Remanent crustal strain on Mars in non-poikilitic olivine of NWA 7721
Abstract
We present a multiscale, non-destructive analysis of non-poikilitic olivine in the shergottite NWA 7721 using dark-field X-ray microscopy, electron backscatter diffraction, and 2D micro-X-ray diffraction. We report striking bimodal microstructures within a single olivine crystal: fine Type 1 subgrains (around 5 μm), weakly oriented, and nearly strain-free; coarser Type 2 subgrains (>15 μm), aligned, and strongly strained. Layered DFXM data reveal slip-band features in Type 2 that are absent in Type 1. This bimodal microstructure, not observed in other Martian meteorites, including the paired NWA 1950 and ALH A77005, points to a heterogeneous response to impact at the crystallographic scale. We interpret Type 1 as shock-assisted recrystallites and Type 2 as relic partitioned from a highly deformed parental grain with a pre-existing fabric. The subsequent shock wave imposed a rapid load-release cycle that generated heterogeneous deformation within the crystal. Highly strained regions underwent recrystallization to form Type 1 subgrains, whereas less-strained domains retained deformation structures as Type 2. Grain-growth constraints limit the post-shock heating to ≈2.3 s, consistent with rapid quenching. Together, these observations illustrate a dynamic Martian crustal activity in the Late Amazonian and demonstrate DFXM, combined with EBSD and micro-XRD, as a promising tool for resolving complex fabrics in 3D.
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BibTeX
@article{li2026remanent,
title = {{Remanent crustal strain on Mars in non-poikilitic olivine of NWA 7721}},
author = {Yaozhu Li and Szilvia Kalácska and Phil J. A. Mccausland and Roberta L. Flemming and Callum J. Hetherington and Bo Zhao and Can Yıldırım and Carsten Detlefs},
journal = {npj Space Exploration},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1038/s44453-026-00048-7},
eprint = {2511.08316},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://hal-emse.ccsd.cnrs.fr/emse-05767027v1},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Remanent crustal strain on Mars in non-poikilitic olivine of NWA 7721
AU - Yaozhu Li
AU - Szilvia Kalácska
AU - Phil J. A. Mccausland
AU - Roberta L. Flemming
AU - Callum J. Hetherington
AU - Bo Zhao
AU - Can Yıldırım
AU - Carsten Detlefs
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/03
JO - npj Space Exploration
DO - 10.1038/s44453-026-00048-7
UR - https://hal-emse.ccsd.cnrs.fr/emse-05767027v1
AB - We present a multiscale, non-destructive analysis of non-poikilitic olivine in the shergottite NWA 7721 using dark-field X-ray microscopy, electron backscatter diffraction, and 2D micro-X-ray diffraction. We report striking bimodal microstructures within a single olivine crystal: fine Type 1 subgrains (around 5 μm), weakly oriented, and nearly strain-free; coarser Type 2 subgrains (>15 μm), aligned, and strongly strained. Layered DFXM data reveal slip-band features in Type 2 that are absent in Type 1. This bimodal microstructure, not observed in other Martian meteorites, including the paired NWA 1950 and ALH A77005, points to a heterogeneous response to impact at the crystallographic scale. We interpret Type 1 as shock-assisted recrystallites and Type 2 as relic partitioned from a highly deformed parental grain with a pre-existing fabric. The subsequent shock wave imposed a rapid load-release cycle that generated heterogeneous deformation within the crystal. Highly strained regions underwent recrystallization to form Type 1 subgrains, whereas less-strained domains retained deformation structures as Type 2. Grain-growth constraints limit the post-shock heating to ≈2.3 s, consistent with rapid quenching. Together, these observations illustrate a dynamic Martian crustal activity in the Late Amazonian and demonstrate DFXM, combined with EBSD and micro-XRD, as a promising tool for resolving complex fabrics in 3D.
SN - 3059-3700
ER -