Noble gases in iddingsite from the Lafayette meteorite: Evidence for liquid water on Mars in the last few hundred million years
Authors: SWINDLE T. D. , TREIMAN A. H. , LINDSTROM D. J. , BURKLAND M. K. , COHEN B. A. , GRIER J. A. , LI B. , OLSON E. K. 
Published: February 2010

Abstract—We analyzed noble gases from 18 samples of weathering products (“iddingsite”) from the Lafayette meteorite. Potassium‐argon ages of 12 samples range from near zero to 670 ± 91 Ma. These ages confirm the martian origin of the iddingsite, but it is not clear whether any or all of the ages represent iddingsite formation as opposed to later alteration or incorporation of martian atmospheric40Ar. In any case, because iddingsite formation requires liquid water, this data requires the presence of liquid water near the surface of Mars at least as recently as 1300 Ma ago, and probably as recently as 650 Ma ago. Krypton and Xe analysis of a single 34 μg sample indicates the presence of fractionated martian atmosphere within the iddingsite. This also confirms the martian origin of the iddingsite. The mechanism of incorporation could either be through interaction with liquid water during iddingsite formation or a result of shock implantation of adsorbed atmospheric gas.

Our strongest conclusion is that the iddingsite in Lafayette formed on Mars, in agreement with the microstratigraphic arguments of Goodinget al.(1991) and Treimanet al.(1993). A preterrestrial origin of the iddingsite is required both by the many non‐zero K‐Ar ages and by the presence of Xe that is isotopically distinct from any terrestrial Xe.

The Xe is accompanied by Kr, but the Kr and Xe have been fractionated if they are derived from the present martian atmosphere. This is presumably the result of either incorporationviainteraction with liquid water (Drakeet al., 1994; Bogard and Garrison, 1998) or by adsorption from the martian atmosphere, perhaps accompanied by shock (see also Gilmouret al., 1998, 1999). Although the iddingsite is enriched in Kr and Xe compared to whole‐rock analyses, it is not clear whether iddingsite is the dominant carrier of the atmospheric‐derived gas (Drakeet al., 1994) or merely a minor carrier (Gilmouret al., 1999).

Our40Ar‐39Ar experiment was disappointing, in that it mostly served to confirm that the iddingsite, which contains fine‐grained clays, is susceptible to recoil loss of39Ar during irradiation. Only one sample of five gave a clear signal of radiogenic or extraterrestrial40Ar, and that was only by 3°.

Potassium‐argon ages of the second set of samples were more successful, ranging from near 0 to 670 ± 91 Ma. It is not clear whether any or all of the ages represent iddingsite formation, as opposed to later alteration. The fact that a Rb‐Sr experiment (Shihet al., 1998) gave an apparent age for iddingsite of 679 ± 66 Ma (2a) suggests that perhaps formation of iddingsite occurred (or began) ∼650 Ma ago and that some samples either formed, or were thermally altered, later. The ages could be even younger than 650 Ma, if the samples have incorporated martian atmospheric40Ar.

This means that liquid water was certainly present on Mars in the last 1300 Ma (the formation age of Lafayette), and probably within the last 650 Ma.