Inorganic Analyses of Martian Surface Samples at the Viking Landing Sites
Abstract
Elemental analyses of fines in the Martian regolith at two widely separated landing sites, Chryse Planitia and Utopia Planitia, produced remarkably similar results. At both sites, the uppermost regolith contains abundant Si and Fe, with significant concentrations of Mg, Al, S, Ca, and Ti. The S concentration is one to two orders of magnitude higher, and K(<0.25 percent by weight) is at least 5 times lower than the average for the earth's crust. The trace elements Sr, Y, and possibly Zr, have been detected at concentrations near or below 100 parts per million. Pebblesized fragments sampled at Chryse contain more S than the bulk fines, and are thought to be pieces of a sulfate-cemented duricrust.
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The martian surface is sulfur-rich.
“The martian surface is sulfur-rich (Clark et al. 1976) and sulphates are abundant on Hesperian and Noachian terrain (Gendrin et al. 2005; Bibring et al. 2005; Ehlmann & Edwards 2014).”
From The Climate of Early Mars (2016) · cites this paper as Clark et al. 1976
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Chemical composition of Martian fines
Clark, B. C., Baird, A. K., Weldon, R. J., Tsusaki, D. M., Schnabel, L., & Candelaria, M. P. (1982) · Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth · doi:10.1029/jb087ib12p10059 · Cited by 409 · see citing works
Self-citationReanalysis of the Viking results suggests perchlorate and organics at midlatitudes on Mars
Navarro‐González, R., Vargas, E., de la Rosa, J., Raga, A. C., & McKay, C. P. (2010) · Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets · doi:10.1029/2010je003599 · Cited by 384 · see citing works
Wordsworth, R. D. (2016) · Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences · doi:10.1146/annurev-earth-060115-012355 · Cited by 416 · see citing works
“The martian surface is sulfur-rich (Clark et al. 1976) and sulphates are abundant on Hesperian and Noachian terrain (Gendrin et al. 2005; Bibring et al. 2005; Ehlmann & Edwards 2014).”
BackgroundGooding, J. L. (1978) · Icarus · doi:10.1016/0019-1035(78)90186-0 · Cited by 188 · see citing works
Water on Mars—A Literature Review
Nazari-Sharabian, M., Aghababaei, M., Karakouzian, M., & Karami, M. (2020) · Galaxies · doi:10.3390/galaxies8020040 · Cited by 109 · see citing works
On the original igneous source of Martian fines
Baird, A. K., & Clark, B. C. (1981) · Icarus · doi:10.1016/0019-1035(81)90009-9 · Cited by 66 · see citing works
Self-citationMcKenna-Lawlor, S., Gonçalves, P., Keating, A., Morgado, B., Heynderickx, D., Nieminen, P., Santin, G., Truscott, P., Lei, F., Foing, B., et al. (2012) · Icarus · doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2011.04.004 · Cited by 40 · see citing works
- Authors
- Clark, B. C., Baird, A. K., Rose, H. J., Toulmin, P., Keil, K., Castro, A. J., Kelliher, W. C., Rowe, C. D., & Evans, P. H.
- Affiliations
- Martin Marietta (United States) (US)
- Pomona College (US)
- United States Geological Survey (US)
- University of New Mexico (US)
- Langley Research Center (US)
- ORCID
- Clark, Benton C.
- Venue
- Science
- Published
- 1976-12-17
- Volume
- 194
- Issue
- 4271
- Pages
- 1283-1288
- ISSN
- 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
- 1095-9203
- OpenAlex
- W2006284631
- Cited by
- 214
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 6
- FWCI
- 28.98
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- 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 regolith, Chryse Planitia, Utopia Planitia, elemental composition, sulfur content, potassium deficiency, trace elements, duricrusts, pebbles, Mars
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