Orbital Observations Suggest Decoupled Olivine and Carbonate Enrichments in Jezero Crater

Abstract

AbstractIt has been hypothesized that the olivine‐ and carbonate‐bearing units within Jezero crater are part of the broader olivine‐carbonate rock unit found in the Nili Fossae region. Further, it is commonly proposed that olivine and carbonate are closely associated with each other in Jezero crater based on visible/near‐infrared spectral data. In this work, we investigate the olivine‐ and carbonate‐rich units in Jezero crater using spectral, thermophysical, and morphological analyses to determine the relationship between olivine‐ and carbonate‐rich units. Thermal infrared spectral data indicate largely weak to absent olivine signatures in the marginal carbonates. Our analyses suggest a decoupled relationship between olivine and carbonate in Jezero. The distinct appearances of olivine and carbonate in Jezero crater compared to the regional olivine‐carbonate rocks in Nili Fossae may imply unique formation mechanisms for olivine and carbonate in Jezero or variable levels of olivine alteration across the broader region.