IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v13y2022i1d10.1038_s41467-022-31444-8.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Early crustal processes revealed by the ejection site of the oldest martian meteorite

Author

Listed:
  • A. Lagain

    (Curtin University)

  • S. Bouley

    (Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, GEOPS
    IMCCE, Observatoire de Paris)

  • B. Zanda

    (IMCCE, Observatoire de Paris
    Sorbonne Université et CNRS)

  • K. Miljković

    (Curtin University)

  • A. Rajšić

    (Curtin University)

  • D. Baratoux

    (University of Toulouse, CNRS and IRD
    Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny)

  • V. Payré

    (Northern Arizona University)

  • L. S. Doucet

    (Curtin University)

  • N. E. Timms

    (Curtin University
    Curtin University)

  • R. Hewins

    (Sorbonne Université et CNRS
    EPS, Rutgers University)

  • G. K. Benedix

    (Curtin University
    Western Australian Museum
    Planetary Sciences Institute)

  • V. Malarewic

    (Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, GEOPS
    Sorbonne Université et CNRS)

  • K. Servis

    (Curtin University
    Pawsey Supercomputing Centre, CSIRO)

  • P. A. Bland

    (Curtin University)

Abstract

The formation and differentiation of the crust of Mars in the first tens of millions of years after its accretion can only be deciphered from incredibly limited records. The martian breccia NWA 7034 and its paired stones is one of them. This meteorite contains the oldest martian igneous material ever dated: ~4.5 Ga old. However, its source and geological context have so far remained unknown. Here, we show that the meteorite was ejected 5–10 Ma ago from the north-east of the Terra Cimmeria—Sirenum province, in the southern hemisphere of Mars. More specifically, the breccia belongs to the ejecta deposits of the Khujirt crater formed 1.5 Ga ago, and it was ejected as a result of the formation of the Karratha crater 5–10 Ma ago. Our findings demonstrate that the Terra Cimmeria—Sirenum province is a relic of the differentiated primordial martian crust, formed shortly after the accretion of the planet, and that it constitutes a unique record of early crustal processes. This province is an ideal landing site for future missions aiming to unravel the first tens of millions of years of the history of Mars and, by extension, of all terrestrial planets, including the Earth.

Suggested Citation

  • A. Lagain & S. Bouley & B. Zanda & K. Miljković & A. Rajšić & D. Baratoux & V. Payré & L. S. Doucet & N. E. Timms & R. Hewins & G. K. Benedix & V. Malarewic & K. Servis & P. A. Bland, 2022. "Early crustal processes revealed by the ejection site of the oldest martian meteorite," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-31444-8
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31444-8
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-31444-8
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-022-31444-8?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Michael B. Wyatt & Harry Y. McSween, 2002. "Spectral evidence for weathered basalt as an alternative to andesite in the northern lowlands of Mars," Nature, Nature, vol. 417(6886), pages 263-266, May.
    2. M. Humayun & A. Nemchin & B. Zanda & R. H. Hewins & M. Grange & A. Kennedy & J.-P. Lorand & C. Göpel & C. Fieni & S. Pont & D. Deldicque, 2013. "Origin and age of the earliest Martian crust from meteorite NWA 7533," Nature, Nature, vol. 503(7477), pages 513-516, November.
    3. A. Lagain & G. K. Benedix & K. Servis & D. Baratoux & L. S. Doucet & A. Rajšic & H. A. R. Devillepoix & P. A. Bland & M. C. Towner & E. K. Sansom & K. Miljković, 2021. "The Tharsis mantle source of depleted shergottites revealed by 90 million impact craters," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-9, December.
    4. Laura C. Bouvier & Maria M. Costa & James N. Connelly & Ninna K. Jensen & Daniel Wielandt & Michael Storey & Alexander A. Nemchin & Martin J. Whitehouse & Joshua F. Snape & Jeremy J. Bellucci & Frédér, 2018. "Evidence for extremely rapid magma ocean crystallization and crust formation on Mars," Nature, Nature, vol. 558(7711), pages 586-589, June.
    5. Lujendra Ojha & Suniti Karunatillake & Saman Karimi & Jacob Buffo, 2021. "Amagmatic hydrothermal systems on Mars from radiogenic heat," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-11, December.
    6. James W. Head & John F. Mustard & Mikhail A. Kreslavsky & Ralph E. Milliken & David R. Marchant, 2003. "Recent ice ages on Mars," Nature, Nature, vol. 426(6968), pages 797-802, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Claire L. McLeod & Mark. P. S. Krekeler, 2017. "Sources of Extraterrestrial Rare Earth Elements: To the Moon and Beyond," Resources, MDPI, vol. 6(3), pages 1-28, August.
    2. Rui Xu & Zhiyong Xiao & Fanglu Luo & Yichen Wang & Jun Cui, 2023. "Untrackable distal ejecta on planetary surfaces," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-14, December.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-31444-8. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.