Recent breakthroughs in planetary science have captured the attention of researchers across US higher education institutions, with a team including experts from the University of Massachusetts Amherst identifying a potential new mineral on Mars. Known as ferric hydroxysulfate (Fe³⁺SO₄OH), this iron sulfate phase offers tantalizing clues about the Red Planet's dynamic past, including episodes of water, heat, and chemical activity that could have supported life. Led by Dr. Janice Bishop at the SETI Institute in collaboration with NASA Ames Research Center, the discovery highlights the pivotal role of American academics in unraveling Mars' geologic history.

The involvement of faculty from the University of Massachusetts Amherst underscores how US colleges and universities are at the forefront of NASA's Mars missions. Associate Professor Mario Parente and his team in electrical and computer engineering developed advanced atmospheric correction algorithms and deep learning tools to process hyperspectral data from the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. These innovations were crucial in isolating the unique spectral signature of ferric hydroxysulfate, first noted as an anomaly in 2010.

Parente's work exemplifies interdisciplinary collaboration in higher education, blending engineering, geology, and data science. Other contributors include Y. Itoh from UMass Amherst and Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, and A.M. Saranathan affiliated with UMass. Brown University and University of California San Diego also lent expertise through co-authors T. Hiroi and M.R.D. Gruendler. This team effort demonstrates how planetary science thrives in US academic environments, fostering grants, student training, and cutting-edge facilities.

CRISM, developed by Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab—a hub for university partnerships—captures visible to near-infrared light reflected from Mars' surface. The mysterious 2.236 micrometer absorption band in data from Aram Chaos and Juventae Chasma didn't match known minerals like jarosite or gypsum. UMass algorithms removed distortions from Martian CO₂ atmosphere, revealing the true composition.

This process involves:

• Calibrating raw spectra for sensor noise and illumination variations.
• Applying deep learning for mineral mapping across vast datasets.
• Comparing orbital signatures to laboratory standards.

Such techniques are taught in US planetary science programs, preparing students for roles at NASA and beyond.

To confirm the mineral, researchers synthesized it by heating ferrous sulfates like rozenite (FeSO₄·4H₂O) and szomolnokite (FeSO₄·H₂O) above 100°C in oxygen-rich environments. The reaction—4 Fe²⁺SO₄·H₂O + O₂ → 4 Fe³⁺SO₄OH + 2H₂O—produces hydroxide groups, altering infrared absorption uniquely. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Rietveld refinement verified the structure, distinct from Earth analogs.

Dr. Bishop noted, “The material formed in these lab experiments is likely a new mineral due to its unique crystal structure and thermal stability.” These experiments, conducted at NASA Ames with university collaborators, bridge remote sensing and geochemistry.

Photo by Cloris Ying on Unsplash

Ferric hydroxysulfate appears in thin layers (~1m thick) within chaotic terrains northeast of Valles Marineris. At Aram Chaos, it underlies monohydrated sulfates, suggesting geothermal heating post-flooding. Juventae Plateau shows it overlying polyhydrated sulfates with basaltic intrusions, hinting at volcanic alteration. High-resolution images from HiRISE (University of Arizona) reveal fractured, layered morphologies indicative of water evaporation followed by heat.

This mineral evidences prolonged water-rock interactions in acidic pools, followed by heating >100°C—conditions rarer than cold evaporation forming gypsum. Potentially Amazonian age (<3 Ga), it suggests recent activity, challenging views of a dormant Mars. For more, see the full Nature Communications publication.

Dr. Catherine Weitz from Planetary Science Institute added, “Investigation of the morphologies and stratigraphies... allowed us to determine the age and formation relationships.”

Sulfates preserve organic molecules; ferric hydroxysulfate's formation in oxidized, heated settings mirrors Earth hydrothermal vents—prime life habitats. It hints at niches where microbes could thrive amid drying lakes and volcanism. US universities like UMass train astrobiologists for Mars Sample Return, analyzing Jezero Crater samples via Perseverance.

Recent rover finds—pure sulfur by Curiosity, vivianite by Perseverance—complement this, painting a habitable ancient Mars.

In 2026 press, SETI reiterated the finding's novelty. Complementing, Perseverance's Cheyava Falls rock shows potential biosignatures. US higher ed supports these via NASA grants; e.g., UMass's spectral tools enhance rover planning. Read SETI's update here.

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

Mars Sample Return (NASA-ESA) will return Jezero rocks; US universities prepare labs like UMass's hyperspectral facilities. ESCAPADE mission studies magnetosphere. Faculty mentor students for JPL, APL roles.

UMass article details Parente's contributions here.

US universities offer robust paths:

• PhD programs at UMass, Brown, UCSD in planetary science.
• Postdocs at NASA centers via NPP.
• Faculty positions analyzing rover data.

Growing demand for spectroscopists, modelers amid Artemis, Mars goals. Programs emphasize fieldwork, coding, geochemistry.