Clay deposits on Earth typically form in humid conditions with minimal physical erosion, allowing new weathering products to accumulate. As stated by the Gouudge team, an assistant professor at Jackson School’s Department of Earth Science and Planet, “On Earth, a place with thick clay deposits is usually a moist environment and not much physical erosion that can erode the results of new weathering.”
However, Mars exhibits distinct geological characteristics. Unlike Earth, Mars lacks tectonic activity, which on our planet naturally exposes fresh rocks to the surface. This absence limits the formation of carbonate minerals, such as limestone. On Earth, carbonates form when rocks interact with water and carbon dioxide (CO2), a crucial process for atmospheric CO2 absorption and climate stabilization.
Consequently, CO2 released from ancient Martian volcanoes may have persisted in the atmosphere for extended periods, fostering a warmer and wetter past climate-conditions conducive to the formation of clay layers.
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The scarcity of Carbonates on mars
This finding may also shed light on another enigma: the limited presence of carbonates on Mars, despite theoretical expectations of greater abundance. Researchers hypothesize that clay may have sequestered water and captured chemical byproducts like cations, thereby inhibiting their further reaction to form carbonates.
“Clay might be just one of several factors contributing to the predicted loss of carbonates on Mars,” noted Moore.
This finding opens intriguing possibilities regarding the existence of a habitable environment on Mars that persisted for a meaningful duration, perhaps supporting life. While direct evidence of life remains elusive, clay layers could serve as geological archives, preserving chemical traces from the past that warrant deeper examination.
Further Reading: Scientists find a new way to find a sign of life on Mars