Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1700-1712 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | ACS Earth and Space Chemistry |
| Volume | 8 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| Early online date | 25 Jun 2024 |
| Publication status | Published - 19 Sept 2024 |
Abstract
Understanding the behavior of water in extreme environments is crucial in assessing its habitability potential. This study investigates the water uptake and release of nitrate and nitrate salt mixtures under Martian and Atacama Desert-like conditions. The Atacama serves as a Mars analogue due to its hyper-arid climate and shared salt composition. This study determines deliquescence and efflorescence relative humidities (DRH and ERH, respectively) for pure magnesium nitrate hexahydrate (Mg(NO3)2·6H2O) as a function of temperature and perchlorate/nitrate mixtures at various ratios at 248 K. Finally, the effects of magnesium sulfate anhydrous (MgSO4) on Mg(NO3)2·6H2O are also investigated. Pure Mg(NO3)2 DRH varied with temperature (80% RH at 223 K to 63% at 268 K), while ERH remained constant at 24% RH across temperatures. When mixed with perchlorate, the DRH values were lowered, reaching values close to 40% RH. The less deliquescent MgSO4 had minimal impact on Mg(NO3)2 water uptake when mixed in equimolar ratios. The laboratory DRH conditions did not align with conditions found on Mars, indicating that the salt mixtures are unlikely to deliquesce under Martian conditions found at Gale Crater. However, the warmer temperatures of the Atacama may favor water uptake. Therefore, the DRH and ERH data were applied to two sites in the Atacama. Conditions in the Atacama support water uptake by nitrates in the fall/winter seasons, allowing for the possibility of metastable brines persisting for extended periods. Thus, although nitrates may enhance habitability in the Atacama, they may play less of a role in habitability on Mars.
Keywords
- brine, Chile, deliquescence, efflorescence, habitability, hyper-arid, regolith, soil
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Earth and Planetary Sciences(all)
- Geochemistry and Petrology
- Earth and Planetary Sciences(all)
- Atmospheric Science
- Earth and Planetary Sciences(all)
- Space and Planetary Science
Sustainable Development Goals
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In: ACS Earth and Space Chemistry, Vol. 8, No. 9, 19.09.2024, p. 1700-1712.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Water Uptake and Release of Nitrate Salt Mixtures of Relevance to the Atacama Desert and Mars
AU - Fernanders, M. S.
AU - Gough, R. V.
AU - Chevrier, V. F.
AU - Boy, D.
AU - Boy, J.
AU - Carr, C. E.
AU - Tolbert, M. A.
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 American Chemical Society.
PY - 2024/9/19
Y1 - 2024/9/19
N2 - Understanding the behavior of water in extreme environments is crucial in assessing its habitability potential. This study investigates the water uptake and release of nitrate and nitrate salt mixtures under Martian and Atacama Desert-like conditions. The Atacama serves as a Mars analogue due to its hyper-arid climate and shared salt composition. This study determines deliquescence and efflorescence relative humidities (DRH and ERH, respectively) for pure magnesium nitrate hexahydrate (Mg(NO3)2·6H2O) as a function of temperature and perchlorate/nitrate mixtures at various ratios at 248 K. Finally, the effects of magnesium sulfate anhydrous (MgSO4) on Mg(NO3)2·6H2O are also investigated. Pure Mg(NO3)2 DRH varied with temperature (80% RH at 223 K to 63% at 268 K), while ERH remained constant at 24% RH across temperatures. When mixed with perchlorate, the DRH values were lowered, reaching values close to 40% RH. The less deliquescent MgSO4 had minimal impact on Mg(NO3)2 water uptake when mixed in equimolar ratios. The laboratory DRH conditions did not align with conditions found on Mars, indicating that the salt mixtures are unlikely to deliquesce under Martian conditions found at Gale Crater. However, the warmer temperatures of the Atacama may favor water uptake. Therefore, the DRH and ERH data were applied to two sites in the Atacama. Conditions in the Atacama support water uptake by nitrates in the fall/winter seasons, allowing for the possibility of metastable brines persisting for extended periods. Thus, although nitrates may enhance habitability in the Atacama, they may play less of a role in habitability on Mars.
AB - Understanding the behavior of water in extreme environments is crucial in assessing its habitability potential. This study investigates the water uptake and release of nitrate and nitrate salt mixtures under Martian and Atacama Desert-like conditions. The Atacama serves as a Mars analogue due to its hyper-arid climate and shared salt composition. This study determines deliquescence and efflorescence relative humidities (DRH and ERH, respectively) for pure magnesium nitrate hexahydrate (Mg(NO3)2·6H2O) as a function of temperature and perchlorate/nitrate mixtures at various ratios at 248 K. Finally, the effects of magnesium sulfate anhydrous (MgSO4) on Mg(NO3)2·6H2O are also investigated. Pure Mg(NO3)2 DRH varied with temperature (80% RH at 223 K to 63% at 268 K), while ERH remained constant at 24% RH across temperatures. When mixed with perchlorate, the DRH values were lowered, reaching values close to 40% RH. The less deliquescent MgSO4 had minimal impact on Mg(NO3)2 water uptake when mixed in equimolar ratios. The laboratory DRH conditions did not align with conditions found on Mars, indicating that the salt mixtures are unlikely to deliquesce under Martian conditions found at Gale Crater. However, the warmer temperatures of the Atacama may favor water uptake. Therefore, the DRH and ERH data were applied to two sites in the Atacama. Conditions in the Atacama support water uptake by nitrates in the fall/winter seasons, allowing for the possibility of metastable brines persisting for extended periods. Thus, although nitrates may enhance habitability in the Atacama, they may play less of a role in habitability on Mars.
KW - brine
KW - Chile
KW - deliquescence
KW - efflorescence
KW - habitability
KW - hyper-arid
KW - regolith
KW - soil
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85197566045&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1021/acsearthspacechem.3c00371
DO - 10.1021/acsearthspacechem.3c00371
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85197566045
VL - 8
SP - 1700
EP - 1712
JO - ACS Earth and Space Chemistry
JF - ACS Earth and Space Chemistry
IS - 9
ER -