HR: 0800h
AN: P21A-0206    [Abstracts]
TI: Spectroscopic Study of Sulfates Applied to Mars
AU: * Lane, M D
EM: lane@psi.edu
AF: Planetary Science Institute, 1700 E. Fort Lowell Rd. Suite 106, Tucson, AZ 85719 United States
AB: Definitive evidence for sulfates on Mars has been presented in 2004, including the Mars Exploration Rover Moessbauer spectroscopic identification of jarosite in Meridiani Planum and the Mars Express OMEGA visible/near infrared spectroscopic identification of kieserite in Valles Marineris and elsewhere. In addition to Moessbauer and VIS/NIR, other spectroscopic techniques can be employed for determining which sulfate minerals are present on Mars. This study focuses on the use of the thermal infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum and the study of sulfates using emission spectroscopy to uniquely identify sulfate minerals. The fundamental molecular vibrational modes of sulfates are present in thermal infrared spectra. These modes influence the overtones and combination bands seen in VIS/NIR data. Clearly sulfate minerals are important Martian geologic materials and, because sulfates form under diverse environmental conditions, can help understand the specific formational and chemical settings that once existed on Mars.
DE: 5400 PLANETOLOGY: SOLID SURFACE PLANETS
DE: 5410 Composition
DE: 5464 Remote sensing
DE: 6200 PLANETOLOGY: SOLAR SYSTEM OBJECTS (New field)
DE: 6225 Mars
SC: Planetary Sciences [P]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting