Data-driven Fuzzy Weights-of-Evidence model for identification of
potential zeolite-bearing environments on Mars.
Abstract
The evolution of the climate and hydrochemistry of Mars is still a
mystery but it must have been at least occasionally warm and wet to have
formed the ancient fluvial and lacustrine landforms observed today.
Terrestrial examples and geochemical modeling under proposed early Mars
conditions show that zeolite minerals are likely to have formed under
alkaline (pH > 8) conditions with low water/rock ratio and
surface temperatures below 150 °C. The identification and spatial
association of zeolites on the surface of Mars could thus be used to
reconstruct the paleoclimate, paleohydrochemistry, and geological
evolution of some locations on Mars. Previous studies identified the
zeolite analcime and discuss the difficulties of identifying other
zeolite species on the surface of Mars using orbital spectroscopy. We
used published global mineralogical, geological, geomorphological,
hydrological, physical, and elemental abundance maps and the locations
of hydrous minerals detected and mapped using orbital data to create a
map that delineates favorable areas to look for zeolites on Mars. We
used the data-driven fuzzy-based weights-of-evidence method to identify
and map favorable areas for zeolites on the surface of Mars up to ± 40°
latitudes towards the poles. The final map shows that the eastern and
western Arabia deposits, some sites in the Medusae Fossae formation, and
some areas within and near Valles Marineris, Mawrth Vallis, highlands
north of Hellas, and the Terra Cimmeria and Terra Sirenum regions would
be favorable areas to look for zeolites using targeted orbital spectral
analysis or future in situ observations.