Depositional and Diagenetic Sulfates of Hogwallow Flats and Yori Pass, Jezero Crater: Evaluating Preservation Potential of Environmental Indicators and Possible Biosignatures From Past Martian Surface Waters and Groundwaters

Kathleen C. Benison, Karena K. Gill, Sunanda Sharma, Sandra Siljeström, Mike Zawaski, Tanja Bosak, Adrian Broz, Benton C. Clark, Edward Cloutis, Andrew D. Czaja, David Flannery, Teresa Fornaro, Felipe Gómez, Kevin Hand, Chris D. K. Herd, Jeffrey R. Johnson, Juan Manuel Madariaga, Morten B. Madsen, Jesús Martinez‐Frías, Marion NachonJorge I. Núñez, David A. K. Pedersen, Nicholas Randazzo, David L. Shuster, Justin Simon, Andrew Steele, Christian Tate, Allan Treiman, Kyle Uckert, Amy J. Williams, Anastasia Yanchilina

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Abstract

The Mars 2020 Perseverance rover has examined and sampled sulfate-rich clastic rocks from the Hogwallow Flats member at Hawksbill Gap and the Yori Pass member at Cape Nukshak. Both strata are located on the Jezero crater western fan front, are lithologically and stratigraphically similar, and have been assigned to the Shenandoah formation. In situ analyses demonstrate that these are fine-grained sandstones composed of phyllosilicates, hematite, Ca-sulfates, Fe-Mg-sulfates, ferric sulfates, and possibly chloride salts. Sulfate minerals are found both as depositional grains and diagenetic features, including intergranular cement and vein- and vug-cements. Here, we describe the possibility of various sulfate phases to preserve potential biosignatures and the record of paleoenvironmental conditions in fluid and solid inclusions, based on findings from analog sulfate-rich rocks on Earth. The samples collected from these outcrops, Hazeltop and Bearwallow from Hogwallow Flats, and Kukaklek from Yori Pass, should be examined for such potential biosignatures and environmental indicators upon return to Earth.
Original languageEnglish
Article numbere2023JE008155.
JournalJournal of Geophysical Research: Planets
Volume129
Issue number2
Number of pages22
ISSN0148-0227
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2024

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