Comments on: Ceres update: Epsom Salt https://habitablezone.com/2015/12/09/ceres-update-epsom-salt/ Tue, 14 Apr 2026 01:30:43 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: TB https://habitablezone.com/2015/12/09/ceres-update-epsom-salt/#comment-34531 TB Thu, 10 Dec 2015 20:13:06 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=53510#comment-34531 <p>They're talking about hexahydrite.</p> Can't get into the actual paper without spending money, but other articles have mentioned it. This is a pretty hydrated magnesium sulfate. If I understand it right, the "hexa" means it "locks" six water molecules per salt molecule. That sounds odd to me. These salts (various) are found on Mars. I found articles that said hexahydrite wouldn't be stable on the surface of Mars, and this is in areas that were supposed to have once had an ocean. How is hexahydrite on an asteroid? How recent is that crater on Ceres? Has anyone mentioned that? Science getting too deep again. Now heading back for shallow end of pool. Sounds like Ceres might have a lot of ice under there somewhere. Or maybe even liquid? They’re talking about hexahydrite.

Can’t get into the actual paper without spending money, but other articles have mentioned it.

This is a pretty hydrated magnesium sulfate. If I understand it right, the “hexa” means it “locks” six water molecules per salt molecule. That sounds odd to me. These salts (various) are found on Mars. I found articles that said hexahydrite wouldn’t be stable on the surface of Mars, and this is in areas that were supposed to have once had an ocean. How is hexahydrite on an asteroid?

How recent is that crater on Ceres? Has anyone mentioned that?

Science getting too deep again. Now heading back for shallow end of pool.

Sounds like Ceres might have a lot of ice under there somewhere. Or maybe even liquid?

]]> By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2015/12/09/ceres-update-epsom-salt/#comment-34530 ER Thu, 10 Dec 2015 20:11:07 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=53510#comment-34530 Basalt I can see, its primordial stuff, but superheated water? Evaporation of brines? On a little rock just a few hundred kilometers across? Every place we go there are more surprises. More complexity than there should be. Basalt I can see, its primordial stuff, but superheated water? Evaporation of brines? On a little rock just a few hundred kilometers across?

Every place we go there are more surprises. More complexity than there should be.

]]> By: podrock https://habitablezone.com/2015/12/09/ceres-update-epsom-salt/#comment-34529 podrock Thu, 10 Dec 2015 19:56:13 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=53510#comment-34529 By hydrothermal alteration of basalt. Can be found also in evaporite deposits from sea water (~2.25 parts per thousand.) By hydrothermal alteration of basalt. Can be found also in evaporite deposits from sea water (~2.25 parts per thousand.)

]]> By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2015/12/09/ceres-update-epsom-salt/#comment-34524 ER Thu, 10 Dec 2015 14:38:58 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=53510#comment-34524 And if so, how is it concentrated into large deposits by geochemical processes? And if so, how is it concentrated into large deposits by geochemical processes?

]]> By: TB https://habitablezone.com/2015/12/09/ceres-update-epsom-salt/#comment-34519 TB Thu, 10 Dec 2015 01:04:38 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=53510#comment-34519 Did you see that mountain? Did you see that mountain?

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