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Two-Dimensional Visualization and Quantification of Labile, Inorganic Plant Nutrients and Contaminants in Soil
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Nitrogen Incorporation in Potassic and Micro- and Meso-Porous Minerals: Potential Biogeochemical Records and Targets
Matthew P Nikitczuk1, Gray E Bebout1,2, Charles A Geiger3
1Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA.
Astrobiology
|September 8, 2022
Summary
Nitrogen (N) can be stored in minerals like phyllosilicates and zeolites during weathering and hydrothermal alteration. These N-bearing minerals on Mars could indicate past or present life.
Area of Science:
- Geochemistry
- Astrobiology
- Mineralogy
Background:
- Nitrogen (N) is a key element for life.
- Understanding N incorporation in minerals is crucial for astrobiology.
- Terrestrial minerals can incorporate N during weathering and hydrothermal alteration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To measure N concentrations and isotopic compositions in terrestrial minerals.
- To determine the extent of N incorporation and storage during low-temperature alteration.
- To identify potential N-bearing geological targets on Mars for sample return missions.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 44 terrestrial mineral samples (potassic, porous minerals, whole-rocks).
- Study guided by altered volcanic glass from Antarctica and Iceland.
- Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) on altered hyaloclastites.
Main Results:
- Analyzed phyllosilicates, zeolites, and sulfates contain 0–99,120 ppm N with δ15Nair values from -34‰ to +65‰.
- Most analyzed minerals show δ15N values consistent with biologically processed N.
- SIMS confirmed N residency in smectites, zeolites, and silica within altered hyaloclastites.
Conclusions:
- Terrestrial minerals incorporate and store biologically processed nitrogen.
- Minerals capable of storing N are abundant on Mars' surface.
- These N-bearing geological materials should be prioritized for Mars sample return missions to search for signs of life.
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