What ancient Mars rocks reveal about its buried carbonate stores

• The study found that feldspar-rich rocks on Mars produce calcium/iron-rich carbonates under certain conditions, while mafic rocks do so only briefly before magnesium-rich carbonates form.
• The team simulated water percolation through columns of either mafic or feldspar-rich rock under cold, CO2-rich conditions, revealing that feldspar-rich rock consistently produces calcium/iron-rich carbonates.
• The findings suggest that the difference in carbonate composition on Mars is not just a record of past climate and water activity but also a signature of the crust's composition.
• The study highlights that feldspar-rich terrain may hold a substantial reservoir of carbonates and carbon dioxide, hidden beneath a surface that appears relatively barren.
• The research was led by Chang-Chin Wang and colleagues, and the results were published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets.

AI-generated summary of the original article — see the source for the full story.