Stability field and phase transition pathways of hydrous ferric sulfates in the temperature range 50 °C to 5 °C: Implication for martian ferric sulfates

We report the results from a systematic laboratory investigation on the fundamental properties of hydrous ferric sulfates. The study involves 150 experiments with duration of over 4 years on the stability field and phase transition pathways under Mars relevant environmental conditions for five ferric sulfates: ferricopiapite [Fe4.67(SO4)6(OH)2·20H2O], kornelite [Fe2(SO4)3·7H2O], a crystalline and an amorphous pentahydrated ferric sulfate [Fe2(SO4)3·5H2O], and rhomboclase [FeH(SO4)2·4H2O]. During the processes of phase transitions, we observed the phenomena that reflect fundamental properties of these species and the occurrence of other common hydrous ferric sulfates, e.g. paracoquimbite [Fe2(SO4)3·9H2O]. Based on the results of this set of experiments, we have drown the boundaries of deliquescence zone of five hydrous ferric sulfates and estimated the regions of their stability field in temperature (T) – relative humidity (RH) space. Furthermore, we selected the experimental parameters for a next step investigation, which is to determine the location of the phase boundary between two solid ferric sulfates, kornelite [Fe2(SO4)3·7H2O] and pentahydrated ferric sulfate [Fe2(SO4)3·5H2O]. The experimental observations in ferricopiapite dehydration processes were used to interpret the observed spectral change of Fe-sulfate-rich subsurface soils on Mars after their exposure by the Spirit rover to current martian atmospheric conditions.