Potassium metasomatism is a common geologic process occurring in a range of environments on Earth. K-metasomatism can dramatically change the chemistry of large volumes of crust resulting in formation of abundant K-rich feldspar while preserving original rock textures. Remote sensing of Mars has revealed the presence of rare but striking felspar-rich terrains as well as K-rich phyllosilicates such as illite or muscovite. Furthermore, the Curiosity Rover has detected evidence for K-enrichment in rocks at Gale Crater. In this study, we use spectroscopic and remote sensing analyses of K-metasomatized rocks on Earth as a comparison to K-rich and/or possible granitic rocks on Mars. The results suggest that evidence for K-feldspar rich, quartz-bearing, and illite-bearing rocks on Mars is consistent with K-metasomatism. K-rich rocks in Gale Crater have themselves likely not been metasomatized, but the abundant feldspar within them might have been derived from metasomatized crust.

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火星上火山岩的K-交代作用的红外光谱证据

钾的交代作用是地球上一系列环境中发生的常见地质过程。钾介晶作用可以显着改变大量地壳的化学性质，从而形成丰富的富含钾的长石，同时保留原始岩石的质地。火星的遥感显示，存在着稀有但引人注目的长石富含地形，以及富含钾的页硅酸盐，如伊利石或白云母。此外，好奇号火星车发现了大风火山口岩石中钾富集的证据。在这项研究中，我们使用光谱和遥感分析法对地球上的K变质岩与火星上富含K的和/或可能的花岗岩岩进行了比较。结果表明，火星上富含钾长石，石英和伊利石的岩石的证据与钾致突变作用一致。