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NASA NTRS2002

Light-Toned, Layered Outcrops of Northern Terra Meridiani Mars: Viking, Phobos 2, and Mars Global Surveyor Observations

Locating outcrops of sedimentary rock on Mars is an important step toward deciphering the planet's geologic and climatologic record. Sedimentary rock representing the earliest martian environments, are of particular interest in this context. This is a report about a vast exposure of material proposed to be martian sedimentary rock. The outcrops cover an area (approximately sq 300,000 km) roughly the size of the Colorado Plateau in North America (approximately 260,000 sq km). The materials occur in northern Terra Meridiani, near of one of the four sites being considered for a 2004 NASA Mars Exploration Rover (MER) landing. The landing ellipse, centered at deg S, deg W, lies in a region exhibiting smooth and rough (at meter scale) dark-toned surfaces, with scattered light-toned patches. Stratigraphically, the dark-toned materials at the MER site lie unconformably on top of a previously-eroded, light-toned surface; the light-toned patches in the landing ellipse are geologic windows down to this lower stratigraphic unit. North of the landing ellipse, the light-toned materials are well-exposed because the darker materials have been removed, stranding outlier remnants in a few locations. The light-toned materials are layered, vertically heterogeneous, and exhibit lateral continuity over hundreds of kilometers. Eroded layers produce cliffs; some outcrops are expressed as mesas, buttes, and spires; and impact craters ranging in diameter from a few meters to tens of kilometers are interbedded with the layers. The purpose of this report is to summarize the results of greater than 6 years of photogeologic investigation into the nature of the light-toned outcrops of northern Terra Meridiani. The work is a 'snapshot' of progress made toward eventual geologic mapping and establishment of the stratigraphic sequence for the materials through 30 September 2002, a day prior to the first release of Mars Odyssey Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) data to the NASA Planetary Data System (PDS). The main body of data examined were Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) images acquired through 30 September 2002. The data also 2 include Viking orbiter images, a Phobos 2 Termoscan image, MGS Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) topographic observations, and the products of published Viking Infrared Thermal Mapper (IRTM) and Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) analyses. Through September 2002, over 126,000 MOC images had been acquired, and greater than 600 of the MOC narrow angle (1.5-12 m/pixel) images occur within the portions of Terra Meridiani and southwestern Arabia Terra.

Edgett, Kenneth S.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Mission Operations for Mars Observer

Mission operations for the Mars Observer project were patterned after the low-cost approach proposed under the Planetary Observer program of the early 1980s.

Mars Observer project mapping spacecraft design sc↗

NASA NTRS2012

The Near-Earth Plasma Environment

An overview of the plasma environment near the earth is provided. We describe how the near-earth plasma is formed, including photo-ionization from solar photons and impact ionization at high latitudes from energetic particles. We review the fundamental characteristics of the earth's plasma environment, with emphasis on the ionosphere and its interactions with the extended neutral atmosphere. Important processes that control ionospheric physics at low, middle, and high latitudes are discussed. The general dynamics and morphology of the ionized gas at mid- and low-latitudes are described including electrodynamic contributions from wind-driven dynamos, tides, and planetary-scale waves. The unique properties of the near-earth plasma and its associated currents at high latitudes are shown to depend on precipitating auroral charged particles and strong electric fields which map earthward from the magnetosphere. The upper atmosphere is shown to have profound effects on the transfer of energy and momentum between the high-latitude plasma and the neutral constituents. The article concludes with a discussion of how the near-earth plasma responds to magnetic storms associated with solar disturbances.

Pfaff, Robert F., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS2008

Proceedings of the 39th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference

Sessions with oral presentations include: A SPECIAL SESSION: MESSENGER at Mercury, Mars: Pingos, Polygons, and Other Puzzles, Solar Wind and Genesis: Measurements and Interpretation, Asteroids, Comets, and Small Bodies, Mars: Ice On the Ground and In the Ground, SPECIAL SESSION: Results from Kaguya (SELENE) Mission to the Moon, Outer Planet Satellites: Not Titan, Not Enceladus, SPECIAL SESSION: Lunar Science: Past, Present, and Future, Mars: North Pole, South Pole - Structure and Evolution, Refractory Inclusions, Impact Events: Modeling, Experiments, and Observations, Mars Sedimentary Processes from Victoria Crater to the Columbia Hills, Formation and Alteration of Carbonaceous Chondrites, New Achondrite GRA 06128/GRA 06129 - Origins Unknown, The Science Behind Lunar Missions, Mars Volcanics and Tectonics, From Dust to Planets (Planetary Formation and Planetesimals):When, Where, and Kaboom! Astrobiology: Biosignatures, Impacts, Habitability, Excavating a Comet, Mars Interior Dynamics to Exterior Impacts, Achondrites, Lunar Remote Sensing, Mars Aeolian Processes and Gully Formation Mechanisms, Solar Nebula Shake and Bake: Mixing and Isotopes, Lunar Geophysics, Meteorites from Mars: Shergottite and Nakhlite Invasion, Mars Fluvial Geomorphology, Chondrules and Chondrule Formation, Lunar Samples: Chronology, Geochemistry, and Petrology, Enceladus, Venus: Resurfacing and Topography (with Pancakes!), Overview of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission, Mars Sulfates, Phyllosilicates, and Their Aqueous Sources, Ordinary and Enstatite Chondrites, Impact Calibration and Effects, Comparative Planetology, Analogs: Environments and Materials, Mars: The Orbital View of Sediments and Aqueous Mineralogy, Planetary Differentiation, Titan, Presolar Grains: Still More Isotopes Out of This World, Poster sessions include: Education and Public Outreach Programs, Early Solar System and Planet Formation, Solar Wind and Genesis, Asteroids, Comets, and Small Bodies, Carbonaceous Chondrites, Chondrules and Chondrule Formation, Chondrites, Refractory Inclusions, Organics in Chondrites, Meteorites: Techniques, Experiments, and Physical Properties, MESSENGER and Mercury, Lunar Science Present: Kaguya (SELENE) Results, Lunar Remote Sensing: Basins and Mapping of Geology and Geochemistry, Lunar Science: Dust and Ice, Lunar Science: Missions and Planning, Mars: Layered, Icy, and Polygonal, Mars Stratigraphy and Sedimentology, Mars (Peri)Glacial, Mars Polar (and Vast), Mars, You are Here: Landing Sites and Imagery, Mars Volcanics and Magmas, Mars Atmosphere, Impact Events: Modeling, Experiments, and Observation, Ice is Nice: Mostly Outer Planet Satellites, Galilean Satellites, The Big Giant Planets, Astrobiology, In Situ Instrumentation, Rocket Scientist's Toolbox: Mission Science and Operations, Spacecraft Missions, Presolar Grains, Micrometeorites, Condensation-Evaporation: Stardust Ties, Comet Dust, Comparative Planetology, Planetary Differentiation, Lunar Meteorites, Nonchondritic Meteorites, Martian Meteorites, Apollo Samples and Lunar Interior, Lunar Geophysics, Lunar Science: Geophysics, Surface Science, and Extralunar Components, Mars, Remotely, Mars Orbital Data - Methods and Interpretation, Mars Tectonics and Dynamics, Mars Craters: Tiny to Humongous, Mars Sedimentary Mineralogy, Martian Gullies and Slope Streaks, Mars Fluvial Geomorphology, Mars Aeolian Processes, Mars Data and Mission,s Venus Mapping, Modeling, and Data Analysis, Titan, Icy Dwarf Satellites, Rocket Scientist's Toolbox: In Situ Analysis, Remote Sensing Approaches, Advances, and Applications, Analogs: Sulfates - Earth and Lab to Mars, Analogs: Remote Sensing and Spectroscopy, Analogs: Methods and Instruments, Analogs: Weird Places!. Print Only Early Solar System, Solar Wind, IDPs, Presolar/Solar Grains, Stardust, Comets, Asteroids, and Phobos, Venus, Mercury, Moon, Meteorites, Mars, Astrobiology, Impacts, Outer Planets, Satellites, and Rings, Support for Mission Operations, Analog Education and Public Outreach.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS2026

Diamond-Loaded Polyimide Aerogel Scattering Filters and Their Applications in Astrophysical and Planetary Science Observations

Infrared-blocking, aerogel-based scattering filters have a broad range of potential applications in astrophysics and planetary science instruments in the far-infrared, sub-millimeter, and microwave regimes. This paper demonstrates the ability of conductively-loaded, polyimide aerogel filters to meet the mechanical and science instrument requirements for several experiments, including the Cosmology Large Angular Scale Surveyor (CLASS), the Experiment for Cryogenic Large-Aperture Intensity Mapping (EXCLAIM), and the Sub-millimeter Solar Observation Lunar Volatiles Experiment (SSOLVE). Thermal multi-physics simulations of the filters predict their performance when integrated into a cryogenic receiver. Prototype filters have survived cryogenic cycling to 4 K with no degradation in mechanical properties. Measurement of total hemispherical reflectance and transmittance, as well as cryogenic tests of the aerogel filters in a full receiver context, allow estimates of the integrated infrared emissivity of the filters. Knowledge of the emissivity will help instrument designers incorporate the filters into future experiments in planetary science, astrophysics, and cosmology.

Kyle R Helson↗

NASA NTRS1981

Thermal studies of planetary surfaces

Ground-based and spacecraft observations of planets, satellites, and asteroids in the thermal infrared have provided a wealth of information on planetary temperatures, dimensions, and surface properties. Internal heat sources have been revealed for Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune, and active volcanism on Io has been discovered and monitored. The thermophysical properties of Mars have been mapped for nearly all the surface by spacecraft, and ground-based observations have given similar information for the Galilean satellites of Jupiter. Infrared radiometry thus sheds important light on significant problems of dynamics, interiors, and surfaces of solar system bodies.

Morrison, D.↗

NASA NTRS2019

Future Planetary Instrument Capabilities Made Possible by Micro- and Nanotechnology

A number of new instrument capabilities are currently in maturation for future in situ use on planetary science missions. Moving beyond the impressive in situ instrumentation already operating in planetary environments beyond Earth will enable the next step in scientific discovery. The approach for developing beyond current instrumentation requires a careful assessment of science-driven capability advancement. To this end, two examples of instrument technology development efforts that are leading to new and important analytical capabilities for in situ planetary science will be discussed: (1) an instrument prototype enabling the interface between liquid separation techniques and laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry and (2) an addressable excitation source enabling miniaturized electron probe microanalysis for elemental mapping of light and heavy elements.

Getty, Stephanie A.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Magellan mapping update - A matter of gravity

In order to obtain gravity data for Venus, the Magellan spacecraft will furnish an unmodulated downlink carrier signal which is coherent with a highly stable uplink from the NASA-JPL Deep Space Network. After the removal of gross Doppler shifts induced by planetary motions and Magellan's primary orbital motion, residual Doppler shifts will indicate miniscule gravity variations in the mass distributions at, and below, the Venusian surface. These gravity measurements are valuable for understanding the nature and origin of features identifiable with imaging data.

Doody, Dave↗

NASA NTRS2008

New Geologic Map of the Argyre Region of Mars

The new generation of Mars orbital topographic and imaging data justifies a new mapping effort of the Argyre impact basin and surroundings (-30.0deg to -65.0deg lat., -20.0deg to -70.0deg long; Fig.1). Our primary objective is to produce a geologic map of the Argyre region at 1:5,000,000 scale in both digital and print formats. The map will detail the stratigraphic and crosscutting relations among rock materials and landforms. These include Argyre basin infill, impact crater rim materials and adjoining highland materials of Noachis Terra, valleys and elongated basins that are radial and concentric about the primary Argyre basin, faults, enigmatic ridges, lobate debris aprons, and valley networks. Such information will be useful to the planetary science community for constraining the regional geology, paleohydrology, and paleoclimate. This includes the assessment of: (a) whether the Argyre basin contained lakes [1], (b) the extent of reported flooding and glaciation, which includes ancient flows of volatiles into the impact basin [2-4], (c) existing interpretations of the origin of the narrow ridges located in the southeast part of the basin floor [2,5], and (d) the extent of Argyre-related tectonism and its influence on the surrounding regions. Whereas the geologic mapping investigation of Timothy Parker focuses on the Argyre floor materials at 1:1,000,000 (MTMs -50036, -50043, -55036, -55043; see Fig. 1 for approximate corners of the area), our regional geologic mapping investigation includes the Argyre basin floor and rim materials, the transition zone that straddles the Thaumasia plateau, which includes Argyre impact-related modification [6], and the southeast margin of the Thaumasia plateau using important new data sets (Fig. 1). Our mapping effort will incorporate the map information of Parker if it is made available during the project.

Dohm, J. M.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Historical variations in the density and distribution of impacting debris in the inner solar system - Evidence from planetary imaging

The global cratering records are examined on the basis of planetary images to establish for each planet the global succession of stratigraphic units and the variations in crater densities among these global provinces. Crater density on a global scale on each of the planets is mapped to establish the range of variation of crater density of post-highland plains for Mercury, moon, and Mars. A narrow diameter-range (5-10 km) was chosen for this purpose. Crater abundance in this size range has been continuously mapped for available coverage for each of the three planets. Craters in this size range superposed on the plains usually display pristine morphology suggesting that most were formed after the plains. Evidently, most preexisting craters in this size range were erased by the plains-forming processes.

Soderblom, L. A.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Reports of Planetary Geology Program, 1983

Several areas of the Planetary Geology Program were addressed including outer solar system satellites, asteroids, comets, Venus, cratering processes and landform development, volcanic processes, aeolian processes, fluvial processes, periglacial and permafrost processes, geomorphology, remote sensing, tectonics and stratigraphy, and mapping.

Henry E Holt↗

NASA NTRS1986

Occultation studies with small telescopes

The data which can be acquired by observing occultations of stars by asteroids, the Pluto-Charon system, and comets using small telescopes are reviewed. A network of small telescopes may be the only possible means of observing a few specific types of occultations. The occultations are usually sufficiently bright so that small aperture telescopes can easily obtain high signal/noise ratios. The techniques and equipment are accessible to both professional, amateur and student astronomers, which is a favorable situation since only a small percentage of the nearly-hourly occurrence of occultations of stars by minor and distant planetary bodies are ever observed. Techniques employed for measuring the dimensions of asteroids by combining chords measured by distributed small telescopes are described and examples are provided of asteroids for which complete or incomplete size/density mappings have been made.

Millis, Robert L.↗

NASA NTRS1992

A visual display aid for planning rover traversals

An interactive graphical planning system has been developed, which allows a human operator to design and check traversals (cross-country paths) for a planetary rover vehicle. The display provides the operator with necessary information about the terrain and indicates violations of operational or dynamic constraints on the rover. The operator can select different kinds of two-dimensional maps as well as a perspective view of the rover environment to plan the traversals. An experiment has been carried out to determine the ability of the operator to estimate the rover attitude in a large variety of situations. It turned out that the estimation error is highly dependent on the rover attitude itself. This result can be used to determine a vertical scale for the perspective representation of the terrain which avoids an underestimation of dangerous rover attitudes.

Bernard, Herbert F.↗

NASA NTRS1997

Reconsidering the Theological and Ethical Implications of Extraterrestrial Life

As we stand on the threshold of a new millennium, we also find ourselves at the brink of a new and exciting era in space exploration. In fact, this new era has already begun, with the successful landing and exploration of Mars by the Pathfinder mission in July 1997. Pathfinder represents an important scientific accomplishment for NASA because it demonstrated the agency's ability to successfully explore space at a relatively modest price. At the same time, Pathfinder revealed once again the genuine interest and fascination that people all over planet Earth have for space exploration. The recent Pathfinder mission to Mars was only the first in an ambitious series of NASA missions planned for exploration of Mars, Earth's nearest planetary neighbor where extraterrestrial life is a real possibility. In March 1998, the next step in this exploration takes place, when the Mars Global Surveyor--which is already in orbit around Mars--begins photographing and mapping the Martian surface. NASA plans to continue its exploration with additional landers and orbiters taking off for Mars every 26 months, when the paths of Mars and Earth bring them in closer proximity. By the year 2005, NASA hopes to launch a mission that will return martian samples to Earth. And, as early as 2011, astronauts could be rocketing from Earth for the first human landing on the Red Planet. In the distant future, there may be even more grandiose plans, including the possibility of engineering an atmosphere on Mars that could support biological life.

Randolph, Richard O.↗

NASA NTRS2017

Aerial Vehicles to Detect Maximum Volume of Plume Material Associated with Habitable Areas in Extreme Environments

Current technologies of exploring habitable areas of icy moons are limited to flybys of space probes. This research project addresses long-term navigation of icy moons by developing a MATLAB adjustable trajectory based on the volume of plume material observed. Plumes expose materials from the sub-surface without accessing the subsurface. Aerial vehicles capable of scouting vapor plumes and detecting maximum plume material volumes, which are considered potentially habitable in inhospitable environments, would enable future deep-space missions to search for extraterrestrial organisms on the surface of icy moons. Although this platform is still a prototype, it demonstrates the potential aerial vehicles can have in improving the capabilities of long-term space navigation and enabling technology for detecting life in extreme environments. Additionally, this work is developing the capabilities that could be utilized as a platform for space biology research. For example, aerial vehicles that are sent to map extreme environments of icy moons or the planet Mars, could also carry small payloads with automated cell-biology experiments, designed to probe the biological response of low-gravity and high-radiation planetary environments, serving as a pathfinder for future human missions.

Vehicles Extreme Environment↗

NASA NTRS2020

Investigating Relationships Between Geochemistry and Physical Grain Characteristics Along a Glacio-Fluvial-Aeolian Sediment Transport Pathway Using µXRF

Iceland’s basaltic volcanic rocks and glacial, fluvial, and aeolian landscapes resemble those studied on Mars, which makes it an ideal location to study the evolution of basaltic landscapes, the weathering and alteration of basaltic sediments in cold and wet environments, and the generation of a basaltic sedimentary record. The SAND-E: Semi-Autonomous Navigation for Detrital Environments project examines physical and chemical changes in sediments transported through basaltic fluvial and aeolian environments, and tests operational scenarios, which include a drone and a robotic rover instrumented with autonomous terrain analysis software. As part of the SAND-E project, we examined a glacial outwash plain at Skjaldbreiðauhraun, in SW Iceland. This study uses micro X-ray fluorescence (μXRF) to examine the chemical and physical properties of unconsolidated sediment-size fractions from 710 μm to < 63 μm along a downstream transect from a glacial sourced watershed. μXRF is ideally suited for this task because it maps elemental distributions at sub-grain scales thereby allowing a direct correlation between grainsize, grain shape, and chemistry. It is also a good analog technique for the Mars 2020 mission equipped with the PIXL (Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry) that will be deployed at Jezero Crater, Mars.

Champion, E.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Apollo Sample 64455: Petrologic and Geochemical Characterization of a Glass-Coated Impact Melt Rock

Introduction and Background: Impact melts are a key product of the impact cratering process. Impact melts can turbulently entrain pre-existing rock fragments, and melt part of those entrained materials until thermal equilibrium is achieved [1–3]. Lunar impact melt rocks are valuable for determining the precise ages of basin-forming and cratering events, which anchor the cratering chronology and dynamics of the entire solar system [4, and references therein]. Additionally, entrained clasts can inform on the petrology and age of crustal materials that predate the melt-forming impact. In lithologies where no pristine samples are available, entrained materials may hold the record of endogenous lunar volatiles, provided we can untangle their impact histories as high temperature impact melt can heat the clasts and may alter their native volatiles or isotopic signatures [5–6]. Here, we characterize an Apollo 16 sample, 64455,70B, in an effort to understand the physical, microstructural, and geochemical consequences of impact melt contact metamorphism. We acquired optical light and x-ray maps of the sample, as well as quantitative analyses via electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). These tasks allow us to better understand the interaction between impact melts and entrained clasts, ultimately closing knowledge gaps in high-temperature impact processing on planetary surfaces. Sample Description: Sample 64455 is an oblong crystalline rock encased in glass to form an egg-like shape [7–8]. The impact melt coating has altered the outer (1 to 2 mm) rind of the crystalline rock and has preserved schlieren. The interior crystalline rock is likely a crystalline impact melt rock based on its bulk Ir content of 2.25 parts per billion [9]. The composition of the impact melt glass rind cannot be solely derived from the crystalline interior, the glassy rind is more aluminous and less magnesian [10]. Neither the crystalline interior nor the glassy rind were radiometrically age dated, although several studies investigated its cosmogenic isotopes and exposure ages, which reveal the sample was exposed on the lunar surface for ~1–2 Ma [11–13]. Preliminary Results: The interior crystalline rock consists primarily of plagioclase with interstitial pyroxene and olivine. Plagioclase grains are zoned and compositions range from An97–89, while pyroxene compositions generally range from En68Fs19Wo13 to En82Fs15Wo3 and olivine are Fo77 to Fo85. Minor phases include Fe-Ni metal, Ca-phosphates, a K- and Si-rich phase, sulfides, and Fe-phosphides. The glass rind contains approximately 44 wt.% SiO2, 25 wt.% Al2O3, 6 wt.% FeO, 8 wt.% MgO, and 14 wt.% CaO, with other oxides at <1 wt.% each, although the composition of the glass becomes more variable closest to the crystalline rock. The rind consists of rounded plagioclase, pyroxene, and olivine crystals with interstitial melt. In some locations, the rounded crystals are surrounded by closely-packed, blade-like crystals, <5 µm in width. These results indicate that the crystalline interior has partially melted where in contact with the high-temperature impact melt and while further investigation is needed, pyroxene may have preferentially melted relative to olivine and plagioclase. Future Work: We plan to conduct electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) mapping in order to determine crystallinity and crystal orientation. Next using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) data in conjunction with EBSD and EPMA information, we will model the diffusion of moderately volatile elements between the melt and remnant crystals.

A C Stadermann↗

NASA NTRS1986

El Nino and outgoing longwave radiation - Observations from Nimbus-7 ERB

Nimbus-7 longwave radiation data are analyzed with respect to temporal and spatial changes in the anomalies induced by the El Nino event of 1982-1983. The components and functions of the earth radiation budget (ERB) instruments, which record satellite-altitude irradiances, are described. Local-noon analyses of outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) are presented; interannual variability is observed. El Nino-induced perturbations in the planetary-scale fields which affect OLR are studied. The onset, intensification, expansion, and decay of the OLR associated with El Nino are examined. A comparison of the ERS data with a three month average OLR anomaly map reveals that the ERS data have sufficient accuracy and stability with which to observe OLR anomalies induced by El Nino.

Ardanuy, P. E.↗