Raman, MIR, VNIR, and LIBS Spectra of Szomolnokite, Rozenite, and Melanterite: Martian Implications
Xiai Zhuo,
Ruize Zhang,
Erbin Shi,
Jiahui Liu,
Zongcheng Ling
Affiliations
Xiai Zhuo
Shandong Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, School of Space Science and Technology, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, China
Ruize Zhang
Shandong Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, School of Space Science and Technology, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, China
Erbin Shi
Shandong Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, School of Space Science and Technology, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, China
Jiahui Liu
Shandong Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, School of Space Science and Technology, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, China
Zongcheng Ling
Shandong Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, School of Space Science and Technology, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, China
Different sulfates (Ca-, Mg, and Fe- sulfates) have been extensively detected on the Martian surface. As one of the Martian sulfates, the presence of ferrous sulfates will provide valuable clues about the redox environment, hydrological processes, and climatic history of ancient Mars. In this study, three hydrated ferrous sulfates were prepared in the laboratory by heating dehydration reactions. These samples were analyzed using X-ray Diffraction (XRD) to confirm their phase and homogeneity. Subsequently, Raman, mid-infrared (MIR) spectra, visible near-infrared (VNIR) spectra, and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) were measured and analyzed. The results demonstrate that the spectra of three hydrated ferrous sulfates exhibit distinctive features (e.g., the v1 and v3 features of SO42− tetrahedra in their Raman and MIR spectra) that can offer new insights for identifying different ferrous sulfates on Mars and aid in the interpretation of in-situ data collected by instruments such as the Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics & Chemicals (SHERLOC), SuperCam, and ChemCam, etc.
