[Springer Nature] Mössbauer analyses from MIMOS II data collected on Mars provided breakthrough insights into iron mineralogy of the planet’s surface. [Life] Resulting from limited measurement time, science operations were divided among multiple instruments, restricting the detection of minor Fe-bearing mineral phases (below 5% WSA).
MIMOS II records Mössbauer spectra at 10 K intervals, and to enhance signal to noise ratios, spectra from different intervals were combined, when applicable.
For instance, temperature variations between 190 K and 270 K in basaltic samples do not significantly impact the spectra, allowing data from all intervals to be integrated. By combining MIMOS II data from various soil samples and over different temperature ranges, a consolidated Mössbauer spectrum for Martian soil at Gusev Crater is proposed, aiming to identify potential minor Fe-bearing mineral phases on the planet’s surface.
This work combines Mössbauer experiments conducted on undisturbed soils within 10 K and all experiments conducted by Spirit until sol 2062.
A consolidated Mössbauer spectrum for undisturbed soils from Gusev Crater, Mars, Springer Nature (open access)
Astrobiology,
