A Reduced Organic Carbon Component in Martian Basalts

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 337; no. 6091; pp. 212 - 215
• Main Authors: Steele, A., McCubbin, F. M., Fries, M., Kater, L., Boctor, N. Z., Fogel, M. L., Conrad, P. G., Glamoclija, M., Spencer, M., Morrow, A. L., Hammond, M. R., Zare, R. N., Vicenzi, E. P., Siljeström, S., Bowden, R., Herd, C. D. K., Mysen, B. O., Shirey, S. B., Amundsen, H. E. F., Treiman, A. H., Bullock, E. S., Jull, A. J. T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Association for the Advancement of Science 13.07.2012; The American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subjects: Abiotic stress; Basalt; Carbon; Carbon - analysis; Carbon cycle; Crystalline rocks; Crystallization; Directed acyclic graphs; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; Extraterrestrial Environment; Global carbon budget; High temperature; hydrocarbons; Igneous and metamorphic rocks petrology, volcanic processes, magmas; Igneous rocks; Inclusions; Magma; Mars; melting; Meteorites; Meteoroids; Meteors & meteorites; Minerals; Olivine; Organic carbon; Organic Chemicals - analysis; Oxidation-Reduction; Oxides; Oxides - analysis; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - analysis; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - chemistry; Pyroxenes; Silicates - chemistry; SNC meteorites; Spectrum analysis; Spectrum Analysis, Raman; meteorites; detection; oxides; volcanic rocks; igneous rocks; carbon cycle; magmas; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Raman spectroscopy; high temperature; Mars; chemical reduction; basalts; crystallization; organic carbon
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.1220715

The source and nature of carbon on Mars have been a subject of intense speculation. We report the results of confocal Raman imaging spectroscopy on 11 martian meteorites, spanning about 4.2 billion years of martian history. Ten of the meteorites contain abiotic macromolecular carbon (MMC) phases detected in association with small oxide grains included within high-temperature minerals. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were detected along with MMC phases in Dar al Gani 476. The association of organic carbon within magmatic minerals indicates that martian magmas favored precipitation of reduced carbon species during crystallization. The ubiquitous distribution of abiotic organic carbon in martian igneous rocks is important for understanding the martian carbon cycle and has implications for future missions to detect possible past martian life.