Large sulfur isotope fractionations in Martian sediments at Gale crater

H. B. Franz; A. C. McAdam; D. W. Ming; C. Freissinet; P. R. Mahaffy; D. L. Eldridge; W. W. Fischer; J. P. Grotzinger; C. H. House; J. A. Hurowitz; S. M. McLennan; S. P. Schwenzer; D. T. Vaniman; P. D. Archer; S. K. Atreya; P. G. Conrad; J. W. Dottin; J. L. Eigenbrode; K. A. Farley; D. P. Glavin; S. S. Johnson; C. A. Knudson; R. V. Morris; R. Navarro-González; A. A. Pavlov; R. Plummer; E. B. Rampe; J. C. Stern; A. Steele; R. E. Summons; B. Sutter

doi:10.1038/ngeo3002

Large sulfur isotope fractionations in Martian sediments at Gale crater

H. B. Franz, A. C. McAdam, D. W. Ming, C. Freissinet, P. R. Mahaffy, D. L. Eldridge, W. W. Fischer, J. P. Grotzinger, C. H. House, J. A. Hurowitz, S. M. McLennan, S. P. Schwenzer, D. T. Vaniman, P. D. Archer, S. K. Atreya, P. G. Conrad, J. W. Dottin, J. L. Eigenbrode, K. A. Farley, D. P. GlavinS. S. Johnson, C. A. Knudson, R. V. Morris, R. Navarro-González, A. A. Pavlov, R. Plummer, E. B. Rampe, J. C. Stern, A. Steele, R. E. Summons, B. Sutter

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Abstract

Variability in the sulfur isotopic composition in sediments can reflect atmospheric, geologic and biological processes. Evidence for ancient fluvio-lacustrine environments at Gale crater on Mars and a lack of efficient crustal recycling mechanisms on the planet suggests a surface environment that was once warm enough to allow the presence of liquid water, at least for discrete periods of time, and implies a greenhouse effect that may have been influenced by sulfur-bearing volcanic gases. Here we report in situ analyses of the sulfur isotopic compositions of SO₂ volatilized from ten sediment samples acquired by NASA's Curiosity rover along a 13 km traverse of Gale crater. We find large variations in sulfur isotopic composition that exceed those measured for Martian meteorites and show both depletion and enrichment in ³⁴S. Measured values of Δ³⁴S range from - 47 ± 14‰ to 28 ± 7‰, similar to the range typical of terrestrial environments. Although limited geochronological constraints on the stratigraphy traversed by Curiosity are available, we propose that the observed sulfur isotopic signatures at Gale crater can be explained by equilibrium fractionation between sulfate and sulfide in an impact-driven hydrothermal system and atmospheric processing of sulfur-bearing gases during transient warm periods.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	658-662
Number of pages	5
Journal	Nature Geoscience
Volume	10
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo3002
State	Published - Sep 1 2017

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

General Earth and Planetary Sciences

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10.1038/ngeo3002

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Franz, H. B., McAdam, A. C., Ming, D. W., Freissinet, C., Mahaffy, P. R., Eldridge, D. L., Fischer, W. W., Grotzinger, J. P., House, C. H., Hurowitz, J. A., McLennan, S. M., Schwenzer, S. P., Vaniman, D. T., Archer, P. D., Atreya, S. K., Conrad, P. G., Dottin, J. W., Eigenbrode, J. L., Farley, K. A., ... Sutter, B. (2017). Large sulfur isotope fractionations in Martian sediments at Gale crater. Nature Geoscience, 10(9), 658-662. https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo3002

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title = "Large sulfur isotope fractionations in Martian sediments at Gale crater",

abstract = "Variability in the sulfur isotopic composition in sediments can reflect atmospheric, geologic and biological processes. Evidence for ancient fluvio-lacustrine environments at Gale crater on Mars and a lack of efficient crustal recycling mechanisms on the planet suggests a surface environment that was once warm enough to allow the presence of liquid water, at least for discrete periods of time, and implies a greenhouse effect that may have been influenced by sulfur-bearing volcanic gases. Here we report in situ analyses of the sulfur isotopic compositions of SO2 volatilized from ten sediment samples acquired by NASA's Curiosity rover along a 13 km traverse of Gale crater. We find large variations in sulfur isotopic composition that exceed those measured for Martian meteorites and show both depletion and enrichment in 34S. Measured values of Δ34S range from - 47 ± 14‰ to 28 ± 7‰, similar to the range typical of terrestrial environments. Although limited geochronological constraints on the stratigraphy traversed by Curiosity are available, we propose that the observed sulfur isotopic signatures at Gale crater can be explained by equilibrium fractionation between sulfate and sulfide in an impact-driven hydrothermal system and atmospheric processing of sulfur-bearing gases during transient warm periods.",

author = "Franz, {H. B.} and McAdam, {A. C.} and Ming, {D. W.} and C. Freissinet and Mahaffy, {P. R.} and Eldridge, {D. L.} and Fischer, {W. W.} and Grotzinger, {J. P.} and House, {C. H.} and Hurowitz, {J. A.} and McLennan, {S. M.} and Schwenzer, {S. P.} and Vaniman, {D. T.} and Archer, {P. D.} and Atreya, {S. K.} and Conrad, {P. G.} and Dottin, {J. W.} and Eigenbrode, {J. L.} and Farley, {K. A.} and Glavin, {D. P.} and Johnson, {S. S.} and Knudson, {C. A.} and Morris, {R. V.} and R. Navarro-Gonz{\'a}lez and Pavlov, {A. A.} and R. Plummer and Rampe, {E. B.} and Stern, {J. C.} and A. Steele and Summons, {R. E.} and B. Sutter",

year = "2017",

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doi = "10.1038/ngeo3002",

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Franz, HB, McAdam, AC, Ming, DW, Freissinet, C, Mahaffy, PR, Eldridge, DL, Fischer, WW, Grotzinger, JP, House, CH, Hurowitz, JA, McLennan, SM, Schwenzer, SP, Vaniman, DT, Archer, PD, Atreya, SK, Conrad, PG, Dottin, JW, Eigenbrode, JL, Farley, KA, Glavin, DP, Johnson, SS, Knudson, CA, Morris, RV, Navarro-González, R, Pavlov, AA, Plummer, R, Rampe, EB, Stern, JC, Steele, A, Summons, RE & Sutter, B 2017, 'Large sulfur isotope fractionations in Martian sediments at Gale crater', Nature Geoscience, vol. 10, no. 9, pp. 658-662. https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo3002

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T1 - Large sulfur isotope fractionations in Martian sediments at Gale crater

AU - Franz, H. B.

AU - McAdam, A. C.

AU - Ming, D. W.

AU - Freissinet, C.

AU - Mahaffy, P. R.

AU - Eldridge, D. L.

AU - Fischer, W. W.

AU - Grotzinger, J. P.

AU - House, C. H.

AU - Hurowitz, J. A.

AU - McLennan, S. M.

AU - Schwenzer, S. P.

AU - Vaniman, D. T.

AU - Archer, P. D.

AU - Atreya, S. K.

AU - Conrad, P. G.

AU - Dottin, J. W.

AU - Eigenbrode, J. L.

AU - Farley, K. A.

AU - Glavin, D. P.

AU - Johnson, S. S.

AU - Knudson, C. A.

AU - Morris, R. V.

AU - Navarro-González, R.

AU - Pavlov, A. A.

AU - Plummer, R.

AU - Rampe, E. B.

AU - Stern, J. C.

AU - Steele, A.

AU - Summons, R. E.

AU - Sutter, B.

PY - 2017/9/1

Y1 - 2017/9/1

N2 - Variability in the sulfur isotopic composition in sediments can reflect atmospheric, geologic and biological processes. Evidence for ancient fluvio-lacustrine environments at Gale crater on Mars and a lack of efficient crustal recycling mechanisms on the planet suggests a surface environment that was once warm enough to allow the presence of liquid water, at least for discrete periods of time, and implies a greenhouse effect that may have been influenced by sulfur-bearing volcanic gases. Here we report in situ analyses of the sulfur isotopic compositions of SO2 volatilized from ten sediment samples acquired by NASA's Curiosity rover along a 13 km traverse of Gale crater. We find large variations in sulfur isotopic composition that exceed those measured for Martian meteorites and show both depletion and enrichment in 34S. Measured values of Δ34S range from - 47 ± 14‰ to 28 ± 7‰, similar to the range typical of terrestrial environments. Although limited geochronological constraints on the stratigraphy traversed by Curiosity are available, we propose that the observed sulfur isotopic signatures at Gale crater can be explained by equilibrium fractionation between sulfate and sulfide in an impact-driven hydrothermal system and atmospheric processing of sulfur-bearing gases during transient warm periods.

AB - Variability in the sulfur isotopic composition in sediments can reflect atmospheric, geologic and biological processes. Evidence for ancient fluvio-lacustrine environments at Gale crater on Mars and a lack of efficient crustal recycling mechanisms on the planet suggests a surface environment that was once warm enough to allow the presence of liquid water, at least for discrete periods of time, and implies a greenhouse effect that may have been influenced by sulfur-bearing volcanic gases. Here we report in situ analyses of the sulfur isotopic compositions of SO2 volatilized from ten sediment samples acquired by NASA's Curiosity rover along a 13 km traverse of Gale crater. We find large variations in sulfur isotopic composition that exceed those measured for Martian meteorites and show both depletion and enrichment in 34S. Measured values of Δ34S range from - 47 ± 14‰ to 28 ± 7‰, similar to the range typical of terrestrial environments. Although limited geochronological constraints on the stratigraphy traversed by Curiosity are available, we propose that the observed sulfur isotopic signatures at Gale crater can be explained by equilibrium fractionation between sulfate and sulfide in an impact-driven hydrothermal system and atmospheric processing of sulfur-bearing gases during transient warm periods.

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JO - Nature Geoscience

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Large sulfur isotope fractionations in Martian sediments at Gale crater

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