Putative indigenous carbon-bearing alteration features in martian meteorite Yamato 000593

Lauren M White; Everett K Gibson; Kathie L Thomas-Keprta; Simon J Clemett; David S McKay

doi:10.1089/ast.2011.0733

Putative indigenous carbon-bearing alteration features in martian meteorite Yamato 000593

Astrobiology. 2014 Feb;14(2):170-81. doi: 10.1089/ast.2011.0733.

Authors

Lauren M White¹, Everett K Gibson, Kathie L Thomas-Keprta, Simon J Clemett, David S McKay

Affiliation

¹ 1 Jet Propulsion Laboratory , California Institute of Technology, Earth, Astronomy & Physics Mission Formulation, Pasadena, California.

Abstract

We report the first observation of indigenous carbonaceous matter in the martian meteorite Yamato 000593. The carbonaceous phases are heterogeneously distributed within secondary iddingsite alteration veins and present in a range of morphologies including areas composed of carbon-rich spheroidal assemblages encased in multiple layers of iddingsite. We also observed microtubular features emanating from iddingsite veins penetrating into the host olivine comparable in shape to those interpreted to have formed by bioerosion in terrestrial basalts.

Keywords: Meteorite-Yamato 000593-Mars-Carbon..

MeSH terms

Carbon / analysis*
Extraterrestrial Environment*
Iron Compounds / chemistry
Magnesium Compounds / chemistry
Mars*
Meteoroids*
Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
Silicates / chemistry
Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission

Substances

Iron Compounds
Magnesium Compounds
Silicates
Carbon
olivine