Geological Evolution of Mars: Evidence from Petrological and Mineralogical Observations from the Martian Surface
A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Mineral Geochemistry and Geochronology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 100
Special Issue Editors
Interests: Martian mineralogy and geochemistry; thermal and evolved gas analysis; salts on Mars
Interests: Mars geochemistry
Interests: impact cratering; mineralogy of the Martian surface; stable isotopes; clay mineralogy; hydrothermal processes
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The Martian crust is predominantly composed of basaltic minerals, including primary silicates (e.g., pyroxene, plagioclase, and olivine), ferric oxides, and oxyhydroxides, as well as secondary minerals such as Fe–Mg phyllosilicates, sulfates, carbonates, and chlorides. Mineral assemblages on the Martian surface provide information about past and present geologic processes, environmental and climatic conditions, and aqueous alteration. Martian mineralogy has been studied remotely using orbital spectrometers and in situ via rover-based X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry, among other methods. Martian mineralogy will be studied with the highest level of detail when the cached samples are returned to Earth from the Jezero Crater during the Mars Sample Return Campaign.
Recent advances in orbital and rover instrumentations (e.g., spatial resolution), and our understanding of the results from analogue laboratory studies, have connected mineral assemblages to specific geologic features and surface ages. Ongoing studies that utilize orbital data, in situ data from rovers and landers, and terrestrial analogue laboratory studies advance our understanding of the mineralogy of Mars and the implications for the evolution of the Martian surface, climate, depositional environments, and preparing for future exploration and sample return studies.
Dr. Joanna V. Clark
Dr. Aditi Pandey
Dr. Sarah Simpson
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- Martian mineralogy
- Jezero and Gale Crater
- Martian climate and depositional environments
- Martian geochemistry
- Mars petrology
- aqueous alteration
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