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Cited by 144Planetary Science and ExplorationAstro and Planetary ScienceGeochemistry and Elemental Analysis

A global Mars dust composition refined by the alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer in Gale Crater

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Berger, Jeff A., Schmidt, Mariek E., Gellert, Ralf, Campbell, John L., King, Penelope L., Flemming, Roberta L., Ming, Douglas W., Clark, Benton C. +9 more·2016·Geophysical Research Letters
DOI 10.1002/2015gl066675
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Abstract

Modern Martian dust is similar in composition to the global soil unit and bulk basaltic Mars crust, but it is enriched in S and Cl. The Alpha Particle X‐ray Spectrometer (APXS) on the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover analyzed air fall dust on the science observation tray (o‐tray) in Gale Crater to determine dust oxide compositions. The o‐tray dust has the highest concentrations of SO 3 and Cl measured in Mars dust (SO 3 8.3%; Cl 1.1 wt %). The molar S/Cl in the dust (3.35 ± 0.34) is consistent with previous studies of Martian dust and soils (S/Cl = 3.7 ± 0.7). Fe is also elevated ~25% over average Mars soils and the bulk crust. These enrichments link air fall dust with the S‐, Cl‐, and Fe‐rich X‐ray amorphous component of Gale Crater soil. Dust and soil have the same S/Cl, constraining the surface concentrations of S and Cl on a global scale.

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  • Martian dust is somewhat chemically distinct from the underlying soil, with a larger component of nanophase iron oxides responsible for its ochre hue.

    “Martian dust is somewhat chemically distinct from the underlying soil, with a larger component of npOx responsible for its ochre hue (Morris et al., 2001; Berger et al., 2016).”

    From Mars global simulant MGS-1: A Rocknest-based open standard for basaltic martian regolith simulants (2019) · cites this paper as Berger et al., 2016

    The Results and Discussion report that Martian dust is compositionally similar to soil but enriched in Fe, S, and Cl; the Discussion also concludes that global dust is enriched in nanophase iron oxide (npOx). The cited paper does not say that npOx is responsible for the dust’s ochre hue. Page numbers are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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Authors
Berger, J. A., Schmidt, M. E., Gellert, R., Campbell, J. L., King, P. L., Flemming, R. L., Ming, D. W., Clark, B. C., Pradler, I., VanBommel, S. J. V., Minitti, M. E., Fairén, A. G., Boyd, N. I., Thompson, L. M., Perrett, G. M., Elliott, B. E., & Desouza, E.
Affiliations
  • Western University (CA)
  • Brock University (CA)
  • University of Guelph (CA)
  • Australian National University (AU)
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (US)
  • Space Science Institute (US)
  • Planetary Science Institute (US)
  • Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ES)
  • University of New Brunswick (CA)
  • Cornell University (US)
Corresponding author
Berger, Jeff A.
ORCID
Venue
Geophysical Research Letters
Publisher
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
Published
2016-01-09
Volume
43
Issue
1
Pages
67-75
ISSN
  • 0094-8276 (ISSN-L)
  • 1944-8007
DOI
10.1002/2015gl066675
OpenAlex
W2222082876
Cited by
144
References
1
Citations by year
2026: 14 · 2025: 24 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 7
FWCI
6.22
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Geophysical Research Letters (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • ANU Open Research (Australian National University) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Canadian Space Agency (9F052‐10‐0802, 09‐SCIGRA‐37)
  • Australian Research Council (FT130101524)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Planetary Science and Exploration
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Astro and Planetary Science
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Geochemistry and Petrology › Geochemistry and Elemental Analysis
Keywords
Martian dust, Gale Crater, Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer, Curiosity rover, sulfur enrichment, iron enrichment, Martian soil, Martian crust

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