Journal
AMERICAN MINERALOGIST
Volume 103, Issue 6, Pages 848-856Publisher
MINERALOGICAL SOC AMER
DOI: 10.2138/am-2018-6123
Keywords
X-ray diffraction; crystal chemistry; unit-cell parameters; plagioclase; olivine; pyroxene; magnetite; spinel; jarosite; alunite; Mars; Gale crater; Mars Science Laboratory; CheMin; Martian Rocks and Minerals: Perspectives from Rovers; Orbiters; Meteorites
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Funding
- NASA [NNX11AP82A]
- National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship [DGE-1143953]
- MSL Investigations
- JPL engineering
- Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) operations team
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Mathematical relationships between unit-cell parameters and chemical composition were developed for selected mineral phases observed with the CheMin X-ray diffractometer onboard the Curiosity rover in Gale crater. This study presents algorithms for estimating the chemical composition of phases based solely on X-ray diffraction data. The mineral systems include plagioclase, alkali feldspar, Mg-Fe-Ca C2/c clinopyroxene, Mg-Fe-Ca P2(1)/c clinopyroxene, Mg-Fe-Ca orthopyroxene, Mg-Fe olivine, magnetite, and other selected spinel oxides, and alunite-jarosite. These methods assume compositions of Na-Ca for plagioclase, K-Na for alkali feldspar, Mg-Fe-Ca for pyroxene, and Mg-Fe for olivine; however, some other minor elements may occur and their impact on measured unit-cell parameters is discussed. These crystal-chemical algorithms can be applied to material of any origin, whether that origin is Earth, Mars, an extraterrestrial body, or a laboratory.
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