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Subsurface water and clay mineral formation during the early history of Mars

Murchie, Scott L.; Ehlmann, Bethany L.; Mustard, John F. +4 more

Clay minerals, recently discovered to be widespread in Mars's Noachian terrains, indicate long-duration interaction between water and rock over 3.7 billion years ago. Analysis of how they formed should indicate what environmental conditions prevailed on early Mars. If clays formed near the surface by weathering, as is common on Earth, their presen…