Nancy A. Carman

Nancy is working on assessing the EGA data for evidence of sulfide minerals such as the manganese sulfides from samples in Gale crater, Mars. Since sulfide minerals are an important indicator of the conditions that can preserve organic matter in low oxidation state environments. Then if time allows, she will quantify the pH, oxidation state, and sulfide concentrations through laboratory experiments and reactive transport modeling to place constraints on the diagenetic conditions (preservation vs degradation) of an environment.   Another project she is working on is fieldwork and data collection in Amargosa Valley, NV in the Amargosa Desert. This project will allow an integrated study of playa surfaces, with special emphasis on understanding the differences in salt and Mg-clay mineral compositions that result from evaporation of a given alkaline system. The significance of this research is that this will be a terrestrial analog to that of Jezero crater.