Which mineral is noted spectrally as a less weathered or intermediate product compared to hematite?
Answer
Ferrihydrite
The study of Martian mineralogy reveals that iron oxidation is a continuous spectrum of chemical states rather than a single event. While hematite represents the stable, fully oxidized endpoint, spectral analysis has identified other compounds present on the surface. Ferrihydrite is specifically noted as being a less weathered or intermediate product within the sequence of iron corrosion. The coexistence of ferrihydrite alongside dominant hematite suggests that the environmental conditions across Mars are not entirely uniform or static, or that different regions have experienced varying intensities and durations of weathering processes.
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