clay Archives

ID: ESP_093165_1555 date: 11 June 2026 altitude: 256 km NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona Larger image

Ancient Clays Near The Hellas Basin On Mars

by Keith CowingOctober 17, 2026October 17, 2026

[NASA]. Ancient clay-rich sediments (orangish color and polygonal fractures in our enhanced color cutout) exposed between wind-blown dunes and patches of sand northwest of the giant Hellas impact basin.

ID: ESP_045960_1705 date: 16 May 2016 altitude: 265 km NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona Larger image

Mars

Deposits From Aqueous Processes Along The Northern Wall Of Melas Chasma

by Keith CowingSeptember 21, 2026September 21, 2026

[NASA]. It has been known since the 1970s when the Viking orbiters took pictures of Mars that there are large (i.e., several kilometers-thick) mounds of light-toned deposits within the central […]

ID: ESP_077214_1580 date: 15 January 2023 altitude: 253 km NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona Larger image

Mars

Hints of Clay On Mars

by Keith CowingSeptember 15, 2026September 15, 2026

CRISM multispectral mapping data show strong clay (phyllosilicate) and pyroxene spectral signatures in different locations in and around this impact crater. Enhanced color can also help us to distinguish compositional […]

SEM images and corresponding Raman spectra of solid inclusions in gypsum. Purple arrows indicate clay minerals, and orange arrows indicate organic matter. (A) SEM image of a gypsum solid inclusion showing platy clay minerals and associated organic matter. The area outlined in white is enlarged in (B). (B) Higher magnification image showing the close spatial association between clay minerals and adsorbed organic matter. (C) Raman spectrum acquired from the area in (B), with D-band and G-band indicating kerogen. (D) SEM image of another gypsum solid inclusion, showing platy clay minerals and organic matter. The white box marks the area enlarged in (E). (E) Clay minerals with suspected spherical organic aggregates adsorbed on their surfaces. (F) The Raman spectrum from the area in (E), showing D-band and G-band of kerogen. Peaks corresponding to C=C, C–C, and –CH₃ indicate the presence of β-carotene; the –CH₃ peak overlaps with a gypsum peak near ~1000 cm⁻¹. -- Communications Earth & Environment

Biosignatures & Paleobiology

A Dual-mineral Protection Mechanism For Organic Matter Preservation And Its Implications For Mars Habitability And Biosignature Detection

by Keith CowingSeptember 10, 2026September 10, 2026

[Communications Earth & Environment] Understanding organic matter preservation in extreme environments is crucial for detecting potential biosignatures on Mars.

The image on the left shows the difference between shocked basalt with red specs of iron alteration, in which bedrock basalt is the precursor, and lighter grey shocked soil on the bottom right of the large sample. On the right, individual samples of shocked soil can be seen. They are light grey with white caliche – a cemented sedimentary deposit – soil horizons within them just like the shocked soil stuck to the rock on the left. Credit: Shawn Wright/Mikayla Kelley

Analog Studies, Astrogeology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Impact events, Mars, Press Release

Shocked Soil Discovered: Rare On Earth, But Abundant On Mars?

by Keith CowingJune 17, 2026June 17, 2026

When a meteoroid strikes, it generates a wave of energy that moves faster than the speed of sound. When all that energy propagates through material in seconds or less before […]

Mars vast clay region - View showing the transition between clay units in the Oxia Planum and Mawrth Vallis regions on Mars, taken by the HiRISE camera on NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. -- ESA Larger image

Analog Studies, Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Desert Worlds, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Terraforming & Geoengineering, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

ExoMars Rosalind Franklin Astrobiology Rover Targets A Vast Bed Of Clay In Its Search For Life

by Keith CowingJune 4, 2026June 26, 2026

In the region where the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover will search for signs of life, clay deposits extend beyond previous estimates, a new study finds. One hypothesis even suggests a […]

TEM images of Ca-MMT’s ordered and distorted layered structures including nanocavities after exposure to amino acids. a Control sample showing characteristic layering; ordered yet with slight distortions, considered as ordered for this clay material. b Sample exposed to single-organic Lys showing ordered layering only. Clay samples exposed to organic mixtures of c Lys-GABA d Arg-GABA; showing highly-distorted layering and nanocavities with well-defined lattice fringes that are embedded within distorted layered structures. In all panels, ordered layering, distorted layering, and nanocavities are marked with white, red and black arrows, respectively. See Methods for detailed image analysis procedure and limitations. -- Scientific Reports via PubMed

Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Microbiology & Virology, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Origin & Evolution of Life, Sample Return, Status Report

Antagonistic Effects Of Amino Acids Support Abiotic Nano-environments In Clay

by Keith CowingApril 6, 2026April 6, 2026

Prebiotic chemistry in nano-environments confined within catalytic mineral media is emerging as a promising frontier in origins-of-life research. Such confined spaces exhibit physicochemical properties distinct from bulk conditions, enabling out-of-equilibrium […]

a, Orbital context image with the rover traverse overlain in white. White line and arrows show the direction of the rover traverse from the southern contact between the Margin Unit and Neretva Vallis to the Bright Angel outcrop area and then to the Masonic Temple outcrop area. Labelled orange triangles show the locations of proximity science targets discussed in the text. b, Mastcam-Z 360° image mosaic looking at the contact between the light-toned Bright Angel Formation (foreground) and the topographically higher-standing Margin Unit from within the Neretva Vallis channel. This mosaic was collected on sol 1178 from the location of the Walhalla Glades target before abrasion. Upslope, about 110 m distant, the approximate location of the Beaver Falls workspace (containing the targets Cheyava Falls, Apollo Temple and Steamboat Mountain and the Sapphire Canyon sample) is shown. Downslope, about 50 m distant, the approximate location of the target Grapevine Canyon is also shown. In the distance, at the southern side of Neretva Vallis, the Masonic Temple outcrop area is just visible. Mastcam-Z enhanced colour RGB cylindrical projection mosaic from sol 1178, sequence IDs zcam09219 and zcam09220, acquired at 63-mm focal length. A flyover of this area is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FAYABW-c_Q. Scale bars (white), 100 m (a), 50 m (b, top) and 50 cm (b, bottom left). Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS.

Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs

Potential Biosignatures Found In An Ancient Mars Lake

by Keith CowingSeptember 11, 2025September 18, 2025

A new study suggests a habitable past and signs of ancient microbial processes on Mars – and Imperial scientists provided crucial context.

Mineralogical map of Jezero crater explored by the Perseverance rover. This mineral map was created from near-infrared (1-2.6 µm) CRISM imagery (Parente et al., 2021) using recently developed technologies (Itoh et al., 2021; Saranathan et al., 2021) and overlain on High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE ) imagery. The basaltic rocks at the landing site are dominated by the minerals olivine (red) and pyroxene (tan). Further west, in regions called the Western Fan and Margin Unit, sedimentary rocks predominate. Smectite clay minerals rich in iron and magnesium (light to dark blue tones) and carbonate rich in magnesium and iron (green-yellow tones) were formed through aqueous processes. Unusual iron phosphate and iron sulfide minerals were found at the Bright Angel and Masonic Temple sites near Neretva Vallis (Hurowitz et al., 2025). Other iron phosphate minerals were observed at the Onahu site in the Western Fan region. Credit M. Parente

Analog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Habitable Zones, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Origin & Evolution of Life, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs

Perseverance Rover Uncovers Clues To Ancient Martian Chemistry

by Keith CowingSeptember 11, 2025

NASA’s Perseverance Rover spent three years exploring the floor of Jezero Crater, located just north of the Martian equator.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid, (GABA) -- Wikipedia

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Meteorites & Asteroids, Origin & Evolution of Life, Panspermia, Press Release

Meteorite-common Amino Acid Induces Formation Of Nanocavities In Clay Mineral

by Keith CowingJune 24, 2025June 24, 2025

Researchers at the universities of Amsterdam and Utrecht have observed the formation of nanocavities in montmorillonite clay under exposure to gamma-aminobutyric acid, a molecule commonly found on meteorites.