Redox-driven mineral and organic associations in Jezero Crater, Mars

Joel A. Hurowitz; M. M. Tice; A. C. Allwood; M. L. Cable; K. P. Hand; A. E. Murphy; K. Uckert; J. F. Bell; T. Bosak; A. P. Broz; E. Clavé; A. Cousin; S. Davidoff; E. Dehouck; K. A. Farley; S. Gupta; S. E. Hamran; K. Hickman-Lewis; J. R. Johnson; A. J. Jones; M. W.M. Jones; P. S. Jørgensen; L. C. Kah; H. Kalucha; T. V. Kizovski; D. A. Klevang; Y. Liu; F. M. McCubbin; E. L. Moreland; G. Paar; D. A. Paige; A. C. Pascuzzo; M. S. Rice; M. E. Schmidt; K. L. Siebach; S. Siljeström; J. I. Simon; K. M. Stack; A. Steele; N. J. Tosca; A. H. Treiman; S. J. VanBommel; L. A. Wade; B. P. Weiss; R. C. Wiens; K. H. Williford; R. Barnes; P. A. Barr; A. Bechtold; P. Beck; K. Benzerara; S. Bernard; O. Beyssac; R. Bhartia; A. J. Brown; G. Caravaca; E. L. Cardarelli; E. A. Cloutis; A. G. Fairén; D. T. Flannery; T. Fornaro; T. Fouchet; B. Garczynski; F. Goméz; E. M. Hausrath; C. M. Heirwegh; C. D.K. Herd; J. E. Huggett; J. L. Jørgensen; S. W. Lee; A. Y. Li; J. N. Maki; L. Mandon; N. Mangold; J. A. Manrique; J. Martínez-Frías; J. I. Núñez; L. P. O’Neil; B. J. Orenstein; N. Phelan; C. Quantin-Nataf; P. Russell; M. D. Schulte; E. Scheller; S. Sharma; D. L. Shuster; A. Srivastava; B. V. Wogsland; Z. U. Wolf

doi:10.1038/s41586-025-09413-0

Redox-driven mineral and organic associations in Jezero Crater, Mars

Joel A. Hurowitz
, M. M. Tice
, A. C. Allwood
, M. L. Cable
, K. P. Hand
, A. E. Murphy
, K. Uckert
, J. F. Bell
, T. Bosak
, A. P. Broz
, E. Clavé
, A. Cousin
, S. Davidoff
, E. Dehouck
, K. A. Farley
, S. Gupta
, S. E. Hamran
, K. Hickman-Lewis
, J. R. Johnson
, A. J. Jones

M. W.M. Jones, P. S. Jørgensen, L. C. Kah, H. Kalucha, T. V. Kizovski, D. A. Klevang, Y. Liu, F. M. McCubbin, E. L. Moreland, G. Paar, D. A. Paige, A. C. Pascuzzo, M. S. Rice, M. E. Schmidt, K. L. Siebach, S. Siljeström, J. I. Simon, K. M. Stack, A. Steele, N. J. Tosca, A. H. Treiman, S. J. VanBommel, L. A. Wade, B. P. Weiss, R. C. Wiens, K. H. Williford, R. Barnes, P. A. Barr, A. Bechtold, P. Beck, K. Benzerara, S. Bernard, O. Beyssac, R. Bhartia, A. J. Brown, G. Caravaca, E. L. Cardarelli, E. A. Cloutis, A. G. Fairén, D. T. Flannery, T. Fornaro, T. Fouchet, B. Garczynski, F. Goméz, E. M. Hausrath, C. M. Heirwegh, C. D.K. Herd, J. E. Huggett, J. L. Jørgensen, S. W. Lee, A. Y. Li, J. N. Maki, L. Mandon, N. Mangold, J. A. Manrique, J. Martínez-Frías, J. I. Núñez, L. P. O’Neil, B. J. Orenstein, N. Phelan, C. Quantin-Nataf, P. Russell, M. D. Schulte, E. Scheller, S. Sharma, D. L. Shuster, A. Srivastava, B. V. Wogsland, Z. U. Wolf

Geosciences

Texas A&M University
California Institute of Technology
Planetary Science Institute
Arizona State University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Purdue University
German Aerospace Center
Institute de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie
Université Lyon
Imperial College London
University of Oslo
Birkbeck University of London
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
Queensland University of Technology
Technical University of Denmark
University of Tennessee
Brock University
NASA Johnson Space Center
Rice University
Joanneum Research
University of California at Los Angeles
Malin Space Science Systems
Western Washington University
RISE Research Institutes of Sweden
Carnegie Science Earth and Planets Laboratory
University of Cambridge
Universities Space Research Association
Washington University St. Louis
Blue Marble Space Institute of Science
University of Vienna
Université de Grenoble Alpes, ISTerre
Physique des Milieux Condensés (CNRS URA 782) Universiteé P et M Curie
Sorbonne Université
Photon Systems Inc.
Plancius Research
University Paul Sabatier
University of Winnipeg
Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC)
Osservatorio Astrofisico Di Arcetri, Florence
PSL University
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of Alberta
University of Washington
UJF Grenoble 1 CNRS-INSU, Institut de Planétologie et d'Astrophysique de Grenoble (IPAG), UMR 5274
Nantes Université
University of Valladolid
CSIC-UCM - Instituto de Geociencias (IGEO)
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
University of California at Berkeley
Los Alamos National Laboratory

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

53 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Perseverance rover has explored and sampled igneous and sedimentary rocks within Jezero Crater to characterize early Martian geological processes and habitability and search for potential biosignatures^{1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6–7}. Upon entering Neretva Vallis, on Jezero Crater’s western edge⁸, Perseverance investigated distinctive mudstone and conglomerate outcrops of the Bright Angel formation. Here we report a detailed geological, petrographic and geochemical survey of these rocks and show that organic-carbon-bearing mudstones in the Bright Angel formation contain submillimetre-scale nodules and millimetre-scale reaction fronts enriched in ferrous iron phosphate and sulfide minerals, likely vivianite and greigite, respectively. This organic carbon appears to have participated in post-depositional redox reactions that produced the observed iron-phosphate and iron-sulfide minerals. Geological context and petrography indicate that these reactions occurred at low temperatures. Within this context, we review the various pathways by which redox reactions that involve organic matter can produce the observed suite of iron-, sulfur- and phosphorus-bearing minerals in laboratory and natural environments on Earth. Ultimately, we conclude that analysis of the core sample collected from this unit using high-sensitivity instrumentation on Earth will enable the measurements required to determine the origin of the minerals, organics and textures it contains.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	332-340
Number of pages	9
Journal	Nature
Volume	645
Issue number	8080
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09413-0
State	Published - Sep 11 2025

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10.1038/s41586-025-09413-0

Cite this

Hurowitz, J. A., Tice, M. M., Allwood, A. C., Cable, M. L., Hand, K. P., Murphy, A. E., Uckert, K., Bell, J. F., Bosak, T., Broz, A. P., Clavé, E., Cousin, A., Davidoff, S., Dehouck, E., Farley, K. A., Gupta, S., Hamran, S. E., Hickman-Lewis, K., Johnson, J. R., ... Wolf, Z. U. (2025). Redox-driven mineral and organic associations in Jezero Crater, Mars. Nature, 645(8080), 332-340. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09413-0

@article{f9540f8dde6648c88734365e893fa0fd,

title = "Redox-driven mineral and organic associations in Jezero Crater, Mars",

abstract = "The Perseverance rover has explored and sampled igneous and sedimentary rocks within Jezero Crater to characterize early Martian geological processes and habitability and search for potential biosignatures1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6–7. Upon entering Neretva Vallis, on Jezero Crater{\textquoteright}s western edge8, Perseverance investigated distinctive mudstone and conglomerate outcrops of the Bright Angel formation. Here we report a detailed geological, petrographic and geochemical survey of these rocks and show that organic-carbon-bearing mudstones in the Bright Angel formation contain submillimetre-scale nodules and millimetre-scale reaction fronts enriched in ferrous iron phosphate and sulfide minerals, likely vivianite and greigite, respectively. This organic carbon appears to have participated in post-depositional redox reactions that produced the observed iron-phosphate and iron-sulfide minerals. Geological context and petrography indicate that these reactions occurred at low temperatures. Within this context, we review the various pathways by which redox reactions that involve organic matter can produce the observed suite of iron-, sulfur- and phosphorus-bearing minerals in laboratory and natural environments on Earth. Ultimately, we conclude that analysis of the core sample collected from this unit using high-sensitivity instrumentation on Earth will enable the measurements required to determine the origin of the minerals, organics and textures it contains.",

author = "Hurowitz, \{Joel A.\} and Tice, \{M. M.\} and Allwood, \{A. C.\} and Cable, \{M. L.\} and Hand, \{K. P.\} and Murphy, \{A. E.\} and K. Uckert and Bell, \{J. F.\} and T. Bosak and Broz, \{A. P.\} and E. Clav{\'e} and A. Cousin and S. Davidoff and E. Dehouck and Farley, \{K. A.\} and S. Gupta and Hamran, \{S. E.\} and K. Hickman-Lewis and Johnson, \{J. R.\} and Jones, \{A. J.\} and Jones, \{M. W.M.\} and J{\o}rgensen, \{P. S.\} and Kah, \{L. C.\} and H. Kalucha and Kizovski, \{T. V.\} and Klevang, \{D. A.\} and Y. Liu and McCubbin, \{F. M.\} and Moreland, \{E. L.\} and G. Paar and Paige, \{D. A.\} and Pascuzzo, \{A. C.\} and Rice, \{M. S.\} and Schmidt, \{M. E.\} and Siebach, \{K. L.\} and S. Siljestr{\"o}m and Simon, \{J. I.\} and Stack, \{K. M.\} and A. Steele and Tosca, \{N. J.\} and Treiman, \{A. H.\} and VanBommel, \{S. J.\} and Wade, \{L. A.\} and Weiss, \{B. P.\} and Wiens, \{R. C.\} and Williford, \{K. H.\} and R. Barnes and Barr, \{P. A.\} and A. Bechtold and P. Beck and K. Benzerara and S. Bernard and O. Beyssac and R. Bhartia and Brown, \{A. J.\} and G. Caravaca and Cardarelli, \{E. L.\} and Cloutis, \{E. A.\} and Fair{\'e}n, \{A. G.\} and Flannery, \{D. T.\} and T. Fornaro and T. Fouchet and B. Garczynski and F. Gom{\'e}z and Hausrath, \{E. M.\} and Heirwegh, \{C. M.\} and Herd, \{C. D.K.\} and Huggett, \{J. E.\} and J{\o}rgensen, \{J. L.\} and Lee, \{S. W.\} and Li, \{A. Y.\} and Maki, \{J. N.\} and L. Mandon and N. Mangold and Manrique, \{J. A.\} and J. Mart{\'i}nez-Fr{\'i}as and N{\'u}{\~n}ez, \{J. I.\} and O{\textquoteright}Neil, \{L. P.\} and Orenstein, \{B. J.\} and N. Phelan and C. Quantin-Nataf and P. Russell and Schulte, \{M. D.\} and E. Scheller and S. Sharma and Shuster, \{D. L.\} and A. Srivastava and Wogsland, \{B. V.\} and Wolf, \{Z. U.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2025.",

year = "2025",

month = sep,

day = "11",

doi = "10.1038/s41586-025-09413-0",

language = "English",

volume = "645",

pages = "332--340",

journal = "Nature",

issn = "0028-0836",

number = "8080",

}

Hurowitz, JA, Tice, MM, Allwood, AC, Cable, ML, Hand, KP, Murphy, AE, Uckert, K, Bell, JF, Bosak, T, Broz, AP, Clavé, E, Cousin, A, Davidoff, S, Dehouck, E, Farley, KA, Gupta, S, Hamran, SE, Hickman-Lewis, K, Johnson, JR, Jones, AJ, Jones, MWM, Jørgensen, PS, Kah, LC, Kalucha, H, Kizovski, TV, Klevang, DA, Liu, Y, McCubbin, FM, Moreland, EL, Paar, G, Paige, DA, Pascuzzo, AC, Rice, MS, Schmidt, ME, Siebach, KL, Siljeström, S, Simon, JI, Stack, KM, Steele, A, Tosca, NJ, Treiman, AH, VanBommel, SJ, Wade, LA, Weiss, BP, Wiens, RC, Williford, KH, Barnes, R, Barr, PA, Bechtold, A, Beck, P, Benzerara, K, Bernard, S, Beyssac, O, Bhartia, R, Brown, AJ, Caravaca, G, Cardarelli, EL, Cloutis, EA, Fairén, AG, Flannery, DT, Fornaro, T, Fouchet, T, Garczynski, B, Goméz, F, Hausrath, EM, Heirwegh, CM, Herd, CDK, Huggett, JE, Jørgensen, JL, Lee, SW, Li, AY, Maki, JN, Mandon, L, Mangold, N, Manrique, JA, Martínez-Frías, J, Núñez, JI, O’Neil, LP, Orenstein, BJ, Phelan, N, Quantin-Nataf, C, Russell, P, Schulte, MD, Scheller, E, Sharma, S, Shuster, DL, Srivastava, A, Wogsland, BV & Wolf, ZU 2025, 'Redox-driven mineral and organic associations in Jezero Crater, Mars', Nature, vol. 645, no. 8080, pp. 332-340. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09413-0

TY - JOUR

T1 - Redox-driven mineral and organic associations in Jezero Crater, Mars

AU - Hurowitz, Joel A.

AU - Tice, M. M.

AU - Allwood, A. C.

AU - Cable, M. L.

AU - Hand, K. P.

AU - Murphy, A. E.

AU - Uckert, K.

AU - Bell, J. F.

AU - Bosak, T.

AU - Broz, A. P.

AU - Clavé, E.

AU - Cousin, A.

AU - Davidoff, S.

AU - Dehouck, E.

AU - Farley, K. A.

AU - Gupta, S.

AU - Hamran, S. E.

AU - Hickman-Lewis, K.

AU - Johnson, J. R.

AU - Jones, A. J.

AU - Jones, M. W.M.

AU - Jørgensen, P. S.

AU - Kah, L. C.

AU - Kalucha, H.

AU - Kizovski, T. V.

AU - Klevang, D. A.

AU - Liu, Y.

AU - McCubbin, F. M.

AU - Moreland, E. L.

AU - Paar, G.

AU - Paige, D. A.

AU - Pascuzzo, A. C.

AU - Rice, M. S.

AU - Schmidt, M. E.

AU - Siebach, K. L.

AU - Siljeström, S.

AU - Simon, J. I.

AU - Stack, K. M.

AU - Steele, A.

AU - Tosca, N. J.

AU - Treiman, A. H.

AU - VanBommel, S. J.

AU - Wade, L. A.

AU - Weiss, B. P.

AU - Wiens, R. C.

AU - Williford, K. H.

AU - Barnes, R.

AU - Barr, P. A.

AU - Bechtold, A.

AU - Beck, P.

AU - Benzerara, K.

AU - Bernard, S.

AU - Beyssac, O.

AU - Bhartia, R.

AU - Brown, A. J.

AU - Caravaca, G.

AU - Cardarelli, E. L.

AU - Cloutis, E. A.

AU - Fairén, A. G.

AU - Flannery, D. T.

AU - Fornaro, T.

AU - Fouchet, T.

AU - Garczynski, B.

AU - Goméz, F.

AU - Hausrath, E. M.

AU - Heirwegh, C. M.

AU - Herd, C. D.K.

AU - Huggett, J. E.

AU - Jørgensen, J. L.

AU - Lee, S. W.

AU - Li, A. Y.

AU - Maki, J. N.

AU - Mandon, L.

AU - Mangold, N.

AU - Manrique, J. A.

AU - Martínez-Frías, J.

AU - Núñez, J. I.

AU - O’Neil, L. P.

AU - Orenstein, B. J.

AU - Phelan, N.

AU - Quantin-Nataf, C.

AU - Russell, P.

AU - Schulte, M. D.

AU - Scheller, E.

AU - Sharma, S.

AU - Shuster, D. L.

AU - Srivastava, A.

AU - Wogsland, B. V.

AU - Wolf, Z. U.

PY - 2025/9/11

Y1 - 2025/9/11

N2 - The Perseverance rover has explored and sampled igneous and sedimentary rocks within Jezero Crater to characterize early Martian geological processes and habitability and search for potential biosignatures1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6–7. Upon entering Neretva Vallis, on Jezero Crater’s western edge8, Perseverance investigated distinctive mudstone and conglomerate outcrops of the Bright Angel formation. Here we report a detailed geological, petrographic and geochemical survey of these rocks and show that organic-carbon-bearing mudstones in the Bright Angel formation contain submillimetre-scale nodules and millimetre-scale reaction fronts enriched in ferrous iron phosphate and sulfide minerals, likely vivianite and greigite, respectively. This organic carbon appears to have participated in post-depositional redox reactions that produced the observed iron-phosphate and iron-sulfide minerals. Geological context and petrography indicate that these reactions occurred at low temperatures. Within this context, we review the various pathways by which redox reactions that involve organic matter can produce the observed suite of iron-, sulfur- and phosphorus-bearing minerals in laboratory and natural environments on Earth. Ultimately, we conclude that analysis of the core sample collected from this unit using high-sensitivity instrumentation on Earth will enable the measurements required to determine the origin of the minerals, organics and textures it contains.

AB - The Perseverance rover has explored and sampled igneous and sedimentary rocks within Jezero Crater to characterize early Martian geological processes and habitability and search for potential biosignatures1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6–7. Upon entering Neretva Vallis, on Jezero Crater’s western edge8, Perseverance investigated distinctive mudstone and conglomerate outcrops of the Bright Angel formation. Here we report a detailed geological, petrographic and geochemical survey of these rocks and show that organic-carbon-bearing mudstones in the Bright Angel formation contain submillimetre-scale nodules and millimetre-scale reaction fronts enriched in ferrous iron phosphate and sulfide minerals, likely vivianite and greigite, respectively. This organic carbon appears to have participated in post-depositional redox reactions that produced the observed iron-phosphate and iron-sulfide minerals. Geological context and petrography indicate that these reactions occurred at low temperatures. Within this context, we review the various pathways by which redox reactions that involve organic matter can produce the observed suite of iron-, sulfur- and phosphorus-bearing minerals in laboratory and natural environments on Earth. Ultimately, we conclude that analysis of the core sample collected from this unit using high-sensitivity instrumentation on Earth will enable the measurements required to determine the origin of the minerals, organics and textures it contains.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105015742350

U2 - 10.1038/s41586-025-09413-0

DO - 10.1038/s41586-025-09413-0

M3 - Article

C2 - 40931152

AN - SCOPUS:105015742350

SN - 0028-0836

VL - 645

SP - 332

EP - 340

JO - Nature

JF - Nature

IS - 8080

ER -

Redox-driven mineral and organic associations in Jezero Crater, Mars

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