Assessing global trends in Mars magma compositions using ground truth

Abstract

AbstractGlobal magmatic trends inferred from gamma‐ray, visible/near‐infrared, and thermal infrared spectrometers on Mars‐orbiting spacecraft have been used to constrain planetary petrogenetic processes and global thermal evolution models. Inferred magmatic trends include temporal variations in the relative proportions of low‐Ca and high‐Ca pyroxenes, and in the abundances of potassium (and total alkalis), silica, FeO* (total iron expressed as FeO), and thorium. These patterns are evaluated for consistency with the compositions of surface igneous rocks of different ages analyzed by Mars rovers and of martian meteorites. Trends of decreasing low‐Ca pyroxene/total pyroxene ratios and of decreasing potassium (and total alkalis), with time are generally supported by surface rock analyses. However, significant differences in the GRS‐measured silica in Amazonian volcanoes and in martian meteorites of equivalent age result from contamination by silica‐rich dust and are problematic for a silica trend. Comparison of FeO* in Noachian and Amazonian surface data shows no decrease. An inferred temporal trend in thorium is in conflict with the complex enrichment and depletion patterns of incompatible trace elements in martian meteorites of various ages. A dearth of analyses of Hesperian‐age surface rocks precludes a firm evaluation of inferred Noachian‐Hesperian trends and Hesperian‐Amazonian trends, but abundant Noachian rocks and a few Hesperian rocks at rover sites, and Amazonian martian meteorites, collectively representing at least 16 surface locations, afford useful comparisons with orbital remote‐sensing data.