From Geitafell Volcano (Iceland) to Mars: Hydrothermal Alteration of Basalt to Constrain Subsurface Fluid Pathways

Semprich, Julia (2023). From Geitafell Volcano (Iceland) to Mars: Hydrothermal Alteration of Basalt to Constrain Subsurface Fluid Pathways. In: 54th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, 13-17 Mar 2023, Houston, TX, USA.

Abstract

Hydrothermal systems have the potential to be habitable environments for microbial life in the martian subsurface since they provide suitable temperatures, nutrients and are protected from surface radiation. Characteristic minerals that are associated with hydrothermal alteration such as prehnite, chlorite, and zeolites have been detected on Mars’ surface by visible- to near-infrared spectroscopy from orbit. However, their formation conditions such as the amount and composition of hydrothermal fluids and the spatial distribution of alteration minerals remain unknown. This study uses an extinct volcanic hydrothermal system in Iceland as an analog to constrain the mineral and fluid chemistry as well as the extent of hydrothermal alteration. The results will then be combined with geochemical models of hydrothermal alteration and low-grade metamorphism on Mars to improve our understanding of subsurface fluid-rich environments.

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