Identification of smectites by IR and LIBS instruments of SuperCam Suite onboard Mars 2020 Perseverance rover: comments on the Non-retrieval of First Drill Core

Abstract

Preliminary investigations on the Infrared Spectrometer onboard Mars 2020 Perseverance rover show the presence of Fe-/Mg-smectite minerals near the first drilling site, Roubion. Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectrometer data show characteristic emission peaks for O, H and the major constituent elements of smectites, viz. Si, Fe, Mg, etc. These minerals suggest aqueous alteration of the basaltic floor of the Jezero crater. The mechanically weak nature of this basalt weathering layer holds clues to the non-retrieval of the first drill core. Water confinement capacity and high porosity–permeability make the smectite-rich rock units a good host for preserving macro and microscopic biosignatures.