Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “return sample”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

High-resolution analysis of clay minerals and amorphous materials in martian analog environments

Mudrocks and mud-sized sediments (i.e., silt to clay) dominate the surface of Earth and Mars. These fine-grained sediments preserve a rich history of sedimentary processes from source to sink and shed light on ancient climates. However, both the physical and chemical nature of these materials make them difficult to fully characterize with traditional laboratory techniques. Here, we explore a cross-disciplinary and high-resolution approach using synchrotron radiation for X-ray diffraction, pair distribution function analysis, and submicrometer-scale X-ray fluorescence, combined with transmission electron microscopy, to better understand the nanostructure and composition of mud-sized sediments from a glacio-fluvial watershed in southwest Iceland. Our results demonstrate that sediments in the cold and wet climate of Iceland are more altered than previously thought, as evidenced by the identification of kaolinite and mixed-layer kaolinite-smectite. Additionally, sediments are enriched in amorphous materials and nanocrystalline phases, as determined from grain morphologies and compositions consistent with allophane, hisingerite, ferrihydrite, and halloysite. These alteration products are present as intimate mixtures that vary across depositional sites, demonstrating the dynamic nature of the secondary assemblage from source to sink. This work has implications for Mars, where, for example, basalt-sourced sedimentary rocks from Gale crater are abundant in clay minerals and amorphous materials. Finally, this work underpins the importance of using high-resolution techniques, a coordinated methodology, and developing innovative approaches for future planetary sample return missions (e.g., Mars sample return).

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

The Solar System calcium isotopic composition inferred from Ryugu samples

The Hayabusa2 spacecraft has returned samples from the Cb-type asteroid (162173) Ryugu to Earth. Previous petrological and chemical analyses support a close link between Ryugu and CI chondrites that are presumed to be chemically the most primitive meteorites with a solar-like composition. However, Ryugu samples are highly enriched in Ca compared to typical CI chondrites. To identify the cause of this discrepancy, here we report stable Ca isotopic data (expressed as δ 44/40 Ca SRM915a ) for returned Ryugu samples collected from two sites. We found that samples from both sites have similar δ 44/40 Ca SRM915a (0.58 ± 0.03 ‰ and 0.55 ± 0.08 ‰, 2 s.d.) that fall within the range defined by CIs. This isotopic similarity suggests that the Ca budget of CIs and Ryugu samples is dominated by carbonates, and the variably higher Ca contents in Ryugu samples are due to the abundant carbonates. Precipitation of carbonates on Ryugu likely coincided with a major episode of aqueous activity dated to have occurred ~5 Myr after Solar System formation. Based on the pristine Ryugu samples, the average δ 44/40 Ca SRM915a of the Solar System is defined to be 0.57 ± 0.04 ‰ (2 s.d.).

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Nano-FTIR Investigation of the CM Chondrite Allan Hills 83100

Mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy has been used with great success to quantitatively determine the mineralogy of geologic samples. It has been employed in a variety of contexts from determining bulk composition of powdered samples to spectroscopic imaging of rock thin sections via micro-Fourier transform infrared (micro-FTIR) imaging spectroscopy. Recent advances allow for IR measurements at the nanoscale. Near field nanoscale infrared imaging and spectroscopy with a broadband source (nano-FTIR) enable understanding of the spatial relationships between compositionally distinct materials within a sample. This will be of particular use when analyzing returned samples from Bennu and Ryugu, which are thought to be compositionally like CI or CM1/2 carbonaceous chondrites. Returned samples will likely contain olivine/pyroxene chondrules that have been transformed into hydrous phyllosilicates, sulfides, carbonates, and other alteration phases. The use of near-field infrared techniques to probe the boundaries between once pristine chondrules and alteration phases at the nanoscale is a novel approach to furthering our understanding of the compositional evolution of carbonaceous asteroids and the processes that drive their evolution. Here we report the results of nano-FTIR spectroscopy and imaging measurements performed on the carbonaceous chondrite Allan Hills (ALH) 83100 (CM1/2). We show with nanoscale resolution that spatially resolved Fe-Mg variations exist within the phyllosilicates around a chondrule rim. We also present effects of crystal orientation on the nano-FTIR spectra to account for the spectral differences between the meteorite and mineral spectra.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

The Determination of the Spatial Distribution of Indigenous Lipid Biomarkers in an Immature Jurassic Sediment Using Time-of-Flight–Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry

The ability to detect and map lipids, including potential lipid biomarkers, within a sedimentary matrix using mass spectrometry (MS) imaging may be critical to determine whether potential lipids detected in samples returned from Mars are indigenous to Mars or are contaminants. Here, we use gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and time-of-flight–secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) datasets collected from an organic-rich, thermally immature Jurassic geologic sample to constrain MS imaging analysis of indigenous lipid biomarkers in geologic samples. GC-MS data show that the extractable fractions are dominated by C 27 –C 30 steranes and sterenes as well as isorenieratene derivatives. ToF-SIMS spectra from organic matter-rich laminae contain a strong, spatially restricted signal for ions m/z 370.3, m/z 372.3, and m/z 386.3, which we assign to C 27 sterenes, cholestane (C 27 ), and 4- or 24-methyl steranes (C 28 ), respectively, as well as characteristic fragment ions of isorenieratene derivatives, including m/z 133.1, m/z 171.1, and m/z 237.1. We observed individual steroid spatial heterogeneity at the scale of 10's to 100's of microns. The fine-scale heterogeneity observed implies that indigenous lipid biomarkers concentrated within specific regions may be detectable via ToF-SIMS in samples with even low amounts of organic carbon, including in samples returned from Mars.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

A Systematic Interpretation of Subsurface Proppant Concentration from Drilling Mud Returns: Case Study from Hydraulic Fracturing Test Site (HFTS-2) in Delaware Basin

The aim of this study is generation and validation of a proppant log using analysis of drilling mud returns for child wells. Proppant log provides qualitative as well as quantitative insights into spatial distribution of proppant sand particles from prior stimulation of parent wells. While the basic methodology was developed and formalized during analysis of material collected from through fracture cores at Hydraulic Fracturing Test Site in Midland Basin (HFTS – 1), the test wells at HFTS – 2 in the neighboring Delaware Basin allowed the opportunity to validate the workflow on actual mud return samples from subsurface. As a child well is being drilled, periodic mud return samples are collected at the rig site and preserved for analysis. The workflow involves systematic cleaning of the samples including various steps such as washing, drying and segregation of samples into relevant size fractions of interest (< Mesh 20) based on specifications of pumped sand during stimulation of the parent well. Clean samples are imaged using high resolution transparency scanning. Scan images are then systematically analyzed for particles of interest using computer vision techniques. Sample counts are further validated using elemental analysis of smaller sub-samples at various depths of interest. This step is necessary to isolate proppant versus other naturally occurring minerals such as sulphates and carbonates which show similar optical properties. We successfully correlated proppant distribution against the existing parent well and validated propped versus relatively un-propped zones for a child well at the test site. The advantage of testing the proppant log concept at the HFTS – 2 site is the plethora of additional diagnostic data that is available to validate our primary observations. We can correlate spatial proppant distribution against variability in stimulation response based on independent observations such as image logs, microseismic attributes as well as DAS response, all of which tend to corroborate one another. One of our significant successes was being able to describe varying degrees of impact of the parent well along the lateral length of a stimulated child well. Our workflow represents a systematic and one-of-a-kind interpretation of spatial proppant distribution while drilling child wells. This provides unique opportunities to better understand the current state of the Downloaded from http://onepetro.org/URTECONF/proceedings-pdf/21URTC/2-21URTC/D021S031R003/2477415/urtec-2021-5189-ms.pdf/1 by Carol Worster on 28 February 2022 URTeC 5189 2 reservoir being targeted including zones which are likely more drained relative to others and how the planned completion of the child well can be improved. Lastly, this log can be useful is validating optimal well spacing in relatively new fields under development.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

A tale of two planets: Disparate evolutionary models for Mars inferred from radiogenic isotope compositions of Martian meteorites

The radiogenic isotopic compositions of basaltic Martian meteorites (shergottites) and clinopyroxene/olivine cumulate meteorites (nakhlite/chassignites) are used to define the global evolution of Mars. However, the two main groups of meteorites demonstrate that their sources underwent divergent styles of magmatic evolution. The shergottites portray a planet that differentiated ~4.52 billion years ago via solidification of a magma ocean, producing incompatible element-depleted and -enriched reservoirs that remained isolated until melt production. In contrast, the reservoir from which the nakhlite/chassignites derive may have formed earlier, produced melts that fractionated Sm/Nd and Hf/W differently, was compositionally less variable, and experienced a significantly more complex history following primordial differentiation than the shergottite sources. The disparate histories recorded by these two groups of meteorites elucidate important questions that could be addressed by acquiring additional samples. Obtaining samples that shared the isotopic systematics of the shergottites would provide confidence that extrapolating the primordial differentiation history of Mars from shergottite radiogenic isotope systematics is reasonable. Returned samples from Mars will also constrain the physical locations of the meteorite source regions, providing insights into the general structure of the Martian mantle. In addition, they will help constrain the phases present in the martian mantle during melting and the conditions under which they are stable. Finally, identifying an evolved lithology that satisfies the geochemical and isotopic constraints placed on the incompatible element-enriched endmember observed in the shergottites would define the nature of magmatic evolution on Mars and whether it is more akin to processes on the Earth or the Moon.

Mars↗
DOE OSTI2022

Indigenous Organic Molecular Biosignatures are Detectable via ToF-SIMS of a Kerogen-rich Jurassic Clay

Time of Flight - Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) is a Mass Spectrometry (MS) imaging technique that can be used in conjunction with traditional organic geochemical analysis (organics extracted from a crushed sample) in order to determine how molecules observed in the organic extracts were incorporated into a particular rock sample. This type of analysis may be used on samples collected as part of Mars Sample Return (MSR) in order to determine if potential organic compounds were indigenous to Mars or whether they are contaminants.Here we show that Organic Molecular Biosignatures (OMBs including steranes and derivatives of a carotenoid) are detectable via ToF-SIMS within a Jurassic mudstone. The OMBs are only detectable in areas with high organic carbon, likely kerogen, indicating that they are indigenous to the rock. We conclude that: I) Indigenous OMBs are detectable via ToF-SIMS in ancient, kerogen-rich samples; II) the presence of a molecular ion strengthens the interpretation of ToF-SIMS spectra of complex natural material, and III) the spatial co-occurrence of kerogen and potentially indigenous OMBs in ancient sediments is a valid test of their character. These conclusions are directly relevant to MSR sample selection as well as the analysis of MSR samples upon return.

Pasterski, Michael↗
DOE OSTI2025

Detection of a Space Capsule Entering Earth’s Atmosphere with Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS)

On 24 September 2023, the Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer sample return capsule (SRC) entered Earth’s atmosphere after successfully collecting samples from an asteroid. The known trajectory and timing of this return provided a rare opportunity to strategically instrument sites to record geophysical signals produced by the capsule because it travelled at hypersonic speeds through the atmosphere. For this work, we deployed two distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) interrogators to sample over 12 km of surface-draped fiber-optic cables, as well as six collocated seismometer-infrasound sensor pairs, spread across two sites near Eureka, Nevada. This campaign-style rapid deployment is the first reported recording of an SRC re-entry with any distributed fiber-optic sensing technology. The DAS interrogators recorded an impulsive arrival with an extended coda which had features that were similar to recordings from both the seismometers and infrasound sensors. While the signal-to-noise ratio of the DAS data was lower than the seismic-infrasound data, the extremely dense spacing of fiber-optic sensors allowed for more phases to be clearly distinguished and the visualization of the continuous transformation of the wavefront as it impacted the ground. Unexpectedly, the DAS recordings contain less low-frequency content than is present in both the seismic and infrasound data. The deployment conditions strongly affected the recorded DAS data; in particular, we observed that fiber selection and placement exert strong controls on data quality.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Multimodal Mass Spectrometry Imaging (MSI) of Archean and Jurassic Geologic Samples

Current geochemical analytical techniques such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS and $G\acute{C}GC-MS$) can effectively determine the composition and structure of the organic biosignatures within a sample but cannot resolve the spatial distribution of organic biosignatures within rocks or sediments. The spatial distribution can be used to determine the character of the organic biosignatures [1], which can be indigenous (deposited with host rocks), non-indigenous (incorporated after deposition via fluid migration), or contaminant. Determining the character of organic biosignatures is critical for ancient samples [2] and will be critical if organics are observed in samples returned from Mars [3].Fs-LDPI-MS has the ability to map organic compounds across the surface of samples at 2 - 10 μm lateral resolution. Furthermore, fs-LDPI-MS can be used to carry out multiple analyses in the same location for micron-scale analysis of previously buried material [4]. We used fs-LDPI-MS to examine a ~164 million year old organic-rich mudstone from SW England (14.2 wt. % total organic carbon) [5] and determined the spatial distribution of likely indigenous components buried below potentially contaminated surface layers.We then used ToF-SIMS to re-analyze the mudstone to directly compare ToF-SIMS to fs-LDPI-MS datasets, and to analyze a series of ~2.7 billion year old geologic samples from Timmins, ON, CA [6]. Ref. [6] previously analyzed the Archean samples and observed a series of archaeal biomarkers, as well as hopanes and steranes. Using ToF-SIMS analysis, we were able to detect hopanes and steranes in the mudstone samples, but not in the Archean samples indicating that the hopanes and steranes are most likely contaminants in the Archean samples. We also did not observe the archaeal biomarkers; however, this may be from the lack of molecular ion preservation during ToF-SIMS.

Pasterski, Michael↗
DOE OSTI2023

Mineralogy and petrology of fine‐grained samples recovered from the asteroid (162173) Ryugu

Abstract Samples returned from the carbonaceous asteroid (162173) Ryugu by the Hayabusa2 mission revealed that Ryugu is composed of materials consistent with CI chondrites and some types of space weathering. We report detailed mineralogy of the fine‐grained Ryugu samples allocated to our “Sand” team and report additional space weathering features found on the grains. The dominant mineralogy is composed of a fine‐grained mixture of Mg‐rich saponite and serpentine, magnetite, pyrrhotite, pentlandite, dolomite, and Fe‐bearing magnesite. These grains have mineralogy comparable to that of CI chondrites, showing severe aqueous alteration but lacking ferrihydrite and sulfate. These results are similar to previous works on large Ryugu grains. In addition to the major minerals, we also find many minerals that are rare or have not been reported among CI chondrites. Accessory minerals identified are hydroxyapatite, Mg‐Na phosphate, olivine, low‐Ca pyroxene, Mg‐Al spinel, chromite, manganochromite, eskolaite, ilmenite, cubanite, polydymite, transjordanite, schreibersite, calcite, moissanite, and poorly crystalline phyllosilicate. We also show scanning transmission electron microscope and scanning electron microscope compositional maps and images of some space‐weathered grains and severely heated and melted grains. Although our mineralogical results are consistent with that of millimeter‐sized grains, the fine‐grained fraction is best suited to investigate impact‐induced space weathering.

Geochemistry & Geophysics↗
DOE OSTI2025

Abundant ammonia and nitrogen-rich soluble organic matter in samples from asteroid (101955) Bennu

Organic matter in meteorites reveals clues about early Solar System chemistry and the origin of molecules important to life, but terrestrial exposure complicates interpretation. Samples returned from the B-type asteroid Bennu by the Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security–Regolith Explorer mission enabled us to study pristine carbonaceous astromaterial without uncontrolled exposure to Earth’s biosphere. Here we show that Bennu samples are volatile rich, with more carbon, nitrogen and ammonia than samples from asteroid Ryugu and most meteorites. Nitrogen-15 isotopic enrichments indicate that ammonia and other N-containing soluble molecules formed in a cold molecular cloud or the outer protoplanetary disk. We detected amino acids (including 14 of the 20 used in terrestrial biology), amines, formaldehyde, carboxylic acids, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and N-heterocycles (including all five nucleobases found in DNA and RNA), along with ~10,000 N-bearing chemical species. All chiral non-protein amino acids were racemic or nearly so, implying that terrestrial life’s left-handed chirality may not be due to bias in prebiotic molecules delivered by impacts. The relative abundances of amino acids and other soluble organics suggest formation and alteration by low-temperature reactions, possibly in NH 3 -rich fluids. Bennu’s parent asteroid developed in or accreted ices from a reservoir in the outer Solar System where ammonia ice was stable.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗