Manganese in Endeavour Crater Rim Materials, Mars, and Implications for Habitability

The Opportunity Mars rover wheels overturned two adjacent rocks and exposed underlying fracture-filling deposits while exploring the Murray Ridge rim segment of the Noachian-aged Endeavour Crater. These two small rocks, Pinnacle Island (~4 cm across) and Stuart Island (ranging from ~3 to 8 cm wide and ~10 cm long), were subsequently examined in detail to determine the textures, spectral reflectances (0.4 to 1.0 µm), and compositions of the fracture-filling materials. Relatively bright materials with a composition enriched in Mg, Fe, and S, and spectral features indicative of hydrated sulfates, are overlain with a dark, purple mineral phase or phases with a composition enriched in Mn, Ni, P, and Ca, all relative to underlying bedrock. Reflectance spectra for the dark, purple material are consistent with the presence of one or more Mn-oxide phases. Results indicate two aqueous events, one to deposit the Fe and Mg-rich sulfates, and one to deposit the Mn-rich mineral(s), perhaps with scavenging of Ni from the fluid. Ca and P-rich phases (e.g., Ca-phosphates) co-precipitated with Mn-bearing mineral(s) or were incorporated into one or more of them. Mixing of reducing ground waters with an oxidizing atmosphere or other waters likely produced both the S and Mn-enriched deposits. Oxidation of Mn, in particular, requires a very high potential oxidant relative to what is required for S or Fe oxidation. This suggests oxidation by O₂ or species derived from O₂. Mn-oxide phases would have provided highly favorable substrates for microbial respiration, making this period of aqueous flow through the fractures a potentially habitable environment. These results add to the evolving story of aqueous alteration of Endeavour’s rim rocks, including evidence for nontronite, montmorillonite, Ca-sulfate-rich veins, and hematitic concretions.