Basalt–atmosphere interaction on Venus: preliminary results on weathering of minerals and bulk rock

Treiman, A. H. and Schwenzer, S. P. (2009). Basalt–atmosphere interaction on Venus: preliminary results on weathering of minerals and bulk rock. In: Venus geochemistry: progress, prospects, and new missions, 26-27 Feb 2009, Houston, TX, USA.

URL: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/venus2009/pdf/201...

Abstract

Chemical interactions between Venus’ atmosphere and surface rocks may be crucial to understanding the atmosphere’s composition and to interpreting surface geology and physical properties. Most studies have emphasized the atmosphere – its composition and ‘chemical sediments’, and few have focused on what happens to basalts and their minerals in reaction with the atmosphere. Our preliminary re-investigation of the mineralogy of altered basaltic minerals and rocks shows that the anorthite component of plagioclase reacts to anhydrite + andalusite + quartz; diopside pyroxene reacts to anhydrite + orthopyroxene + quartz; and bulk basalt reacts to anhydrite + cordierite + orthopyroxene + quartz (± iron oxide, depending on ƒ(O₂)).

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