Carbon Sequestration on Mars Christopher Edward and Bethany Ehlmann-2015 BENJAMIN MCKEEBY

How does the Carbon Cycle Work and What is Carbon Sequestration?

Ancient Mars Warm and wet Much of the older Noachian age terrain is cut by dendritic valley networks. Many river networks begin at crater rim crests and/or end in low topography river delta like area’s Evidence for water containing minerals –Carbonates, Hydrous Silica’s, phylosilicates (clays).

Remote Sensing HIRISE-Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO)- 0.5 M reflecting telescope-Spatial Resolution of 0.3m, Three color Bands –Red, Blue, Near Infrared CRISM-MRO-Visible/near Infrared Spectrometer, nm, measured in 544 channels. 18m spatial resolution CTX-Context Imager-MRO- grayscale images with a pixel resolution of 6 m. THEMIS-Thermal Emission Imaging system-Mars Odyssey-Camera imaging Visible/Near Infrared to detect thermal Properties TES-Thermal Emission Spectrometer-MGS-Hyperspectral Thermal Infrared Spectrometer

Hyperspectral Imaging

CTS/TES image showing areas of high and low carbonate content. Red-High Carbonates Blue-Low Carbonate THEMIS/CTS image Showing Thermal Inertia. Moderate Thermal Inertia is associated with olivine carbonate bearing bedrock.

What does this all mean?? Carbonation must have occurred after formation of the olivine rich layers This puts an age constraint on formation of the carbonate plains Depth of Nili Fossae is constrained by 6km impact crater Based on the dimensions of Nili Fossae approximately mbars of atmospheric CO2 have been sequestered.

Conclusions Atmospheric loss of CO2 can not be accounted for in Nili Fossae alone. Post Noachian escape must be required to remove CO2 equal to hundreds of milibars MAVEN space craft will hopefully allow us to solve some of these atmospheric escape questions If correct Isotopic record of CO2 should be consistant with longterm atmospheric loss and not major crustal Carbon Sequestration.

References Edwards, C. S., & Ehlmann, B. L. (2015). Carbon sequestration on Mars. Geology, 43(10), G