Brock University

Published purpose

Rock chemistries measured on Mars essentially represent their integrated histories and include contributions from their igneous starting materials and possibly include sedimentary processes or secondary alteration. Lastly, airfall dust variably covers rock surfaces. This proposal addresses three of these possible contributions (dust, igneous precursor, and secondary alteration) to rock compositions analyzed by the mars 2020 rover in Jezero Crater by micro-textural geochemical and mineralogical data. These studies will aid in achieving the Mars 2020 mission goals of assessing the Jezero rocks for potential habitability for endolithic lithotrophs and to aid in sample selection.