Porosity and hydrous alteration of the Martian crust from InSight seismic data

Abstract

The composition and layering of the Martian crust provide important constraints on planetary crustal evolution as well as on present-day conditions, e.g., with regard to the presence of liquid water or ice. The seismic data of the InSight mission yielded new and critical information on crustal structure at several locations on Mars. Here, we use rock physical models to investigate the range of lithologies, porosities and alteration scenarios compatible with seismic P- and S-wave velocities as well as vP/vS ratios from InSight. We find that present-day crustal porosity extends to 20–25 km depth at all sampled locations, with large Noachian impacts as main drivers for the creation of porosity, and viscous pore closure as likely agent of removal of porosity at depth, resulting in a discontinuous increase in seismic velocities. Spatially heterogeneous seismic velocities can be related to differences in porosity that could be caused by subsequent localized magmatic activity. At the InSight landing site, where seismic data indicate a four-layered crust, hydrated minerals as traces of aqueous alteration are present throughout the crust, though the water within these minerals could be fairly limited at 0.3 wt% or less. The most likely types of hydrated minerals are also consistent with a post-depositional environment that was limited in water. The velocity increase at about 10 km depth beneath InSight can either be attributed to a change in composition from felsic to basaltic, or to a change in porosity by the deposition of Utopia ejecta. A felsic component to the crust, e.g. due to impact-generated buoyant partial melts, can accordingly not be excluded, but would not be present globally. Seismic and geological constraints for the layer at approximately 200 m to 2000 m depth beneath the lander strongly favor basaltic Noachian sediments saturated with a mixture of up to 10 % ice and brine. However, the lateral extent of this present day aquifer is not constrained by the available data.