Hydrothermal Fluid Activity on Mars Recorded in Phosphates of the Gabbroic Shergottite Northwest Africa 13581

Abstract

AbstractApatites record crucial information on the origin, composition, and chemical evolution of volatiles on terrestrial planets. As a martian intrusive rock, the gabbroic shergottite Northwest Africa (NWA) 13581 provides key information on the volatile evolution related to magmatic processes in the interior, shedding light on the intricate volatile circulation on Mars. The textural and chemical characteristics of the phosphates in NWA 13581 indicate a complex formation history involving fractional crystallization, degassing, and fluid interaction. Degassing of the NWA 13581 parent melt is capable of exsolving chlorine‐rich fluids, resulting in the formation of notably fluorine‐rich apatite with a high x‐site occupancy of fluorine up to 90%. The degassed/exsolved volatile‐rich fluids could subsequently continue to migrate and interact with surrounding magmatic suites, leading to highly heterogeneous compositions of active fluids. The crystallization of apatite is initiated by the interaction of fluids with merrillite at the late stage of the magmatic process, leading to the formation of phosphate intergrowths. Influenced by the composition and chemical evolution of volatiles in fluids and melts, apatite exhibits notable variability in chlorine compositions both within individual grains and among different grains. Moreover, the presence of magnetite associated with phosphate intergrowth highlights the transportation of metallic components in addition to volatiles from deep layers to shallower depths or to the surface of Mars. This process, which is observed in young shergottites, indicates the persistent presence of hydrothermal systems until recent geological periods, contributing to the generation and circulation of volatiles within the martian interior and on the surface.