Ancient hydrothermal seafloor deposits in Eridania basin on Mars

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 8; no. 1; p. 15978
• Main Authors: Michalski, Joseph R, Dobrea, Eldar Z Noe, Niles, Paul B, Cuadros, Javier
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Nature Publishing Group 10.07.2017; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: Deep water; Deposits; Environmental conditions; Highlands; Iron; Lakes; Magnetism; Mars; Mars surface; Ocean floor; Saponite; Serpentine; Sulfides; Talc; Terrain

The Eridania region in the southern highlands of Mars once contained a vast inland sea with a volume of water greater than that of all other Martian lakes combined. Here we show that the most ancient materials within Eridania are thick (>400 m), massive (not bedded), mottled deposits containing s...