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Related Concept Videos

Hydrogen Bonds00:26

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Hydrogen bonds are weak attractions between atoms that have formed other chemical bonds. One of these atoms is electronegative, like oxygen, and has a partial negative charge. The other is a hydrogen atom that has bonded with another electronegative atom and has a partial positive charge.
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A hydrogen bond is formed when a weakly positive hydrogen atom already bonded to one electronegative atom (for example, the oxygen in the water molecule) is attracted to another electronegative atom from another polar molecule, such as water (H2O), hydrogen fluoride (HF), or ammonia (NH3). The huge electronegativity difference between the H atom (2.1) and the atom to which it is bonded (4.0 for an F atom, 3.5 for an O atom, or 3.0 for an N atom), combined with the very small size of an H atom...
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Measures of variability are statistical metrics that reveal the dispersion pattern within a dataset. They are pivotal in biostatistics, providing insights into the heterogeneity within health and biological data. Variability signifies the degree to which data points diverge from one another, helping researchers understand the potential range of values and associated uncertainty within the data.
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Water exists in any one of the three classical states: solid (ice), liquid (water), and gas (steam or water vapor). The state of water depends on i) the intermolecular forces that draw molecules together and ii) the kinetic energy that leads to movements that pull them apart.
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Methane Hydrate Crystallization on Sessile Water Droplets
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Hydrogen Variability in the Murray Formation, Gale Crater, Mars.

N H Thomas1, B L Ehlmann1,2, W Rapin1

  • 1Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences California Institute of Technology Pasadena CA USA.

Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets
|October 1, 2020
PubMed
Summary

Mars rover Curiosity found varying hydrogen levels in Gale crater rocks, indicating past water-rock interactions. Coarser-grained rocks and specific mineral compositions reveal significant water presence over time.

Keywords:
Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity roveraqueous geochemistryhydrogen

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Area of Science:

  • Planetary Science
  • Astrogeology
  • Geochemistry

Background:

  • The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity rover is investigating the Murray formation in Gale crater, a ~350m thick sequence of sedimentary rocks.
  • These strata represent ancient fluvial deltaic and lake deposits, offering insights into Mars's past aqueous environments.
  • Understanding hydrogen content in bedrock is crucial for reconstructing water history.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze hydrogen (H) content in Murray formation bedrock using millimeter-scale ChemCam laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) data.
  • To correlate hydrogen abundance with specific geological units and chemical compositions.
  • To infer the history of water-rock interactions within Gale crater.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of over 4,500 bedrock points in the Murray formation using ChemCam LIBS.
  • Utilized recent laboratory calibrations for H measurements.
  • Compared LIBS H measurements with data from Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) and Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instruments.

Main Results:

  • Murray formation bedrock shows an interquartile range of 2.3-3.1 wt.% H2O, consistent with other MSL instruments.
  • Specific stratigraphic intervals exhibit significantly higher H targets (6-18 wt.% H2O), associated with opal, hydrated sulfates (Mg, Ca), Mn-rich units, and iron oxyhydroxides.
  • Higher hydrogen concentrations correlate with Fe, Ca, Mg, Si, and Mn, and are also observed in coarser-grained rocks, independent of chemical variations.

Conclusions:

  • Variability in rock hydrogen content signifies a complex history of water-rock interaction in Gale crater.
  • Evidence suggests changes in lake water chemistry during Murray formation deposition.
  • Multiple subsequent groundwater episodes likely influenced the observed hydrogen distribution.