Detection of perchlorate and the soluble chemistry of martian soil at the phoenix lander site

M. H. Hecht; S. P. Kounaves; R. C. Quinn; S. J. West; S. M.M. Young; D. W. Ming; D. C. Catling; B. C. Clark; W. V. Boynton; J. Hoffman; L. P. DeFlores; K. Gospodinova; J. Kapit; P. H. Smith

doi:10.1126/science.1172466

Detection of perchlorate and the soluble chemistry of martian soil at the phoenix lander site

M. H. Hecht, S. P. Kounaves, R. C. Quinn, S. J. West, S. M.M. Young, D. W. Ming, D. C. Catling, B. C. Clark, W. V. Boynton, J. Hoffman, L. P. DeFlores, K. Gospodinova, J. Kapit, P. H. Smith

Lunar and Planetary Lab

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

The Wet Chemistry Laboratory on the Phoenix Mars Lander performed aqueous chemical analyses of martian soil from the polygon-patterned northern plains of the Vastitas Borealis. The solutions contained ∼10 mM of dissolved salts with 0.4 to 0.6% perchlorate (ClO₄) by mass leached from each sample. The remaining anions included small concentrations of chloride, bicarbonate, and possibly sulfate. Cations were dominated by Mg²⁺ and Na ⁺, with small contributions from K⁺ and Ca²⁺. A moderately alkaline pH of 7.7 ± 0.5 was measured, consistent with a carbonate-buffered solution. Samples analyzed from the surface and the excavated boundary of the ∼5-centimeter-deep ice table showed no significant difference in soluble chemistry.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	64-67
Number of pages	4
Journal	Science
Volume	325
Issue number	5936
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1172466
State	Published - Jul 3 2009

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Hecht, M. H., Kounaves, S. P., Quinn, R. C., West, S. J., Young, S. M. M., Ming, D. W., Catling, D. C., Clark, B. C., Boynton, W. V., Hoffman, J., DeFlores, L. P., Gospodinova, K., Kapit, J., & Smith, P. H. (2009). Detection of perchlorate and the soluble chemistry of martian soil at the phoenix lander site. Science, 325(5936), 64-67. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1172466

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title = "Detection of perchlorate and the soluble chemistry of martian soil at the phoenix lander site",

abstract = "The Wet Chemistry Laboratory on the Phoenix Mars Lander performed aqueous chemical analyses of martian soil from the polygon-patterned northern plains of the Vastitas Borealis. The solutions contained ∼10 mM of dissolved salts with 0.4 to 0.6% perchlorate (ClO4) by mass leached from each sample. The remaining anions included small concentrations of chloride, bicarbonate, and possibly sulfate. Cations were dominated by Mg2+ and Na +, with small contributions from K+ and Ca2+. A moderately alkaline pH of 7.7 ± 0.5 was measured, consistent with a carbonate-buffered solution. Samples analyzed from the surface and the excavated boundary of the ∼5-centimeter-deep ice table showed no significant difference in soluble chemistry.",

author = "Hecht, {M. H.} and Kounaves, {S. P.} and Quinn, {R. C.} and West, {S. J.} and Young, {S. M.M.} and Ming, {D. W.} and Catling, {D. C.} and Clark, {B. C.} and Boynton, {W. V.} and J. Hoffman and DeFlores, {L. P.} and K. Gospodinova and J. Kapit and Smith, {P. H.}",

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doi = "10.1126/science.1172466",

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T1 - Detection of perchlorate and the soluble chemistry of martian soil at the phoenix lander site

AU - Hecht, M. H.

AU - Kounaves, S. P.

AU - Quinn, R. C.

AU - West, S. J.

AU - Young, S. M.M.

AU - Ming, D. W.

AU - Catling, D. C.

AU - Clark, B. C.

AU - Boynton, W. V.

AU - Hoffman, J.

AU - DeFlores, L. P.

AU - Gospodinova, K.

AU - Kapit, J.

AU - Smith, P. H.

PY - 2009/7/3

Y1 - 2009/7/3

N2 - The Wet Chemistry Laboratory on the Phoenix Mars Lander performed aqueous chemical analyses of martian soil from the polygon-patterned northern plains of the Vastitas Borealis. The solutions contained ∼10 mM of dissolved salts with 0.4 to 0.6% perchlorate (ClO4) by mass leached from each sample. The remaining anions included small concentrations of chloride, bicarbonate, and possibly sulfate. Cations were dominated by Mg2+ and Na +, with small contributions from K+ and Ca2+. A moderately alkaline pH of 7.7 ± 0.5 was measured, consistent with a carbonate-buffered solution. Samples analyzed from the surface and the excavated boundary of the ∼5-centimeter-deep ice table showed no significant difference in soluble chemistry.

AB - The Wet Chemistry Laboratory on the Phoenix Mars Lander performed aqueous chemical analyses of martian soil from the polygon-patterned northern plains of the Vastitas Borealis. The solutions contained ∼10 mM of dissolved salts with 0.4 to 0.6% perchlorate (ClO4) by mass leached from each sample. The remaining anions included small concentrations of chloride, bicarbonate, and possibly sulfate. Cations were dominated by Mg2+ and Na +, with small contributions from K+ and Ca2+. A moderately alkaline pH of 7.7 ± 0.5 was measured, consistent with a carbonate-buffered solution. Samples analyzed from the surface and the excavated boundary of the ∼5-centimeter-deep ice table showed no significant difference in soluble chemistry.

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EP - 67

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 5936

ER -

Detection of perchlorate and the soluble chemistry of martian soil at the phoenix lander site

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