catling et al 2010;Peeters et al 2009;Buch et al 2006;Amashukeli et al 2007;Meunier et al 2007;Skelley et al 2007). This is suggested to be the result of the highly oxidizing composition of the Atacama Desert soil (Sutter et al 2005;Ewing et al 2006;Navarro-González et al 2003;Lester et al 2007).…”

Section: Atacama Desertmentioning

confidence: 99%

Earth as a Tool for Astrobiology—A European Perspective

et al. 2017

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Scientists use the Earth as a tool for astrobiology by analyzing planetary field analogues (i.e. terrestrial samples and field sites that resemble planetary bodies in our Solar System). In addition, they expose the selected planetary field analogues in simulation chambers to conditions that mimic the ones of planets, moons and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) space conditions, as well as the chemistry occurring in interstellar and cometary ices. This paper reviews the ways the Earth is used by astrobiologists: (i) by conducting planetary field analogue studies to investigate extant life from extreme environments, its metabolisms, adaptation strategies and modern biosignatures; (ii) by conducting planetary field analogue studies to investigate extinct life from the oldest rocks on our planet and its biosignatures; (iii) by exposing terrestrial samples to simulated space or planetary environments and producing a sample analogue to investigate changes in minerals, biosignatures and microorganisms. The European Space Agency (ESA) created a topical team in 2011 to investigate recent activities using the Earth as a tool for astrobiology and to formulate recommendations and scientific needs to improve ground-based astrobiological research. Space is an important tool for astrobiology (see Horneck et al. in Astrobiology, 16:201-243, 2016;Cottin et al., 2017), but access to space is limited. Complementing research on Earth provides fast access, more replications and higher sample throughput. The major conclusions of the topical team and suggestions for the future include more scientifically qualified calls for field campaigns with planetary analogy, and a centralized point of contact at ESA or the EU for the organization of a survey of such expeditions. An improvement of the coordinated logistics, infrastructures and funding system supporting the combination of field work with planetary simulation investigations, as well as an optimization of the scientific return and data processing, data storage and data distribution is also needed. Finally, a coordinated EU or ESA education and outreach program would improve the participation of the public in the astrobiological activities.

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Atmospheric origins of perchlorate on Mars and in the Atacama

Cited by 264 publications

References 112 publications

Evaluation of Perchlorate Sources in the Rialto-Colton and Chino California Subbasins using Chlorine and Oxygen Isotope Ratio Analysis

Evaluation of Perchlorate Sources in the Rialto-Colton and Chino California Subbasins using Chlorine and Oxygen Isotope Ratio Analysis

Concentrated perchlorate at the Mars Phoenix landing site: Evidence for thin film liquid water on Mars

Earth as a Tool for Astrobiology—A European Perspective

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