Synthesis of a spinifex-textured basalt as an analog to Gusev crater basalts, Mars
N. Bost, F. Westall, F. Gaillard, C.Ramboz, and F. Foucher
Abstract:
Analyses by the Mars Exploration Rover (MER), Spirit, of Martian basalts from Gusev crater show that they are chemically very different from terrestrial basalts, being characterized in particular by high Mg- and Fe-contents. To provide suitable analog basalts for the International Space Analogue Rockstore (ISAR), a collection of analog rocks and minerals for preparing in situ space missions, especially, the upcoming Mars mission MSL-2011 and the future international Mars-2018 mission, it is necessary to synthesize Martian basalts. The aim of this study was therefore to synthesize Martian basalt analogs to the Gusev crater basalts, based on the geochemical data from the MER rover Spirit. We present the results of two experiments, one producing a quench-cooled basalt ( Meteoritics and Planetary Science, Volume 47, Issue 5, pages 820–831, May 2012 (abstract).

Un poster sur l'ISAR a été présenté durant la Troisième Early Mars conference au Lake Tahoe, USA.
The influence of subsurface processes on Martian basalts: an example of hydrothermal and acidic basalt alteration at the Skouriotissa mine, Cyprus.
N. Bost, F. Westall, C. Ramboz, A. Meunier, E. Georgiou-Morisseau, and F. Foucher
(abstract 7018).

Deux présentations oral sur l'ISAR ont été présentées à l'Assemblé Générale 2012 de l'EGU à Vienne en Austriche:
#1 The International Space Analogue Rock Store (ISAR): A key tool for future planetary exploration.
N. Bost, F. Westall, C. Ramboz, and F. Foucher
(abstract 1403).

#2 Hydrothermal, deuteric and acidic basalt alteration at the Skouriotissa Mine, Cyprus: relevance for Mars.
N. Bost, F. Westall, C. Ramboz, C. Fontaine, A. Meunier, and F. Foucher
(abstract 1407).