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Analysing the astrobiological aspects through the comparison of pyroxenes detected in meteorites and Martian environments

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 April 2019

Bruno Leonardo do Nascimento-Dias Open the ORCID record for Bruno Leonardo do Nascimento-Dias [Opens in a new window] ,
Maria Beatriz Barbosa de Andrade  and
Zélia Maria da Costa Ludwig
Bruno Leonardo do Nascimento-Dias*
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Maria Beatriz Barbosa de Andrade
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Zélia Maria da Costa Ludwig
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
*
Author for correspondence: Bruno Leonardo do Nascimento-Dias, E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Although pyroxenes are found abundantly in igneous rocks, this mineral group stands out for being one of the ferromagnesian mineral groups that constitute rocks of several different compositions. Hence, the purpose of this work is to demonstrate how these minerals may be relevant to Astrobiology. Essentially, through geochemical analyses of pyroxenes detected in Martian meteorites, it may be possible to find evidence of the existence of water in hydrothermal flows located in deep regions below the Martian surface. To this extent, it is also very important to highlight the whole collection of observational data from Mars, in which it is possible to notice that pyroxenes are found in a wide variety of geological environments. Therefore, based on Martian surface observations, meteorite analysis and experimental data, it is conceivable that, given the appropriate conditions, pyroxenes might be related to the formation and release of water molecules in the Martian environment.

Keywords

AstrobiologyMarspyroxenewater
Type
Research Article
Information
International Journal of Astrobiology , Volume 18 , Issue 6 , December 2019 , pp. 547 - 551
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019 

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