Meteoritic Evidence for the History of Water on Mars: (Fostering Joint International Research)

• Project/Area Number: 15KK0153
• Research Category: Fund for the Promotion of Joint International Research (Fostering Joint International Research)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Petrology/Mineralogy/Economic geology
• Research Institution: Japan Aerospace EXploration Agency (2018-2019); Tokyo Institute of Technology (2015-2017)
• Principal Investigator: Tomohiro Usui 国立研究開発法人宇宙航空研究開発機構, 宇宙科学研究所, 教授 (60636471)
• Project Period (FY): 2016 – 2019
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2019)
• Budget Amount: ¥14,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥11,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥3,300,000)
• Keywords: 火星 / 火星隕石 / 水 / 水素同位体

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We conducted in situ hydrogen isotope (D/H) analyses of Martian meteorites. The hydrogen isotope analyses provide evidence for the existence of a distinct but ubiquitous water reservoir (D/H = 2-3 times Earth’s ocean water: SMOW). The origin of this reservoir appears to predate the current Martian atmospheric water (D/H = ~5-6 x SMOW) and is unlikely to be a simple mixture of atmospheric and primordial water retained in the Martian mantle (D/H ~SMOW). We conclude that this intermediate-D/H reservoir (2-3 x SMOW) is likely a global surficial feature that has remained relatively intact over geologic time. We propose that this reservoir represents either hydrated crust or ground ice interbedded within sediments. Our results corroborate the hypothesis that a buried cryosphere accounts for a large part of the initial water budget of Mars.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

惑星表層環境は，その惑星近傍だけではなく，太陽系全体のダイナミクスの結果を反映しているため，異なる惑星間での表層環境の違いを理解することが，地球表層環境を理解する上でも非常に重要となってくる。地球以外で過去に液体の水を保持していた太陽系天体は火星のみであり，火星は地球との比較対象として，惑星表層環境の解明に適した天体と言える。本研究により，火星の水の散逸史および表層環境進化が明らかとなるだけでなく，異なるサイズ・太陽距離を持つ地球表層環境の理解が飛躍的に進むと期待される。

Research Products

• [Int'l Joint Research] NASA(米国) (2017)
  • Year and Date: 2017-03-17
• [Int'l Joint Research] カーネギー研究所(米国) (2016)
• [Journal Article] Climate Simulations of Early Mars With Estimated Precipitation, Runoff, and Erosion Rates (2020)
  • Author(s): Ramirez Ramses M.、Craddock Robert A.、Usui Tomohiro
  • Journal Title: Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets Volume: 125 Issue: 3
  • DOI: 10.1029/2019je006160
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Geochemically heterogeneous Martian mantle inferred from Pb isotope systematics of depleted shergottites (2020)
  • Author(s): Moriwaki Ryota、Usui Tomohiro、Tobita Minato、Yokoyama Tetsuya
  • Journal Title: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta Volume: 274 Pages: 157-171
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.gca.2020.01.014
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Transport of impact ejecta from Mars to its moons as a means to reveal Martian history (2019)
  • Author(s): Hyodo Ryuki、Kurosawa Kosuke、Genda Hidenori、Usui Tomohiro、Fujita Kazuhisa
  • Journal Title: Scientific Reports Volume: 9 Issue: 1 Pages: 19833-19833
  • DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-56139-x
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Measuring the Elemental Composition of Phobos: The Mars-moon Exploration with GAmma rays and NEutrons (MEGANE) Investigation for the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) Mission (2019)
  • Author(s): Lawrence, D. J., Peplowski, P. N., Beck, A. W., Burks, M. T., Chabot, N. L., Cully, M. J., Elphic, R. C., Ernst, C. M., Fix, S., Goldsten, J. O., Hoffer, E. M., Kusano, H., Murchie, S. L., Schratz, B. C., Usui, T., Yokley, Z. W.
  • Journal Title: Earth and Space Science Volume: 6 Issue: 12 Pages: 2605-2623
  • DOI: 10.1029/2019ea000811
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] What Geology and Mineralogy Tell Us About Water on Mars (2019)
  • Author(s): Usui Tomohiro
  • Journal Title: Astrobiology Volume: - Pages: 345-352
  • DOI: 10.1007/978-981-13-3639-3_21
  • ISBN: 9789811336386, 9789811336393
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] The potential science and engineering value of samples delivered to Earth by Mars sample return (2019)
  • Author(s): Beaty D. W., Usui, T. et al.
  • Journal Title: Meteoritics & Planetary Science Volume: 54 Issue: S1
  • DOI: 10.1111/maps.13242
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Hydrogen Reservoirs in Mars as Revealed by Martian Meteorites (2019)
  • Author(s): Usui Tomohiro
  • Journal Title: Volatiles in the Martian Crust Volume: - Pages: 71-88
  • DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-804191-8.00004-0
  • ISBN: 9780128041918
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Scientific significance and strategy of Mars subsurface exploration (2018)
  • Author(s): 臼井 寛裕
  • Journal Title: Planetary People - The Japanese Society for Planetary Sciences Volume: 27 Issue: 4 Pages: 296-301
  • DOI: 10.14909/yuseijin.27.4_296
  • NAID: 130007635082
  • ISSN: 0918-273X, 2423-897X
  • Year and Date: 2018-12-25
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] Development of Life Detection Microscope (LDM) for life search on Mars (2018)
  • Author(s): 吉村 義隆、長沼 毅、三田 肇、藤田 和央、臼井 寛裕、山岸 明彦、佐藤 毅彦、宮川 厚夫、今井 栄一、佐々木 聰、小林 憲正、癸生川 陽子、薮田 ひかる
  • Journal Title: Planetary People - The Japanese Society for Planetary Sciences Volume: 27 Issue: 3 Pages: 147-151
  • DOI: 10.14909/yuseijin.27.3_147
  • NAID: 130007546881
  • ISSN: 0918-273X, 2423-897X
  • Year and Date: 2018-09-25
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] Martian Moons eXploration MMX elucidating the formation of habitable planets in the solar system (2018)
  • Author(s): 倉本 圭、諸田 智克、長岡 央、中川 広務、中村 智樹、小川 和律、大嶽 久志、尾崎 正伸、佐々木 晶、千秋 博紀、橘 省吾、川勝 康弘、寺田 直樹、臼井 寛裕、和田 浩二、渡邊 誠一郎、MMX study team、藤本 正樹、玄田 英典、平田 成、今村 剛、亀田 真吾、松本 晃治、宮本 英昭
  • Journal Title: Planetary People - The Japanese Society for Planetary Sciences Volume: 27 Issue: 3 Pages: 207-215
  • DOI: 10.14909/yuseijin.27.3_207
  • NAID: 130007546969
  • ISSN: 0918-273X, 2423-897X
  • Year and Date: 2018-09-25
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] Current and future contributions of Martian meteorites to Mars science (2018)
  • Author(s): 小池 みずほ、森脇 涼太、臼井 寛裕
  • Journal Title: Planetary People - The Japanese Society for Planetary Sciences Volume: 27 Issue: 3 Pages: 180-189
  • DOI: 10.14909/yuseijin.27.3_180
  • NAID: 130007546893
  • ISSN: 0918-273X, 2423-897X
  • Year and Date: 2018-09-25
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Water and Volatile Inventories of Mercury, Venus, the Moon, and Mars (2018)
  • Author(s): Greenwood James P.、Karato Shun-ichiro、Vander Kaaden Kathleen E.、Pahlevan Kaveh、Usui Tomohiro
  • Journal Title: Space Science Reviews Volume: 214 Issue: 5 Pages: 1-39
  • DOI: 10.1007/s11214-018-0526-1
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] A lower limit of atmospheric pressure on early Mars inferred from nitrogen and argon isotopic compositions (2018)
  • Author(s): Kurokawa Hiroyuki、Kurosawa Kosuke、Usui Tomohiro
  • Journal Title: Icarus Volume: 299 Pages: 443-459
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.icarus.2017.08.020
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Re-Os isotope systematics and fractionation of siderophile elements in metal phases from CBa chondrites (2018)
  • Author(s): Nakanishi Nao、Yokoyama Tetsuya、Okabayashi Satoki、Usui Tomohiro、Iwamori Hikaru
  • Journal Title: Meteoritics & Planetary Science Volume: 53 Issue: 5 Pages: 1051-1065
  • DOI: 10.1111/maps.13050
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] LDM (Life Detection Microscope): In Situ Imaging of Living Cells on Surface of Mars (2018)
  • Author(s): Akihiko YAMAGISHI, Takehiko SATOH, Atsuo MIYAKAWA, Yoshitaka YOSHIMURA, Satoshi SASAKI, Kensei KOBAYASHI, Yoko KEBUKAWA, Hikaru YABUTA, Hajime MITA, Eiichi IMAI, Takeshi NAGANUMA, Kazuhisa FUJITA, Tomohiro USUI
  • Journal Title: TRANSACTIONS OF THE JAPAN SOCIETY FOR AERONAUTICAL AND SPACE SCIENCES, AEROSPACE TECHNOLOGY JAPAN Volume: 16 Issue: 3 Pages: 299-305
  • DOI: 10.2322/tastj.16.299
  • NAID: 130006731648
  • ISSN: 1884-0485
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Glycine polymerization on oxide minerals (2017)
  • Author(s): Kitadai, N., Oonishi H., Umemoto K., Usui T., Fukushi K. and Nakashima S.
  • Journal Title: Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres Volume: 印刷中 Issue: 2 Pages: 123-143
  • DOI: 10.1007/s11084-016-9516-z
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Journal Article] Coupled Pb isotopic and trace element systematics of the Tissint meteorite: Geochemical signatures of the depleted shergottite source mantle (2017)
  • Author(s): Moriwaki Ryota、Usui Tomohiro、Simon Justin I.、Jones John H.、Yokoyama Tetsuya、Tobita Minato
  • Journal Title: Earth and Planetary Science Letters Volume: 474 Pages: 180-189
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.epsl.2017.06.044
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Martian water stored underground (2017)
  • Author(s): Usui Tomohiro
  • Journal Title: Nature Volume: 552 Issue: 7685 Pages: 339-340
  • DOI: 10.1038/d41586-017-08670-y
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] New constraints on shergottite petrogenesis from analysis of Pb isotopic compositional space: Implications for mantle heterogeneity and crustal assimilation on Mars (2017)
  • Author(s): Tobita, M., Usui, T., and Yokoyama, T.
  • Journal Title: GEOCHEMICAL JOURNAL Volume: 51 Issue: 1 Pages: 81-94
  • DOI: 10.2343/geochemj.2.0446
  • NAID: 130005317104
  • ISSN: 0016-7002, 1880-5973
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Precise isotope analysis for sub-nanogram lead by total evaporation thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TE-TIMS) coupled with 204Pb-207Pb double spike method. (2017)
  • Author(s): Fukami, Y., Tobita, M., Yokoyama, T., Moriwaki, R., Usui, T.
  • Journal Title: Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry Volume: 32 Issue: 4 Pages: 848-857
  • DOI: 10.1039/c6ja00455e
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Hydrogen reservoirs in Mars as revealed by Martian meteorites (2017)
  • Author(s): Usui, T.
  • Journal Title: Volatiles In The Martian Crust Volume: 印刷中
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] The sustainability of habitability on terrestrial planets: insights, questions, and needed measurements from Mars for understanding the evolution of Earth-like worlds (2016)
  • Author(s): Ehlmann, B. L. et al. (incl. Usui, T.)
  • Journal Title: Journal of Geophysical Research-Planets Volume: 121 Issue: 10 Pages: 1927-1961
  • DOI: 10.1002/2016je005134
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Interactive evolution of multiple water-ice reservoirs on Mars: Insights from hydrogen isotope compositions (2016)
  • Author(s): Kurokawa, H., Usui, T., and Sato, M.
  • Journal Title: GEOCHEMICAL JOURNAL Volume: 50 Issue: 1 Pages: 67-79
  • DOI: 10.2343/geochemj.2.0407
  • NAID: 130005124702
  • ISSN: 0016-7002, 1880-5973
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Presentation] 今後の惑星探査における地球化学の役割 (2018)
  • Author(s): 臼井寛裕
  • Organizer: 日本地球化学会年会
  • Invited
• [Presentation] 将来惑星探査が次世代分析技術に期待すること (2018)
  • Author(s): 臼井寛裕
  • Organizer: 量子ビームを用いた次世代非破壊分析技術とその応用
  • Invited
• [Presentation] 火星の水と表層環境の進化史 (2018)
  • Author(s): 臼井寛裕
  • Organizer: 日本地球惑星科学連合 高校生のための冬休み講座2018
  • Invited
• [Presentation] MMXのサンプルサイエンス検討 (2018)
  • Author(s): 臼井寛裕, 岡崎隆司, 高野淑識, 橘省吾, 藤谷渉, 三浦弥生, 澤田弘崇
  • Organizer: 第18回 宇宙科学シンポジウム
• [Presentation] 着陸機による火星環境探査リサーチグループの成果報告 (2018)
  • Author(s): 臼井寛裕, 佐藤毅彦, 亀田真吾, 宮本英昭, 山岸明彦, 藤田和央, 石上玄也, 火星着陸 RG
  • Organizer: 第18回 宇宙科学シンポジウム
• [Presentation] 火星表層と世界の生命探査計画 (2018)
  • Author(s): 臼井寛裕
  • Organizer: アストロバイオロジーセンターシンポジウム 2018
  • Invited
• [Presentation] The Importance of Phobos Sample Return for Understanding the Mars-moon system (2018)
  • Author(s): Tomohiro Usui
  • Organizer: Europlanet & International Space Science Institute Workshop "Role of Sample Return in Addressing Major Outstanding Questions in Planetary Sciences"
  • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
• [Presentation] 火星の水の歴史と分布 (2018)
  • Author(s): 臼井寛裕
  • Organizer: 第19回惑星圏研究会
• [Presentation] Japanese Exploration of the Mars-Moon System (2018)
  • Author(s): Tomohiro Usui
  • Organizer: Circumplanetary Disks and Satellite Formation
  • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
• [Presentation] Hydrogen Isotopic Constraints on the Evolution of Surface and Subsurface Water on Mars (2017)
  • Author(s): Usui, T., Kurokawa, H., Alexander C. M.O'D., Wang J., Simon
  • Organizer: 48th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference
  • Place of Presentation: Woodlands, TX. USA
  • Year and Date: 2017-03-21
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Tracing the Origin and Evolution of Volatiles on Mars: Constraints from Elemental and Isotopic Compositions of Nitrogen and Noble Gases (2017)
  • Author(s): Kurokawa, H., Kurosawa, K., Usui, T.
  • Organizer: 48th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference
  • Place of Presentation: Woodlands, TX. USA
  • Year and Date: 2017-03-21
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Hydrogen reservoirs in Mars as revealed by SNC meteorites (2017)
  • Author(s): Tomohiro Usui
  • Organizer: 日本地球惑星科学連合2017年大会
• [Presentation] 着陸機による火星環境探査リサーチグループの成果報告 (2017)
  • Author(s): 臼井寛裕, 佐藤毅彦, 亀田真吾, 宮本英昭, 山岸明彦, 藤田和央, 石上玄也, 火星着陸 RG
  • Organizer: 第50回 月・惑星シンポジウムプログラム
• [Presentation] 揮発性物質探査の意義と無人・有人探査のメリット (2017)
  • Author(s): 臼井寛裕
  • Organizer: 第50回 月・惑星シンポジウムプログラム
  • Invited
• [Presentation] 火星―衛星圏への日本の将来探査計画 (2017)
  • Author(s): 臼井寛裕
  • Organizer: 日本地球化学会第64回年会
• [Presentation] 着陸機による火星環境探査計画の検討 (2017)
  • Author(s): 臼井寛裕, 佐藤毅彦, 亀田真吾, 宮本英昭, 山岸明彦, 藤田和央, 石上玄也, 火星着陸 RG
  • Organizer: 2017 日本惑星科学会 秋季講演会
• [Presentation] Future Japanese Exploration of the Mars-Moon System (2017)
  • Author(s): Tomohiro Usui
  • Organizer: ELSI/EON International Workshop on Life Detection Technology: For Mars, Enceladus and Beyond
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] The Evolution of Water in the Martian Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, and Cryosphere: Insights from Hydrogen Isotopes (2016)
  • Author(s): Usui, T., Kurokawa, H., Alexander C. M.O'D., Wang J., Simon
  • Organizer: AGU Fall Meeting
  • Place of Presentation: San Francisco, CA. USA
  • Year and Date: 2016-12-19
  • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
• [Book] Volatiles in the Martian Crust (2018)
  • Author(s): Tomohiro Usui
  • Total Pages: 432
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISBN: 9780128041918
• [Remarks] Usui Research Group
  • URL: https://planetb.sci.isas.jaxa.jp/aqua/
• [Remarks] Usui Research Group
  • URL: https://planetb.sci.isas.jaxa.jp/aqua/index.html
• [Remarks] Mars Science Team of Tokyo Tech
  • URL: https://sites.google.com/site/marssciencet3/