Table 2.
Major element composition of JSC Mars-1A, P-MRA, and S-MRA.
| Major element composition | JSC Mars-1A (wt%) | P-MRA (wt%) | S-MRA (wt%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silicon dioxide (SiO2) | 34.5–44 | 43.6 | 30.6–31.8 |
| Titanium dioxide (TiO2) | 3–4 | 0.36–0.45 | 0.05–0.98 |
| Aluminum oxide (Al2O3) | 18.5–23.5 | 11.2–11.9 | 5.6–9.2 |
| Ferric oxide (Fe2O3) | 9–12 | 19.6–20.3 | 14.9–19.9 |
| Iron oxide (FeO) | 2.5–3.5 | – | – |
| Magnesium oxide (MgO) | 2.5–3.5 | 4.48–4.52 | 10.3–10.9 |
| Calcium oxide (CaO) | 5–6 | 4.67–4.74 | 17.8–18.4 |
| Sodium oxide (Na2O) | 2–2.5 | 0.29–0.32 | 1.04–1.09 |
| Potassium oxide (K2O) | 0.5–0.6 | 1.04–1.07 | 0.13–0.86 |
| Manganese oxide (MnO) | 0.2–0.3 | 0.16–0.17 | 0.31–0.41 |
| Diphosphorus pentoxide (P2O5) | 0.7–0.9 | 0.55–0.56 | 0.05–0.42 |
| Sulfur trioxide (SO3) | – | <0.1–0.2 | 2.7–9.1 |
| Loss of ignition (LOI) | ND | 11.8–12.4 | 5.4–6.4 |
Determined through x-ray fluorescence measurements. Data for JSC Mars-1A obtained from Orbital Technologies Corporation, Madison, WI, USA; data for P- and S-MRA obtained from Dr. Jörg Fritz, Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, Germany. For chemical composition the normal convention for data presentation uses oxide formulae from assumed oxidation states for each element and oxygen is calculated by stoichiometry (e.g., silicon is analyzed as an element but presented as SiO2). These are representations of the chemistry and do not represent actual phases or minerals in each simulant. ND = not determined.