Radiation-induced alteration of apatite on the surface of Mars: first in situ observations with SuperCam Raman onboard Perseverance
Authors: Clavé E. , Beyssac O. , Bernard S. , Royer C. , Lopez-Reyes G. , Schröder S. , Rammelkamp K. , Forni O. , Fau A. , Cousin A. , Manrique J. A. , Ollila A. , Madariaga J. M. , Aramendia J. , Sharma S. K. , Fornaro T. , Maurice S. , Wiens R. C. ,   the SuperCam Science team, Acosta-Maeda Tayro , Agard Christophe , Alberquilla Fernando , Alvarez Llamas Cesar , Anderson Ryan , Applin Daniel , Aramendia Julene , Arana Gorka , Beal Roberta , Beck Pierre , Bedford Candice , Benzerara Karim , Bernard Sylvain , Bernardi Pernelle , Bertrand Tanguy , Beyssac Olivier , Bloch Thierry , Bonnet Jean-Yves , Bousquet Bruno , Boustelitane Abderrahmane , Bouyssou Mann Magali , Brand Matthew , Cais Philippe , Caravaca Gwenael , Castro Ortiz De Pinedo Kepa , Cazalla Charlene , Charpentier Antoine , Chide Baptiste , Clavé Elise , Clegg Samuel , Cloutis Ed , Coloma Leire , Comellas Jade , Connell Stephanie , Cousin Agnes , DeFlores Lauren , Dehouck Erwin , Delapp Dot , Delgado Perez Tomas , Deron Robin , Donny Christophe , Doressoundiram Alain , Dromart Gilles , Essunfeld Ari , Fabre Cecile , Fau Amaury , Fischer Woodward , Follic Hugo , Forni Olivier , Fouchet Thierry , Francis Raymond , Frydenvang Jens , Gabriel Travis , Gallegos Zachary , García-Florentino Cristina , Gasda Patrick , Gasnault Olivier , Gibbons Erin , Gillier Martin , Gomez Laura , Gonzalez Sofia , Grotzinger John , Huidobro Jennifer , Jacob Xavier , Johnson Jeffrey , Kalucha Hemani , Kelly Evan , Knutsen Elise , Lacombe Gaetan , Lamarque Florentin , Lanza Nina , Larmat Carene , Laserna Javier , Lasue Jeremie , Le Deit Laetitia , Le Mouelic Stephane , Legett Chip , Leveille Richard , Lewin Eric , Little Cynthia , Loche Mattéo , Lopez Reyes Guillermo , Lorenz Ralph , Lorigny Eric , Madariaga Juan Manuel , Madsen Morten , Mandon Lucia , Manelski Henry , Mangold Nicolas , Martinez Jose Manrique , Martin Noah , Martinez Frias Jesus , Maurice Sylvestre , Mcconnochie Timothy , McLennan Scott , Melikechi Noureddine , Meslin Pierre-Yves , Meunier Frederique , Mimoun David , Montagnac Gilles , Montmessin Franck , Moros Javier , Mousset Valerie , Murdoch Naomi , Nelson Tony , Newell Ray , Nicolas Cécile , Newsom Horton , O’Shea Colleen , Ollila Ann , Pantalacci Philippe , Parmentier Jonathan , Peret Laurent , Perrachon Pascal , Pilleri Paolo , Pilorget Cédric , Pinet Patrick , Poblacion Iratxe , Poulet Francois , Quantin Nataf Cathy , Rapin William , Reyes Ivan , Rigaud Laurent , Robinson Scott , Rochas Ludovic , Root Margaret , Ropert Eloise , Rouverand Léa , Royer Clement , Rull Perez Fernando , Said David , Sans-Jofre Pierre , Schroeder Susanne , Seel Fabian , Sharma Shiv , Sheridan Amanda , Sobron Sanchez Pablo , Stcherbinine Aurélien , Stott Alex , Toplis Michael , Turenne Nathalie , Veneranda Marco , Venhaus Dawn , Wiens Roger , Wolf Uriah , Zastrow Allison 
Published: May 2024

Planetary exploration relies considerably on mineral characterization to advance our understanding of the solar system, the planets and their evolution. Thus, we must understand past and present processes that can alter materials exposed on the surface, affecting space mission data. Here, we analyze the first dataset monitoring the evolution of a known mineral target in situ on the Martian surface, brought there as a SuperCam calibration target onboard the Perseverance rover. We used Raman spectroscopy to monitor the crystalline state of a synthetic apatite sample over the first 950 Martian days (sols) of the Mars2020 mission. We note significant variations in the Raman spectra acquired on this target, specifically a decrease in the relative contribution of the Raman signal to the total signal. These observations are consistent with the results of a UV-irradiation test performed in the laboratory under conditions mimicking ambient Martian conditions. We conclude that the observed evolution reflects an alteration of the material, specifically the creation of electronic defects, due to its exposure to the Martian environment and, in particular, UV irradiation. This ongoing process of alteration of the Martian surface needs to be taken into account for mineralogical space mission data analysis.