Abstract
Jezero Crater, Mars, preserves a rich record of ancient lacustrine and deltaic environments, making it a premier target for exploring past habitability and seeking potential biosignatures. This study presents high-resolution mineralogical mapping of aqueous alteration pathways within Jezero Crater by integrating orbital hyperspectral data from the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) with ground-truth in situ observations from the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover. We processed CRISM targeted observations using advanced atmospheric correction and spectral denoising techniques to map the spatial distribution of iron/magnesium (Fe/Mg)-smectites, Mg-rich carbonates, and hydrated silica across the delta front, margin unit, and crater floor. These orbital detections were validated against elemental and mineralogical data acquired by Perseverance’s SuperCam and PIXL instruments along its traverse. Our integrated analysis reveals a complex, multi-stage aqueous history: an early, widespread regional alteration phase characterized by Fe/Mg-smectite formation, followed by localized, high-activity lacustrine processes that precipitated marginal Mg-carbonates, and a late-stage diagenetic overprint marked by localized sulfate and silica veins. By correlating orbital spectral endmembers with rover-derived chemistry, we establish a robust framework for interpreting Martian aqueous environments, demonstrating that orbital hyperspectral datasets remain highly reliable for predicting planetary-scale mineralogical variations, while ground-truth data reveal critical micro-scale heterogeneity.
