Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Geochemical Processes”

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 73 records · Page 4
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2016

Oxychlorine Detections on Mars: Implications for Cl Cycling

The Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument has detected evolved O2 and HCl indicating the presence of perchlorate and/or chlorate (oxychlorine) in all 11 sediments analyzed to date. The hyperarid martian climate is believed to have allowed accumulation of oxychlorine and assumed chloride contents similar to those in hyperarid terrestrial settings. The linear correlation of oxychlorine and chloride of Gale Crater sediments is low (r (sup 2) equals 0.64). Correlations present in hyperarid Antarctica and the Atacama Desert are attributed to unaltered atmospheric source coupled with minimal redox cycling by biological activity. Terrestrial semi-arid to arid settings have low correlations similar to Gale Crater and are attributed to additional inputs of Cl minus from sea salt, dust, and/or proximal playa settings, and possible reduction of oxychlorine phases during wetter periods. While microbiological processes could contribute to low oxychlorine/chloride correlations on Mars, several abiotic mechanisms are more likely, such as changing oxychlorine production rates with time and/or post-depositional geochemical redox processes that altered the Gale Crater oxychlorine and chloride contents.

Sutter, B.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Magmatic volatiles and the weathering of Mars

The sources for volatiles on Mars have been the subject of many hypotheses for exogenous influences including late accretion of volatile-enriched material, impact devolatilization to create massive early atmospheres, and even major bombardment by comets. However, the inventory of chemically active volatiles observable at the contemporary surface of Mars is consistent with domination by endogenous, subsequent planetary processes, viz., persistent magmatic outgassing. Volcanism on Mars has been widespread in both space and time. Notwithstanding important specific differences between the mantles of Earth and Mars, the geochemical similarities are such that the suite of gases emitted from Martian volcanic activity should include H2O, CO2, S-containing gases (e.g. H2S and/or SO2), and Cl-containing gases (e.g., Cl2 and/or HCl). H2O and CO2 exist in the atmosphere of Mars. Both are also present as surface condensates. However, spectroscopic observations of the Martian atmosphere clearly show that the S- and Cl-containing gases are severely depleted, with upper limits of less than or equal to 10(exp -7) the abundance of CO2. Likewise, there is no evidence of polar condensates of compounds of these elements as there is for CO2 and H2O. Within the soil, on the other hand, there has been direct measurement of incorporated H2O and abundant compounds containing S and Cl. Barring some as yet implausible geochemical sequestering process, the S/Cl ratio of about 6:1 in Martian soils implies a limit of 5% on the contribution of matter of solarlike composition (e.g., carbonaceous chondrite or cometary material) to these volatiles. Hence, exogenous sources are minor or not yet observed. From analysis of elemental trends in Martian soils, it has been recently shown that a simple two-component model can satisfy the Viking in situ measurements. Component A includes Si and most or all the Al, Ca, Ti, and Fe. Component B, taken as 16 +/- 3% by weight of the total, contains S and most or all the Cl and Mg. These results constrain several models of Martian soil mineralogy but are consistent with a mixture of silicates (such as Fe-rich clays and accessory minerals and soluble salts). The overall element profile is notably like shergottites, with significant incorporation of chemically reactive atmospheric gases from magmatic degassing.

Clark, B. C.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Geochemical and Mineralogical Indicators for Aqueous Processes in Gusev Crater and on Meridiani Planum

The Athena Science Instrument Payload is providing geochemical and mineralogical information for determining the properties of rocks, soils, and outcrops at the Mars Exploration Rovers landing sites. These measurements indicate that a variety of aqueous processes as well as various degrees of alteration occurred at the two landing sites. Light-toned rocks around the Spirit landing site appear to have coatings or alteration rinds that may have resulted from limited aqueous alteration on the surfaces of basaltic rocks. Hematite and high Fe(III)lFe(total) occur at the surfaces of these rocks. High concentrations of elements highly mobile in water (i.e., S, Cl, and Br) occur in rock veins, vugs, and coatings and at the bottom of soil trenches in the "intercrater plains." One scenario for the formation of rock coatings or rinds and translocation of mobile elements is that water might have occurred briefly at the Martian surface during periods of high obliquity and thin films of water may have mobilized elements and altered the surfaces of rocks. Outcrops on the slopes of the Columbia Hills appear to be extensively altered as suggested by their relative "softness" (measured as resistance to abrasion) as compared to basalts on the adjacent plains, high Fe(III)lFe(total), iron mineralogy dominated by nanophase Fe(III) oxides and hematite, and high Br and CI concentrations beneath outcrop surfaces. These outcrops may have formed by the alteration of basaltic rocks and/or volcaniclastic materials by solutions that were rich in volatile elements (e.g., Br, CI, S). However, it is not clear whether aqueous alteration occurred at depth (e.g., metasomatism), by hydrothermal solutions (e.g., associated with volcanic or impact processes), by vapors rich in volcanic gases, or by low-temperature solutions. The occurrence of jarosite, hematite, and other sulfates (e.g., Mg sulfates) in Eagle and Endurance crater outcrops are strong indicators of aqueous processes at Meridiani Planum. These phases occur with siliciclastic materials in outcrops. Jarosite can only form by aqueous processes under very acidic conditions; e.g., acid sulfate weathering conditions resulting from the oxidation of Fe sulfides or by sulfuric acid alteration of basalts by solutions associated with S02-rich volcanic gases. It is plausible that acidic solutions rich in sulfur (and Fe(II)) reacted with basaltic sediments (which provided a host of soluble cations) under oxidizing conditions and then, through evaporation, formed sediments rich in jarosite and other sulfates along with siliciclastic materials. Hematite-rich spherules in outcrops may have formed by aqueous processes within the sedimentary layers, which promoted transport of Fe (II) solutions to nucleation sites where oxidation and precipitation occurred to form hematite-rich spherules.

Ming, Douglas W.↗
DOE OSTI2026

Zero Resistance Ammetry (ZRA) Measurements of Sediment Electrochemical Gradients, Old Woman Creek, Ohio, USA, June–November 2022

This dataset contains raw and processed zero resistance ammetry (ZRA) measurements collected from wetland sediments at Old Woman Creek, a freshwater estuary on Lake Erie, Ohio, USA, between June and November 2022. Measurements were obtained using a vertically deployed electrode array positioned at multiple depths within the sediment profile to capture electrochemical gradients associated with microbial activity and sediment geochemistry. The raw dataset consists of parsed instrument log files containing timestamps, electrode pair identifiers, and measured electrical potential (mV). The processed dataset includes standardized and quality-controlled values with instrument saturation limits removed and timestamps converted to ISO 8601 format. Electrode line identifiers were mapped to physical depths, enabling interpretation of depth-resolved electrochemical gradients. Instrument saturation values (−2048, −2047, 2047, and 2048 mV) were identified as measurement limits and excluded from quantitative analyses. All data parsing, processing, and quality control steps are documented in an accompanying R Markdown script, ensuring full reproducibility from raw instrument logs to final datasets.

EARTH SCIENCE > AGRICULTURE > SOILS > ELECTRICAL C↗
DOE OSTI2025

BONCAT-Live for isolation and cultivation of active environmental bacteria

In diverse environments, microbes drive a myriad of processes, from geochemical and nutrient cycling to interspecies interactions, including associations with plants and animals. Their physiological state is dynamic and impacted by abiotic and biotic conditions, responding to environmental fluctuations by changes in cellular metabolism, according to their genetic potential. Molecular, cellular, and genomic approaches can identify and measure microbial responses and adaptation to environmental changes in native communities. However, isolating individual microbial cells that respond to specific changes for cultivation has been difficult. To address this, we implemented a novel bacterial isolation approach (BONCAT-Live) by integrating bio-orthogonal non-canonical amino acid tagging (BONCAT) in diverse native communities, with isolation and cultivation of cells responding to specific stimuli, at different time scales. In frozen Arctic permafrost samples, we identified and isolated dormant bacteria that become active after thawing under native or nutrient-enriched conditions. From the Populus tree rhizosphere, we isolated strains that thrive under high concentrations of root exudates that act as defense compounds and nutrients. In the human microbiome, we identified and isolated bacteria that rapidly proliferated when exposed to metabolites provided by the host or other co-occurring microbes. Further characterization of isolated bacterial strains will provide opportunities for in-depth determination of how these microbes adapt to changes in their environments, individually and as part of model communities.

Analytical Methods↗
DOE OSTI2025

Williston Basin Resource Study for Commercial-Scale Subsurface Hydrogen Storage

This closeout presentation summarizes a Department of Energy–funded study that evaluated whether large amounts of hydrogen can be safely stored underground in the North Dakota portion of the Williston Basin. The project combined lab testing, computer simulations, and basin‑wide analysis to assess saline formations, depleted oil and gas reservoirs, and salt formations for hydrogen storage capacity, recovery, and risks. Results show that underground hydrogen storage is technically feasible across multiple formation types, with depleted oil and gas reservoirs offering higher recovery and saline formations providing large long‑term storage potential. The study also identifies key challenges—such as wellbore material durability and gas purity management—and recommends pilot projects and further site‑specific studies to support future commercialization.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2024

The role of annealing and grain boundary controls on the mechanical properties of limestones and marbles

Chemical and mechanical processes are coupled in many geological and geochemical environments. Reactive processes anneal defects and restructure grain boundaries, modifying their elastic properties, levels of internal friction, wave propagation rates and fracture behaviors. The nature of these changes is, however, contingent on the initial state of the rock. Here, in this study, impulse excitation was used to measure changes in mechanical properties as a function of dry and steam heating time at 300 °C for three carbonate rocks: Carrara marble, Carthage marble (Burlington Limestone), and Texas Cream limestone (Edwards limestone), with initial porosities of about 1 %, 3 %, and 27 %, respectively. Frequency-dependent phenomena along with mineral recrystallization were observed. This was coupled with small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering analysis to determine the relationship between changes in bulk mechanical and microstructural properties. An observed decrease in both the Young's and shear moduli in the experimental limestones as a function of heating time reflects and quantifies a reduction in the stiffness of the rock due to annealing. The internal friction of the samples first increases then decreases with reaction time, reflecting defect annealing, but this was balanced against grain boundary dissolution apparently driven by condensation of steam in the confined grain-boundary environment. This suggests an increase in the boiling point under confinement leading to dissolution, increased porosity and widening of the grain boundaries. In addition, comparison of small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering results suggests that it is inappropriate to assume that pores are empty for quantitative analysis of typical small-angle scattering samples.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2005

Geochemical and Mineralogical Indicators for Aqueous Processes on the West Spur of the Columbia Hills in Gusev Crater

The primary objective of the MER Spirit and Opportunity Rovers is to identify and investigate rocks, outcrops, and soils that have the highest possible chance of preserving evidence of water activity on Mars. The Athena Science Instrument Payload onboard the two rovers has provided geochemical and mineralogical information that indicates a variety of aqueous processes and various degrees of alteration at the two landing sites.

Ming, D. W.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Mineralogy of Rock Flour in Glaciated Volcanic Terrains: An Analog for a Cold and Icy Early Mars

Geomorphological and mineralogical data from early Martian surfaces indicate liquid water was present on ancient Mars. The relative surface temperatures, however, remain a subject of debate. Was early Mars warm and wet or cold and icy with punctuated periods of warmth and ice melt? By characterizing the mineralogy and geochemistry of modern icy mafic terrains on Earth, we can search for these characteristics in early Martian terrains to better constrain the early Martian climate. Here, we describe the mineralogy of glacial flour in a modern glaciated volcanic terrain in Oregon, USA. We are particularly interested in secondary phases that form in these environments, and we hypothesize that poorly crystalline phases may preferentially form in these terrains because of the low temperatures and the seasonality of melt water production. A description of the mineralogy of the moraines, the composition of the amorphous materials, and the geochemistry of the glacial melt waters are presented elsewhere. Glacial flour is made up of silt- and clay-sized particles that form from the physical weathering of rock underlying a wet-based glacier as the glacier slides over it. Flour is usually transported from underneath a glacier by melt water streams. The geochemistry of glacial melt water streams has been studied extensively and has been used to infer weathering reactions within glacial systems. However, the mineralogy of these environments, especially on mafic volcanic terrains, is not well studied. Rock flour is a ubiquitous physical weathering product in glaciated terrains and, therefore, affects microbial habitats, stream and lake chemistry, and chemical weathering processes. and by studying the mineralogy of glacial flour, we can better understand geochemical and microbiological processes in subglacial and proglacial terrains.

Rampe, E. B.↗
DOE OSTI2025

R&D Effort of Geologic Hydrogen Production at the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL)

Geologic hydrogen (geoH2) is an emerging technology with massive current market interest and distinct potential to change the paradigm of hydrogen production. Two major subsurface processes influence the amount of geoH2 that are available for energy extraction: 1) geochemical reactions of H2O and Fe2+-bearing rocks which can produce hydrogen in the subsurface environment, where 2) various active microbial communities consume hydrogen as an energy source before the hydrogen reaches the surface. The net gain of hydrogen from these two competing processes dictates the production rate of geoH2. A recent study (Templeton et al., 2024) suggested that for most natural geoH2 systems, five orders of magnitude of production rate enhancement are needed to make geoH2 production economical in the near term. Effective enhancement of the production rate requires an in-depth understanding of the two geoH2 processes, in order to promote the H2-generating geochemical processes and suppress the H2-consuming microbial processes. However, current significant knowledge gaps in these two processes hinders the efforts to formulate strategies to enhance geoH2 production. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is a U.S. Department of Energy National Laboratory with the core mission of leading research, innovation, and strategic partnership to deliver solutions for a clean energy based economy. NREL's extensive research portfolio in hydrogen, bioenergy, geothermal, industrial decarbonization, and energy analysis makes us well positioned to conduct interdisciplinary research and facilitate technology deployment in the geoH2 space. In this presentation, we will discuss ongoing geoH2 research and engagement efforts at NREL, including: 1) geochemical investigation to understand the reaction mechanisms and production rate and potential of different source minerals and rocks, 2) microbiological investigation to understand methanogenesis and acetogenesis in the subsurface geoH2 environment, and identify effective inhibitors for these microbial processes, and 3) preliminary analysis for geoH2 production in the State of Minnesota, where abundant Fe-rich rocks for stimulated geoH2 production and ample opportunity to utilize geoH2 in transforming iron and steel industries are currently available.

08 HYDROGEN↗
NASA NTRS2017

Field Detection of Chemical Assimilation in A Basaltic Lava Flow

Lava channels are features seen throughout the inner Solar System, including on Earth, the Moon, and Mars. Flow emplacement is therefore a crucial process in the shaping of planetary surfaces. Many studies, including some completed by members of this team at the December 1974 lava flow, have investigated the dynamics of lava flow emplacement, both on Earth and on the Moon and how pre-flow terrain can impact final channel morphology, but far fewer have focused on how the compositional characteristics of the substrate over which a flow was em-placed influenced its final flow morphology. Within the length of one flow, it is common for flows to change in morphology, a quality linked to rheology (a function of multiple factors including viscosi-ty, temperature, composition, etc.). The relationship between rheology and temperature has been well-studied but less is known about the relationship between an older flow's chemistry and how the interaction between this flow and the new flow might affect lava rheology and therefore emplacement dynamics. Lava erosion. Through visual observations of active terrestrial flows, mechanical erosion by flowing lava has been well-documented. Lava erosion by which flow composition is altered as the active lava melts and assimilates the pre-flow terrain over which it moves is also hypothesized to affect channel formation. However, there is only one previous field study that geochemically documents the process in recent basaltic flow systems.

Young, K. E.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Trace elements and their isotopes in streams and rivers

The occurrence and speciation of trace elements in streams and rivers are controlled by interconnected hydrogeological, biogeochemical, and anthropogenic factors that include rock weathering, climate, vegetation, and land use within the watershed. This chapter provides a broad overview of trace element abundance, speciation, and mobility in streams and rivers, including an assessment of how trace elements are partitioned into dissolved, colloidal, and particulate phases. We also discuss how trace elements are mobilized into stream networks and transformed during transport. Select isotopic systems are reviewed to provide examples of how isotopic analyses can be used to understand geochemical and anthropogenic processes.

Herndon, Elizabeth [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000291945493)↗
DOE OSTI2026

Integrated geological, economic, and risk assessment of underground hydrogen storage

Underground hydrogen storage (UHS) is a promising option to buffer variable renewable power and support the hydrogen economy. Yet this technology is early-stage, and key uncertainties remain about how coupled processes such as geochemical and geomechanical impacts affect long-term storage security. In this paper, we seek to integrate the results from a large, multi-scale research program to quantify core feasibility metrics and situate these studies within ongoing efforts. Through this work, we evaluate hydrogen recoverability during storage by assessing diffusive losses, losses to geochemical interactions and their subsequent impact on geomechanical properties, and losses to residual saturation during injection and withdrawal. Molecular and laboratory studies show that lithologic heterogeneity, pore geometry, and mineral surface chemistry govern hydrogen–rock interactions, controlling loss pathways. High-pressure coreflooding is used to estimate relative permeabilities and measure parameters needed for reservoir-scale sensitivity analyses. These core-scale experiments found early hydrogen breakthrough at low saturations driven by capillary and viscous fingering, which limits pore-space utilization at early times, while repeated injection and withdrawal cycles improve deliverability over time. Technoeconomic factors and purity requirements for end uses are also considered as part of our comprehensive feasibility analysis. Finally, we underscore the importance of geophysical monitoring and tailored injection strategies to maintain integrity and efficiency. Together, these results provide a quantitative foundation for safe, scalable deployment of UHS and highlight priorities for future integrated studies.

08 HYDROGEN↗
NASA NTRS1986

Support for global science - Remote sensing's challenge

Advances in remote sensing techniques are discussed. The benefits possible to remote sensing with the new Earth Observing System, which is composed of the Space Station and coorbiting and polar satellite platforms, are examined. Current changes in the remote sensing field, which involve a change from an industrial society to an informational society, force technology to high technology with high touch, short term to long term, centralized to decentralized, hierarchies to networks, and either/or to multiple option systems are studied. The explanatory and objective types of analyses for investigating biophysical, geochemical, and socioeconomic processes are described; the procedures include: morphometric, cause and effect, temporal and functional and ecological system analyses, inventory, mapping, monitoring, and modeling.

Estes, J. E.↗
NASA NTRS1992

The (146,147)Sm-(142,143)Nd systematics of early terrestrial differentiation and the lost continents of the early Earth

The very early history of the Earth has been one of the great enduring puzzles in the history of geology. We report evidence which clearly can be described as a vestige of a beginning, because the evidence that we report cannot be interpreted in any other way except as a geochemical signal of processes active in the very early history of the Earth. The evidence itself is a very small anomaly in the abundance of SM-146. The primary aims of this study were to: (1) verify the existence of the 'lost continents' of the Hadean era; and (2) determine their mean age.

Harper, Charles L., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Experimental Study of Lunar and SNC Magmas

The research described in this progress report involved the study of petrological, geochemical and volcanic processes that occur on the Moon and the SNC parent body, generally accepted to be Mars. The link between these studies is that they focus on two terrestrial-type parent bodies somewhat smaller than earth, and the fact that they focus on the role of volatiles in magmatic processes and on processes of magma evolution on these planets. The work on the lunar volcanic glasses has resulted in some exciting new discoveries over the years of this grant. We discovered small metal blebs initially in the Al5 green glass, and determined the significant importance of this metal in fixing the oxidation state of the parent magma (Fogel and Rutherford, 1995). More recently, we discovered a variety of metal blebs in the Al7 orange glass. Some of these Fe-Ni metal blebs were in the glass; others were in olivine phenocrysts. The importance of these metal spheres is that they fix the oxidation state of the parent magma during the eruption, and also indicate changes during the eruption (Weitz et al., 1997) They also yield important information about the composition of the gas phase present, the gas which drove the lunar fire-fountaining. One of the more exciting and controversial findings in our research over the past year has been the possible fractionation of H from D during shock (experimental) of hornblende bearing samples (Minitti et al., 1997). This research is directed at explaining some of the low H2O and high D/H observed in hydrous phases in the SNC meteorites.

Rutherford, Malcolm J.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Experimental Study of Lunar and SNC Magmas

The research described in this progress report involved the study of petrological, geochemical and volcanic processes that occur on the Moon and the SNC parent body, generally accepted to be Mars. The link between these studies is that they focus on two terrestrial-type parent bodies somewhat smaller than earth, and the fact that they focus on the role of volatiles in magmatic processes and on processes of magma evolution on these planets. The work on the lunar volcanic glasses has resulted in some exciting new discoveries over the years of this grant. During the tenure of the present grant, we discovered a variety of metal blebs in the A17 orange glass. Some of these Fe-Ni metal blebs occur in the glass; others were found in olivine phenocrysts which we find make up about 2 vol % of the orange glass magma. The importance of these metal spheres is that they fix the oxidation state of the parent magma during the eruption, and also indicate changes during the eruption. They also yield important information about the composition of the gas phase present, the gas which drove the lunar fire-fountaining. In an Undergraduate senior thesis project, Nora Klein discovered a melt inclusion that remained in a glassy state in one of the olivine phenocrysts. Analyses of this inclusion gave additional information on the CO2, CO and S contents of the orange glass magma prior to its reaching the lunar surface. The composition of lunar volcanic gases has long been one of the puzzles of lunar magmatic processes. One of the more exciting findings in our research over the past year has been the study of magmatic processes linking the SNC meteorite source magma composition with the andesitic composition rocks found at the Pathfinder site. In this project, graduate student Michelle Minitti showed that there was a clear petrologic link between these two magma types via fractional removal of crystals from the SNC parent melt, but the process only worked if there was at least 1 wt % dissolved water in the melt.

Rutherford, Malcolm J.↗
NASA NTRS2003

A Secondary Ion Mass Analyzer for Remote Surface Composition Analysis of the Galilean Moons

Galileo in-situ dust measurements have shown that the Galilean moons are surrounded by tenuous dust clouds formed by collisional ejecta from their icy surfaces, kicked up by impacts of interplanetary micrometeoroids. The majority of the ejecta dust particles have been sensed at altitudes below five between 0.5 and 1 micron, just above the detector threshold, indicating a size distribution decreasing towards bigger particles. their parent bodies. They carry information about the properties of the surface from which they have been kicked up. In particular, these grains may carry organic compounds and other chemicals of biological relevance if they exist on the icy Galilean moons. In-situ analysis of the grain composition with a sophisticated dust analyzer instrument flying on a Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter can provide important information about geochemical and geophysical processes during the evolutionary histories of these moons which are not accessible with other techniques from an orbiter spacecraft. Thus, spacecraft-based in-situ dust measurements can be used as a diagnostic tool for the analysis of the surface composition of the moons. This way, the in-situ measurements turn into a remote sensing technique by using the dust instrument like a telescope for surface investigation. An instrument capable of very high resolution composition analysis of dust particles is the Cometary Secondary Ion Mass Analyzer (COSIMA). The instrument was originally developed for the Comet Rendezvous and Asteroid Flyby (CRAF) mission and has now been built for ESA'S comet orbiter Rosetta. Dust particles are collected on a target and are later located by an optical microscope camera. A pulsed primary indium ion gun partially ionizes the dust grains. The generated secondary ions are accelerated in an electric field and travel through a reflectron-type time-of-flight ion mass spectrometer.

Krueger, H.↗