Origin of nitrogen on Mars: First in situ N isotope analyses of martian meteorites

Deligny, Cécile; Füri, Evelyn; Deloule, Étienne; Peslier, A. H.; Fauré, François; Marrocchi, Yves

doi:10.1016/j.gca.2023.01.017

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 153 publications

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“…Owing to the recent measurements by the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity rover, it is known that the Martian atmosphere has evolved to isotopically heavier values due to past escape (e.g., Mahaffy et al, 2013;Wong et al, 2013). For instance, the nitrogen isotope composition of the current Martian ground-level atmosphere is considerably heavy (d 15 N of ~600&; Figure 6) compared to those of the estimated Martian mantle gas (~0&; Deligny et al, 2023).…”

Section: Surface Evolution Of Marsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Curation protocol of Phobos sample returned by Martian Moons eXploration

Fukai,

Usui,

Fujiya

et al. 2024

Meteorit & Planetary Scien

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Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission will launch a spacecraft in 2024 to return samples from Phobos in 2029. Curatorial work for the returned Phobos samples is critical for the sample allocation without degrading the sample integrity and subsequent sample analysis that will provide new constraints on the origin of Phobos and the evolution of the circum‐Mars environment. The Sample Analysis Working Team of the MMX is designing the sample curation protocol. The curation protocol consists of three phases: (1) quick analysis (extraction and mass spectrometry for gases), (2) pre‐basic characterization (bulk‐scale observation), and (3) basic characterization (grain‐by‐grain observation and allocation of the sample aliquots). Nondestructive analyses within the clean chamber (e.g., visible and near‐infrared spectral imaging) and outside the chamber (e.g., gas mass spectrometry) are incorporated into the curation flow in coordination with the MMX mission instrument teams for ground‐truthing the remote‐sensing data sets. The MMX curation/sample analysis flow enables the seamless integration between the sample and remote‐sensing data sets to maximize the scientific value of the collected Phobos samples.

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Section: Surface Evolution Of Marsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Curation protocol of Phobos sample returned by Martian Moons eXploration

Fukai,

Usui,

Fujiya

et al. 2024

Meteorit & Planetary Scien

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Tunable Laser Spectrometers for Planetary Science

Webster,

Hofmann,

Mahaffy

et al. 2023

Space Sci Rev

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Distinguishing planetary formation and evolution pathways and understanding the origins of volatiles on planetary bodies requires determination of relative abundances and isotope ratios in the noble gases, and also of the isotope ratios in C, H, N, O and S at high precisions. Traditional planetary mass spectrometers uniquely provide excellent survey capability including the noble gas relative abundances and their isotope ratios. However, to distinguish planetary evolution models for the outer planets, stable isotope ratios in C and O require precisions of ∼10‰ or better, readily achievable with a tunable laser spectrometer (TLS). As demonstrated on the Mars Curiosity rover, and as planned for a now-selected NASA Venus mission, tunable laser spectrometers play a unique role synergistic with the capabilities of planetary mass spectrometers. The TLS technique of recording infrared absorption spectra at ultrahigh resolution (resolving power $\lambda $ λ /$\delta \lambda \sim 5$ δ λ ∼ 5 million) provides unambiguous detection of a wide variety of gases such as H2O, H2O2, H2CO, HOCl, NO, NO2, HNO3, N2O, O3, CO, CO2, NH3, N2H4, PH3, H2S, SO2, OCS, HCl, HF, O2, HCN, and CH4, C2H2, C2H4, C2H6 at parts-per-billion levels. Through line-depth or line-area ratio comparisons of adjacent spectral lines, planetary TLS instruments can achieve isotope ratio measurements in C, H, N, O, and S molecules at precisions of ∼1–2‰, including for the triple isotope components of O and S. Expected performance of TLS instruments for Venus, Saturn, Enceladus and Uranus will be described as constrained by actual measurements reported at Mars on the Curiosity rover.

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The value of returning a sample of the Martian atmosphere

Swindle,

Pack,

Schwenzer

et al. 2025

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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The elemental and isotopic abundances of major species in the Martian atmosphere have been determined, but analyses often lack sufficient precision, and those of minor and trace species are frequently not well known. Many important questions about the evolution and current state of Mars require the kind of knowledge that can be gained from analysis of a returned sample of the Martian atmosphere. Key target species include the noble gases, nitrogen, and various species containing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, such as methane. More detailed analyses will no doubt provide measurements of other species that will allow insights of their own. These volatiles can constrain the origin of the Martian atmosphere, exchange of volatiles between the surface and interior, polar processes, and (in the case of methane) the possibility of extant biology on Mars.

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Origin of nitrogen on Mars: First in situ N isotope analyses of martian meteorites

Cited by 4 publications

References 153 publications

Curation protocol of Phobos sample returned by Martian Moons eXploration

Curation protocol of Phobos sample returned by Martian Moons eXploration

Tunable Laser Spectrometers for Planetary Science

The value of returning a sample of the Martian atmosphere

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