GSA 2014
October 19-22, 2014
Vancouver, BC, Canada

Water-rock chemical interactions are ubiquitous on surfaces and in shallow crusts of planetary bodies, and in chondritic materials. This session will explore processes and products of aqueous alteration and we encourage contributions from terrestrial analog
studies.

Chemical reactions between rock and water have played a fundamental role throughout solar system history, but we are often left with the products of these interactions (e.g., hydrated minerals, geochemical fingerprints) and left to interpret the processes and environments responsible. For example on Mars, thousands of detections of hydrous
minerals by the CRISM spectrometer point to a wetter history around the same time life arose on Earth. Carbonaceous chondrites, the most chemically primitive solar system materials, are typified by nearly complete alteration of their primary mineralogy through the action of water. Linking observed secondary minerals and geochemistry with formation environment and process is the focus of this session. Big picture questions include whether observed aqueous minerals formed mainly under near-surface ambient or hydrothermal conditions and the longevity of liquid water involved.

The abstract deadline is July 29.

http://community.geosociety.org/gsa2014/science/sessions

Conveners:
John F. Mustard (Brown University)
See you in Vancouver!