Orbital Observations Suggest Decoupled Olivine and Carbonate Enrichments in Jezero Crater

It has been hypothesized that the olivine- and carbonate-bearing units within Jezero crater are part of the broader olivine-carbonate rock unit found in the Nili Fossae region. Further, it is commonly proposed that olivine and carbonate are closely associated with each other in Jezero crater based on visible/near-infrared spectral data. In this work, we investigate the olivine- and carbonate-rich units in Jezero crater using spectral, thermophysical, and morphological analyses to determine the relationship between olivine- and carbonate-rich units. Thermal infrared spectral data indicate largely weak to absent olivine signatures in the marginal carbonates. Our analyses suggest a decoupled relationship between olivine and carbonate in Jezero. The distinct appearances of olivine and carbonate in Jezero crater compared to the regional olivine-carbonate rocks in Nili Fossae may imply unique formation mechanisms for olivine and carbonate in Jezero or variable levels of olivine alteration across the broader region.