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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 307 records · Page 17

Mineralogy and Genesis of the Windjana Sandstone, Kimberley Area, Gale Crater, Mars

MSL Curiosity investigated the Windjana sandstone outcrop, in the Kimberley area of Gale Crater, and obtained mineralogical analyses with the CheMin XRD instrument. Windjana is remarkable in containing an abundance of potassium feldspar (and thus K in its bulk chemistry) combined with a low abundance of plagioclase (and low Na/K in its chemistry). The source of this enrichment in K is not clear, but has significant implications for the geology of Gale Crater and of Mars. The high K could be intrinsic to the sediment and imply that the sediment source area (Gale Crater rim) includes K-rich basalts and possibly more evolved rocks derived from alkaline magmas. Alternatively, the high K could be diagenetic and imply that the Gale Crater sediments were altered by K-rich aqueous fluids after deposition.

Treiman, A. H.↗

Catching Constrains on the Parent Body Genesis of Mesosiderites and a Possible Link to HED (Howardite-Eucrite-Diogenite) Meteorites - A New Hope?

Mesosiderites (MES) are a group of enigmatic stony-iron meteorites exhibiting fragmental matrix breccias and irregular textures; e.g. [1-3]. Mesosiderites contain roughly equal volumes metal (Fe-Ni) and silicates often intimately mixed together (Fig.1). The silicates mostly consist of basaltic, gabbroic, and pyroxenitic components, and appear similar to eucrites and howardites; [4-8]. But unlike HEDs - and other differentiated parent body meteorite groups e.g. ureilites - mesosiderites contain high metal abundances. Several studies have been published to reveal the processes leading to the formation of mesosiderites and attempt to classifiy them [1], [2], [10-15]. Because the silicate inclusions in mesosiderites are often strongly metamorphosed after formation, it is difficult to assess the origin of the silicates and implications for the differentiation process of their parent body [15-17]. Several workers have advanced a formation hypothesis for the mesosiderites where an impact between differentiated bodies occurred prior to 4.47 Ga ago (e.g. [13,18], which could explain the possible incomplete dispersal of the colliding bodies due to their low cosmic ray exposure ages and their special thermal history. However, [13] discuss and favor the model for formation of mesosiderites with the collision of two differentiated bodies, along with disruption events and gravitational re-assembly. The mesosiderites have numerous gabbroid melt clasts with anomalous rare-earth- element (REE) - especially positive Eu - values [19, 20]. HEDs do not show the same. However, the heating mechanisms of both mesosiderites and HED's are puzzling. Mesosiderites are remarkable, they consist of a mix of basalts, which are only found on or near planetary surfaces and undifferentiated metal [1,2]. The probable model is that an asteroid containing a metallic magma impacted onto a second asteroid covered with basalt [18,21]. The mix was then buried under an insulating regolith, and cooled slowly. During cooling and at low temperatures the redox reactions continued to occur and proceed (J.T. Wasson; in pers. comm. 2015).

Eucrite↗

The Far-Infrared Surveyor Mission Study: Paper I, the Genesis

This paper describes the beginning of the Far-Infrared Surveyor mission study for NASA's Astrophysics Decadal 2020. We describe the scope of the study, and the open process approach of the Science and Technology Definition Team. We are currently developing the science cases and provide some preliminary highlights here. We note key areas for technological innovation and improvements necessary to make a Far-Infrared Surveyor mission a reality.

JWST↗

Improvements to the Flight Analysis and Simulation Tool (FAST) and Initial Development of the Genesis Flight Mechanics Simulation for Ascent, Aerocapture, Entry, Descent, and Landing (A2EDL) Trajectory Design

The NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) was requested to provide significant enhancements to the Flight Analysis and Simulation Tool (FAST), a generic, variable-degree-of-freedom, multi-body ascent, aerocapture, entry, descent, and landing (A2EDL) flight simulation code and a key Agency analysis tool. This report details the upgrades to FAST that were completed, describes a change to the assessment’s scope that allowed its goals to be exceeded with a new and innovative approach, and discusses the results of the modified approach.

NASA Engineering and Safety Center; Flight Analysi↗

Relating Lightning Activity to the Convective Evolution of Pre-Genesis Tropical Disturbances

Lightning and environmental characteristics are analyzed for National Hurricane Center (NHC) invest disturbances. For 2019-2021, Atlantic NHC invest tracks are grouped into disturbances that eventually developed into tropical cyclones (TCs) and ones that did not. Data from the NASA/NOAA Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) is used to quantify potential differences in total optical energy, flash extent density, and flash area between the groups. To provide environmental context to the lightning results, vertical profiles from the NOAA Unique Combined Atmospheric Processing System (NUCAPS) dataset will be investigated. Specifically, the profiles will provide insight into the temperature and moisture structure of the invests. In addition to the composite analysis, interesting cases of tropical cyclogenesis will be examined in further detail. Overall, this work seeks to further our understanding of lightning properties and convective environments in tropical cyclogenesis.

Justin W Whitaker↗