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Sutton, S.

Publications and source records attributed to Sutton, S..

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2018

Field Exploration and Life Detection Sampling for Planetary Analogue Research (FELDSPAR): Variability and Correlation in Biomarker and Mineralogy Measurements from Icelandic Mars Analogues

In situ exploration of planetary environments allows biochemical analysis of sub-centimeter-scale samples; however, landing sites are selected a priori based on measurable meter- to kilometer-scale geological features. Optimizing life detection mission science return requires both understanding the expected biomarker distributions across sample sites at different scales and efficiently using first-stage in situ geochemical instruments to justify later-stage biological or chemical analysis. Icelandic volcanic regions have an extensive history as Mars analogue sites due to desiccation, low nutrient availability, and temperature extremes, in addition to the advantages of geological youth and isolation from anthropogenic contamination. Many Icelandic analogue sites are also rugged and remote enough to create the same type of instrumentation and sampling constraints typically faced by robotic exploration.

Planetary↗
NASA NTRS2017

Obtaining and Using Planetary Spatial Data into the Future: The Role of the Mapping and Planetary Spatial Infrastructure Team (MAPSIT)

Planetary spatial data, which include any remote sensing data or derived products with sufficient positional information such that they can be projected onto a planetary body, continue to rapidly increase in volume and complexity. These data are the hard-earned fruits of decades of planetary exploration, and are the end result of mission planning and execution. Maintaining these data using accessible formats and standards for all scientists has been necessary for the success of past, present, and future planetary missions. The Mapping and Planetary Spatial Infrastructure Team (MAPSIT) is a group of planetary community members tasked by NASA Headquarters to work with the planetary science community to identify and prioritize their planetary spatial data needs to help determine the best pathways for new data acquisition, usable product derivation, and tools/capability development that supports NASA's planetary science missions.

Radebaugh, J.↗
NASA NTRS2015

V Xanes in Spinels as an Oxy-Barometer in Meteorites with Implications for Redox Variations in the Inner Solar System

The variation of oxygen fugacity within inner solar system materials spans a range of nearly 15 orders of magnitude. Igneous and metamorphic rocks commonly contain a mineral assemblage that allows oxygen fugacity to be calculated or con-strained such as FeTi oxides, olivine-opx-spinel, or some other oxy-barometer. Some rocks, however, contain a limited mineral assemblage and do not provide constraints on fO2 using mineral equilibria. Good examples of the latter are orthopyroxenites or dunites, such as diogenites, ALH 84001, chassignites, or brachinites. In fact it is no surprise that the fO2 of many of these achondrites is not well known, other than being "reduced" and below the metal saturation value. In order to bridge this gap in our understanding, we have initiated a study of V in chromites in achondrite. Because the V pre-edge peak intensity and energy in chromites varies with fO2, and this has been calibrated over a large fO2 range, we can apply this relation to rocks for which we otherwise have no fO2 constraints.

Righter, K.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Gusev-Meridiani-Type Soil Component Dissolved in Some Shock Glasses in Shergottites

Modal analysis, based on APXS, MiniTES and Mossbauer results obtained at Gusev and Meridiani sites on Mars, indicates that Martian soils consist predominantly of igneous minerals such as olivine, pyroxene and feldspar (approximately70 - 80%), with the balance consisting of alteration minerals such as sulfates, silica and chlorides]. These studies also showed that soil alteration did not occur in-situ and igneous and alteration components are derived from different sources. Below, we analyse the chemical abundance data obtained from shock glasses in shergottites using mass balance mixing models. In these models, the two main end members used are (a) host rock chemical composition and (b) the GM soils average composition as the second component. Here, we consider the S-bearing phases as indicators of added alteration phases in the shock glasses and GM soils. Although the S-bearing phase in shock glasses occurs as micron sized sulfide blebs, we showed in earlier abstracts that sulfur was originally present as sulfate in impact glass-precursor materials and was subsequently reduced to sulfide during shock melting. This conclusion is based on results obtained from S-K XANES studies, Fe/S atomic ratios in sulfide blebs and 34S/32S isotopic measurements in these sulfide blebs. Additionally, sulfur in several EET79001 Lith. A glasses is found to correlate positively with Al2O3 and CaO (and negatively with FeO and MgO), suggesting the presence of Al- and Ca- sul-fate-bearing phases. The distribution of the 87Sr/86Sr iso-topic ratios determined in Lith. A glasses (,27 &,188 and,54) indicate that Martian soil gypsum and host rock material were mixed with each other in the glass precursors. In some vugs in Lith A glass,27 detected gypsum laths. Furthermore, the Martian regolith-de-rived component (where sulfur typically occurs as sul-fate) is identified in these glasses by determining neutron produced isotopic excesses/deficits in 80Kr and 149Sm isotopes. Moreover, the suggestion that the large amount of sulfur found in,507 was sourced from pyrrhotite in the host rock, would require that excessive quantities of host rock would need to be stripped of sulfur to make this sulfide-rich glass. These results provide ample evidence that S occurred as sulfate and was added to glass precursor materials prior to impact shock.

Ross, D. K.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Comparison of Nickel XANES Spectra and Elemental Maps from a Ureilite, a LL3.8 Ordinary Chondrite, Two Carbonaceous Chondrites and Two Large Cluster IDPs

Nickel in the extraterrestrial world is commonly found in both Fe-Ni sulfide and Fe-Ni met-al forms [1] and in the pure metal state in the interior of iron meteorites where it is not easily oxidized. Ni is also found in olivine, pyroxene and glasses and in some melts the partitioning of Ni between the olivines and glass is controlled by the amount of S in the melt [2]. Its most common valence state is Ni(2+) but Ni also occurs as Ni(0), Ni(+), and Ni(3+) and rarely as Ni(2-), Ni(1-) and Ni(4+) [3]. It's valence state in olivines is Ni(2+) in octa-hedral coordination on the M1 site and rarely on the M2 site.[4]. The chemical sensitivity of X-ray absorp-tion near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy is well established and can be used to determine not only va-lence states but also coordination sites [5]. We report here Ni XANES spectroscopy and elemental maps collected from 2 carbonaceous chondrites, 2 large clus-ter IDPs, 1 ureilite and 1 LL3 orginary chondrite.Using XANES it may be possible to find a common trait in the large cluster IDPs that will also be found in mete-orite samples.

Wirick, S.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Compositions of Magmatic and Impact Melt Sulfides in Tissint And EETA79001: Precursors of Immiscible Sulfide Melt Blebs in Shergottite Impact Melts

Immiscible sulfide melt spherules are locally very abundant in shergottite impact melts. These melts can also contain samples of Martian atmospheric gases [1], and cosmogenic nuclides [2] that are present in impact melt, but not in the host shergottite, indicating some components in the melt resided at the Martian surface. These observations show that some regolith components are, at least locally, present in the impact melts. This view also suggests that one source of the over-abundant sulfur in these impact melts could be sulfates that are major constituents of Martian regolith, and that the sulfates were reduced during shock heating to sulfide. An alternative view is that sulfide spherules in impact melts are produced solely by melting the crystalline sulfide minerals (dominantly pyrrhotite, Fe(1-x)S) that are present in shergottites [3]. In this abstract we report new analyses of the compositions of sulfide immiscible melt spherules and pyrrhotite in the shergottites Tissint, and EETA79001,507, and we use these data to investigate the possible origins of the immiscible sulfide melt spherules. In particular, we use the metal/S ratios determined in these blebs as potential diagnostic criteria for tracking the source material from which the numerous sulfide blebs were generated by shock in these melts.

Ross, D. K.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Chemical Heterogeneity of a Large Cluster IDP: Clues to its Formation History Using X-ray Fluorescence Mapping and XANES Spectroscopy

Chondritic porous IDPs may be among the most primitive objects found in our solar system [1]. They consist of many micron to submicron minerals, glasses and carbonaceous matter [2,3,4,5,6,7] with > 10(exp 4) grains in a 10 micron cluster [8]. Speculation on the environment where these fine grained, porous IDPs formed varies with possible sources being presolar dusty plasma clouds, protostellar condensation, solar asteroids or comets [4,6,9]. Also, fine grained dust forms in our solar system today [10,11]. Isotopic anomalies in some particles in IDPs suggest an interstellar source[4,7,12]. IDPs contain relic particles left from the dusty plasma that existed before the protostellar disk formed and other grains in the IDPs formed later after the cold dense nebula cloud collapsed to form our protostar and other grains formed more recently. Fe and CR XANES spectroscopy is used here to investigate the oxygen environment in a large (>50 10 micron or larger sub-units) IDP. Conclusions: Analyzing large (>50 10 micron or larger sub-units) CP IDPs gives one a view on the environments where these fine dust grains formed which is different from that found by only analyzing the small, 10 micron IDPs. As with cluster IDP L2008#5 [3], L2009R2 cluster #13 appears to be an aggregate of grains that sample a diversity of solar and perhaps presolar environments. Sub-micron, grain by grain measurement of trace element contents and elemental oxidation states determined by XANES spectroscopy offers the possibility of understanding the environments in which these grains formed when compared to standard spectra. By comparing thermodynamic modeling of condensates with analytical data an understanding of transport mechanisms operating in the early solar system may be attained.

Wirick, S.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Shock Experiments on Basalt - Ferric Sulfate Mixes at 21 GPa & 49 GPa and their Relevance to Martian Meteorite Impact Glasses

Large abundance of Martian atmospheric gases and neutron-induced isotopic excesses as well as Rb-Sr isotopic variations determined in some impact glasses in basaltic shergottites (e.g., Shergotty #DBS, Zagami #H1 and EET79001 #27, #8 and #104) provide definitive evidence for the occurrence of a Martian regolith component in their constituent mineral assemblages. Some of these glass-es, known as gas-rich impact-melts (GRIM), contain numerous micron-sized iron sulfide blebs along with minor amounts of iron sulfate particulates. As these GRIM glasses contain a Martian regolith component and as iron sulfates (but not sulfides) are found to occur abundantly on the Mars surface, we suggested that the sulfide blebs in GRIMs were likely generated by shock-reduction of the parental iron sulfate bearing regolith material that had been incorporated into the cavities/crevices of basaltic host rock prior to the impact event on Mars. To test whether the sulfates could be reduced to sulfides by impact shock, we carried out laboratory shock experiments on a basalt plus ferric sulfate mixture at 49 GPa at the Caltech Shock Wave Laboratory and at 21 GPa at Johnson Space Center (JSC) Experimental Impact Laboratory. The experimental details and the preliminary results for the Caltech 49 GPa experiment were presented at LPSC last year. Here, we report the results for the 21 GPa experiment at JSC and compare these results to obtain further insight into the mechanism of the bleb formation in the GRIM glasses.

Rao, M. N.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Laboratory Shock Experiments on Basalt - Iron Sulfate Mixes at Approximately 40-50 GPa and Their Relevance to the Martian Regolith Component Present in Shergottites

Basaltic shergottites such as Shergotty, Zagami and EET79001 contain impact melt glass pockets that are rich in Martian atmospheric gases [1] and are known as gas-rich impact-melt (GRIM) glasses. These glasses show evidence for the presence of a Martian regolith component based on Sm and Kr isotopic studies [2]. The GRIM glasses are sometimes embedded with clusters of innumerable micron-sized iron-sulfide blebs associated with minor amounts of iron sulfate particles [3, 4]. These sulfide blebs are secondary in origin and are not related to the primary igneous sulfides occurring in Martian meteorites. The material comprising these glasses arises from the highly oxidizing Martian surface and sulfur is unlikely to occur as sulfide in the Martian regoilith. Instead, sulfur is shown to occur as sulfate based on APXS and Mossbauer results obtained by the Opportunity and Spirit rovers at Meridiani and Gusev [5]. We have earlier suggested that the micron-sized iron sulfide globules in GRIM glasses were likely produced by shock-reduction of iron sulfate occurring in the regolith at the time when the GRIM glasses were produced by the meteoroid impact that launched the Martian meteorites into space [6]. As a result of high energy deposition by shock (approx. 40-60 GPa), the iron sulfate bearing phases are likely to melt along with other regolith components and will get reduced to immiscible sulfide fluid under reducing conditions. On quenching, this generates a dispersion of micron-scale sulfide blebs. The reducing agents in our case are likely to be H2 and CO which were shock-implanted from the Martian atmosphere into these glasses along with the noble gases. We conducted lab simulation experiments in the Lindhurst Laboratory of Experimental Geophysics at Caltech and the Experimental Impact Laboratory at JSC to test whether iron sulfide globules can be produced by impact-driven reduction of iron sulfate by subjecting Columbia River Basalt (CRB) and ferric sulfate mixtures to shock pressures between 40 and 50 GPa under reducing conditions. The experimental products from the recovered samples were analyzed by SEM and microprobe techniques at JSC.

Rao, M. N.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Unusual Iron Redox Systematics of Martian Magmas

Martian magmas are known to be FeO-rich and the dominant FeO-bearing mineral at many sites visited by the Mars Exploration rovers (MER) is magnetite. Morris et al. proposed that the magnetite appears to be igneous in origin, rather than of secondary origin. However, magnetite is not typically found in experimental studies of martian magmatic rocks. Magnetite stability in terrestrial magmas is well understood, as are the stabilities of FeO and Fe2O3 in terrestrial magmas. In order to better understand the variation of FeO and Fe2O3, and the stability of magnetite (and other FeO-bearing phases) in martian magmas, we have undertaken an experimental study with two emphases. First, we determine the FeO and Fe2O3 contents of super- and sub-liquidus glasses from a shergottite bulk composition at 1 bar to 4 GPa, and variable fO2. Second, we document the stability of magnetite with temperature and fO2 in a shergottite bulk composition.

Danielson, L.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Iron Redox Systematics of Martian Magmas

Martian magmas are known to be FeO-rich and the dominant FeO-bearing mineral at many sites visited by the Mars Exploration rovers (MER) is magnetite [1]. Morris et al. [1] propose that the magnetite appears to be igneous in origin, rather than of secondary origin. However, magnetite is not typically found in experimental studies of martian magmatic rocks [2,3]. Magnetite stability in terrestrial magmas is well understood, as are the stability of FeO and Fe2O3 in terrestrial magmas [4,5]. In order to better understand the variation of FeO and Fe2O3, and the stability of magnetite (and other FeO-bearing phases) in martian magmas we have undertaken an experimental study with two emphases. First we document the stability of magnetite with temperature and fO2 in a shergottite bulk composition. Second, we determine the FeO and Fe2O3 contents of the same shergottite bulk composition at 1 bar and variable fO2 at 1250 C, and at variable pressure. These two goals will help define not only magnetite stability, but pyroxene-melt equilibria that are also dependent upon fO2.

Righter, K.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Molybdenum Valence in Basaltic Silicate Melts: Effects of Temperature and Pressure

The metal-silicate partitioning behavior of molybdenum has been used as a test for equilibrium core formation hypotheses [for example, 1-6]. However, current models that apply experimental data to equilibrium core-mantle differentiation infer the oxidation state of molybdenum from solubility data or from multivariable coefficients from metal-silicate partitioning data [1,3,7]. Molybdenum, a multi-valent element with a valence transition near the fO2 of interest for core formation (approx.IW-2) will be sensitive to changes in fO2 of the system and silicate melt structure. In a silicate melt, Mo can occur in either 4+ or 6+ valence state, and Mo(6+) can be either octahedrally or tetrahedrally coordinated. Here we present X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) measurements of Mo valence in basaltic run products at a range of P, T, and fO2 and further quantify the valence transition of Mo.

Danielson, L. R.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Molybdenum Valence in Basaltic Silicate Melts

The moderately siderophile element molybdenum has been used as an indicator in planetary differentiation processes, and is particularly relevant to core formation [for example, 1-6]. However, models that apply experimental data to an equilibrium differentiation scenario infer the oxidation state of molybdenum from solubility data or from multivariable coefficients from metal-silicate partitioning data [1,3,7]. Partitioning behavior of molybdenum, a multivalent element with a transition near the J02 of interest for core formation (~IW-2) will be sensitive to changes in JO2 of the system and silicate melt structure. In a silicate melt, Mo can occur in either 4+ or 6+ valence state, and Mo6+ can be either octahedrally or tetrahedrally coordinated. Here we present first XANES measurements of Mo valence in basaltic run products at a range of P, T, and JO2 and further quantify the valence transition of Mo.

Danielson, L. R.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Isotopic Evidence for a Martian Regolith Component in Martian Meteorites

Noble gas measurements in gas-rich impact-melt (GRIM) glasses in EET79001 shergottite showed that their elemental and isotopic composition is similar to that of the Martian atmosphere [1-3]. The GRIM glasses contain large amounts of Martian atmospheric gases. Those measurements further suggested that the Kr isotopic composition of Martian atmosphere is approximately similar to that of solar Kr. The (80)Kr(sub n) - (80)Kr(sub M) mixing ratio in the Martian atmosphere reported here is approximately 3%. These neutron-capture reactions presumably occurred in the glass-precursor regolith materials containing Sm- and Br- bearing mineral phases near the EET79001/ Shergotty sites on Mars. The irradiated materials were mobilized into host rock voids either during shock-melting or possibly by earlier aeolian / fluvial activity.

Rao, M. N.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Using Vanadium in Spinel as a Sensor of Oxygen Fugacity in Meteorites: Applications to Mars, Vesta, and Other Asteroids

Igneous and metamorphic rocks commonly contain a mineral assemblage that allows oxygen fugacity to be calculated or constrained such as FeTi oxides, olivine-opx-spinel, or some other oxybarometer [1]. Some rocks, however, contain a limited mineral assemblage and do not provide constraints on fO2 using mineral equilibria. Good examples of the latter are orthopyroxenites or dunites, such as diogenites, ALH 84001, chassignites, or brachinites. In fact it is no surprise that the fO2 of many of these samples is not well known, other than being "reduced" and below the metal saturation value. In order to bridge this gap in our understanding, we have initiated a study of V in chromites in natural meteorite samples. Because the V pre-edge peak intensity and energy in chromites varies with fO2 (Fig. 1) [2], and this has been calibrated over a large fO 2 range, we can apply this relation to rocks for which we otherwise have no fO2 constraints.

Righter, K.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Sulfur Speciation in the Martian Regolith Component in Shergottite Glasses

We have shown that Gas-Rich Impact-Melt (GRIM) glasses in Shergotty, Zagami, and EET79001 (Lith A and Lith B) contain Martian regolith components that were molten during impact and quenched into glasses in voids of host rock materials based on neutron-capture isotopes, i.e., Sm-150 excesses and Sm-149 deficits in Sm, and Kr-80 excesses produced from Br [1, 2]. These GRIM glasses are rich in S-bearing secondary minerals [3.4]. Evidence for the occurrence of CaSO4 and S-rich aluminosilicates in these glasses is provided by CaO-SO3 and Al2O3-SO3 correlations, which are consistent with the finding of gypsum laths protruding from the molten glass in EET79001 (Lith A) [5]. However, in the case of GRIM glasses from EET79001 (Lith B), Shergotty and Zagami, we find a different set of secondary minerals that show a FeO-SO3 correlation (but no MgOSO3 correlation), instead of CaO-SO3 and Al2O3-SO3 correlations observed in Lith A. These results might indicate different fluidrock interactions near the shergottite source region on Mars. The speciation of sulfur in these salt assemblages was earlier studied by us using XANES techniques [6], where we found that Lith B predominantly contains Fe-sulfide globules (with some sulfate). On the other hand, Lith A showed predominantly Casulfite/ sulfate with some FeS. Furthermore, we found Fe to be present as Fe2+ indicating little oxidation, if any, in these glasses. To examine the sulfide-sulfate association in these glasses, we studied their Fe/Ni ratios with a view to find diagnostic clues for the source fluid. The Fe-sulfide mineral (Fe(0.93)Ni(0.3)S) in EET79001, Lith A is pyrrhotite [7, 8]. It yields an Fe/Ni ratio of 31. In Shergotty, pyrrhotite occurs with a molar ratio of Fe:S of 0.94 and a Ni abundance of 0.12% yielding a Fe/Ni ratio of approx.500 [8]. In this study, we determined a NiO content of approx.0.1% and FeO/NiO ratio of approx.420 in S-rich globules in #507 (EET79001, Lith B) sample using FE-SEM. In the same sample (bulk), using EMPA, we determined a FeO/NiO ratio of approx.700 (raster mode). Using similar techniques, we determined a NiO content of approx.0.015% and a FeO/NiO ratio of approx.800 in #506 (EET79001, Lith A). Moreover, a NiO content of approx.150 ppm and 6.1% FeO were found in Lith A GRIM glasses using neutron activation analysis [9] yielding a FeO/NiO ratio of approx.420. The FeO/NiO ratios in secondary mineral phases in S-rich pockets of EET79001 (Lith A/B) and Shergotty are high (approx.400) compared to the FeO/NiO ratio of 31 in Lith A pyrrhotite. These results suggest similar kind of fluids interacted with different rock materials to yield the observed variations in GRIM glasses in EET79001 Lith A and B.

Rao, M. N.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Experimental Constraints on the Partitioning and Valence of V and Cr in Garnet and Coexisting Glass

A series of experiments with garnet and coexisting melt have been carried out across a range of oxygen fugacities (near hematite-magnetite (HM) to below the iron-wustite (IW) buffers) at 1.7 GPa to study the partitioning and valence of Cr and V in both phases. Experiments were carried out in a non end loaded piston cylinder apparatus, and the run products were analyzed with electron microprobe and xray absorption near edge structure (XANES) analysis at beamline 13-ID at the Advanced Photon Source of Argonne National Lab. The valence of vanadium and chromium were determined using the position and intensity of the Ka pre-edge peaks, calibrated on a series of Cr and Vbearing standard glasses. This technique has been applied to V and Cr in glasses and V in spinels previously, and in these isotropic phases there are no orientational effects on the XANES spectra (Righter et al., 2006, Amer. Mineral. 91, 1643-1656). We also now demonstrate this to be true for V and Cr in garnet. Also, previous work has shown that V has a higher valence in the glass (or melt) than in the coexisting spinel. This is also true for V in garnet-glass pairs in this study. Vanadium valence in garnets varies from 2.7 below the IW buffer to 3.7 near HM, and for coexisting glass it varies from 3.2 to 4.3. Vanadium valence measured in some natural garnets from mantle localities indicates V in the more reduced range at 2.5. Comparisons will be made between fO2 estimated from V valence and other methods for garnet-bearing mantle samples. In contrast, Cr valence measured in garnet and coexisting glass for all experimental and natural samples is 2.9- 3.0, suggesting that the valence of Cr does not vary within either phase across a large fO2 range. These results demonstrate that while V varies from 2+ to 3+ to 4+ in garnet-melt systems, Cr does not, and this will ultimately affect the partitioning behavior of these two elements in natural systems. Garnet/melt D(Cr) are between 12 and 17 across this range of fO2, whereas D(V) has the highest partition coefficient approx.3, near the IW buffer where the valence of V is almost entirely 3+.

Righter, K.↗