This manuscript presents petrological modeling that attempts to explain this lithological diversity by magma fractionation. Using the thermodynamical software MELTS, we model fractional crystallization of different martian starting compositions that might generate felsic igneous compositions like those analyzed at Gale crater using different variables, such as pressure, oxygen fugacities, and water content. We found that the Gale crater felsic compositions are more similar to fractionated magmas produced in Earth’s intraplate volcanoes than to terrestrial felsic continental crust as represented by tonalite‐trondhjemite‐granodiorite (TTG) suites.

See link: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/2018JE005602