Exolith Simulant: JEZ-1 Jezero Delta Simulant
Mineralogy
| Mineral | Wt.% |
|---|---|
| Olivine | 32.0 |
| Plagioclase | 16.0 |
| Glass-rich basalt | 13.5 |
| Pyroxene | 12.0 |
| Mg-carbonate | 11.0 |
| Smectite | 6.0 |
| Mg-sulfate | 2.4 |
| Ferrihydrite | 2.1 |
| Hydrated silica | 1.8 |
| Magnetite | 1.1 |
| Anhydrite | 1.0 |
| Fe-carbonate | 0.8 |
| Hematite | 0.3 |
Bulk Chemistry
Because JEZ-1 is a mineralogical standard, the bulk chemistry of simulants created from the standard will differ depending on the crystal chemistry of the source minerals used. Below, we report the latest analysis for the production version of JEZ-1.
| Oxide | Wt.% |
|---|---|
| SiO2 | 44.2 |
| TiO2 | 0.2 |
| Al2O3 | 11.3 |
| Cr2O3 | 0.3 |
| FeOT | 9.5 |
| MnO | 0.1 |
| MgO | 25.9 |
| CaO | 3.5 |
| Na2O | 1.9 |
| K2O | 0.3 |
| P2O5 | 0.6 |
| SO3 | 2.1 |
| Total | 100.0 |
Physical Properties
Particle size range: 0-1 mm
Mean particle size (by volume): 38 μm
Bulk density*: 1.54 g/cm3
*Note that bulk density is not an inherent property and depends on the level of compaction
Current Status: Available
Developed By: University of Central Florida
Available At: ExolithSimulants.com
Spec Sheet: JEZ-1 Spec Sheet (PDF)
Publications: Cannon, K. M., D. T. Britt, T. M. Smith, R. F. Fritsche, and D. Batcheldor (2019), Mars Global Simulant MGS-1: A Rocknest-based Open Standard for Basaltic Martian Regolith Simulants. Icarus, 317, 470-478.
The Jezero Delta Simulant (JEZ-1) was made to simulate anticipated materials in the Jezero Crater deltas that will be investigated by the NASA Mars 2020 rover. The simulant is a mixture of MGS-1 mineralogy with smectite clay, Mg-carbonate, and additional olivine that have all been detected from orbital remote sensing in the Jezero delta deposits.
The state of lithificaiton, mineralogy, and grain size distribution are likely variable throughout the Jezero deltas; JEZ-1 represents unconsolidated material, but can be compacted under various pressures to form a more cohesive solid.
Images
Photograph of JEZ-1:
