| Category | PHYS | P24 | Tharsis Montes:The Search for Palagonite and Its Implications |
| for Martian Life |
| Abstract | The Tharsis Montes are a group of three shield volcanoes located |
| near the equator of Mars, centered around 332°E, -40°N. This region |
| has been described as having glacial and volcanic activity during the |
| Amazonian Era. These glaciovolcanic interactions could have created |
| habitable aqueous environments in the late history of Mars. |
| Palagonite is an alteration mineral that is often formed from volcanic |
| glass. Researchers believe that palagonite on Earth is often biogenic in |
| its origin. One goal of this research was to find if palagonite exists on |
| Mars. Investigators have not yet found palagonite on the surface of |
| Mars. The spectrum of palagonite is hard to distinguish as it closely |
| resembles the spectra of other hydrated silicates. So, another research |
| goal is to create a set of criteria to distinguish palagonite spectra from |
| its look-alikes. |
| A total of 364 HiRISE images were examined for indicators of ice- |
| volcanic interactions, such as inverted terrain, ice cauldrons, and |
| glaciovolcanic edifices. These areas were then analyzed using online |
| spectral libraries and spectra from the CRISM instrument to find |
| possible spectra of palagonite in the given area. |
| Out of 40 spectra examined, 3 putative palagonite spectra were found |
| in three different areas in the Tharsis Region as a result of this |
| research. Along with this discovery, an algorithm was set to determine |
| palagonite from look-alikes so future researchers will have a more |
| streamlined process when searching for palagonite. This algorithm |
| includes looking at the overall form of a certain spectrum and its major |
| absorption bands in relation to the spectra of palagonite and its mineral |
| associates. |
| Bibliography | Cavalazzi, Barbara, et al. "ASTROBIOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF |
| MICROBES IN BASALTIC PILLOW LAVA CRUSTS: A CASE STUDY |
| FROM RECENT (BIO-) ALTERATION RIMS, CORAL PATCH |
| SEAMOUNT, ATLANTIC OCEAN." Astrobiology 7 (2008): 402-415. |
| https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Frederic_Foucher/publication/2522 |
| 85973_Astrobiological_Implications_of_Microbes_in_Basaltic_Pillow_La |
| va_Crusts_A_Case_Study_from_Recent_BioAlteration_Rims_Coral_Pa |
| tch_Seamount_Atlantic_Ocean/links/02e7e53b3cded985fd000000.pdf |
| |
| |
| Cousins, Claire R., and Ian A. Crawford. "Volcano-ice interaction as a |
| microbial habitat on Earth and Mars." Astrobiology 11.7 (2011): 695- |
| 710. |
| http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/ast.2010.0550 |
| |
| Scanlon, Kathleen E., et al. "Volcano–ice interactions in the Arsia Mons |
| tropical mountain glacier deposits." Icarus 237 (2014): 315-339. |