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NASA NTRS2013

Olivine Weathering aud Sulfate Formation Under Cryogenic Conditions

High resolution photography and spectroscopy of the martian surface (MOC, HiRISE) from orbit has revolutionized our view of Mars with one of the most important discoveries being wide‐spread layered sedimentary deposits associated with sulfate minerals across the low to mid latitude regions of Mars. The mechanism for sulfate formation on Mars has been frequently attributed to playa‐like evaporative environments under prolonged warm conditions. An alternate view of the ancient martian climate contends that prolonged warm temperatures were never present and that the atmosphere and climate has been similar to modern conditions throughout most of its history. This view has had a difficult time explaining the sedimentary history of Mars and in particular the presence of sulfate minerals which seemingly need more water. We suggest here that mixtures of atmospheric aerosols, ice, and dust have the potential for creating small films of cryo‐concentrated acidic solutions that may represent an important unexamined environment for understanding weathering processes on Mars. This study seeks to test whether sulfate formation may be possible at temperatures well below 0degC in water limited environments removing the need for prolonged warm periods to form sulfates on early Mars. To test this idea we performed laboratory experiments to simulate weathering of mafic minerals under Mars‐like conditions. The weathering rates measured in this study suggest that fine grained olivine on Mars would weather into sulfate minerals in short time periods if they are exposed to H2SO4 aerosols at temperatures at or above ‐40degC. In this system, the strength of the acidic solution is maximized through eutectic freezing in an environment where the silicate minerals are extremely fine grained and have high surface areas. This provides an ideal environment despite the very low temperatures. On Mars the presence of large deposits of mixed ice and dust is undisputed. The presence of substantial sulfur‐rich volcanism, and sulfur‐rich surface deposits also makes it very likely that sulfate aerosols have also been an important component of the martian atmosphere. Thus mixtures of ice, dust, and sulfate aerosols are likely to have been common on the martian surface. Given the fact that it is not difficult to achieve surface temperatures above ‐40degC on Mars throughout its history, it seems likely that sulfate formation on Mars is controlled by the availability of sulfate aerosols and not by the martian climate. The current polar regions of Mars and Earth provide interesting analogs. Large regions of sulfaterich material have been detected on and around the modern north polar region of Mars. The prevalence of ice‐dust mixtures in this region and the existence of sulfates within the ice cap itself are strong evidence for the origin of the sulfates from inside the ice deposits. In addition sulfates have been found in ice deposits in Greenland and Mount Fuji on Earth that have been attributed to forming within the ice deposit. These sulfates can form either through interaction with dust particles in the atmosphere or through weathering inside the ice itself.

Niles, Paul B.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Active microwave remote sensing of earth/land, chapter 2

Geoscience applications of active microwave remote sensing systems are examined. Major application areas for the system include: (1) exploration of petroleum, mineral, and ground water resources, (2) mapping surface and structural features, (3) terrain analysis, both morphometric and genetic, (4) application in civil works, and (5) application in the areas of earthquake prediction and crustal movements. Although the success of radar surveys has not been widely publicized, they have been used as a prime reconnaissance data base for mineral exploration and land-use evaluation in areas where photography cannot be obtained.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS2004

Aqueous Chemical Modeling of Sedimentation on Early Mars with Application to Surface-Atmosphere Evolution

This project was to investigate models for aqueous sedimentation on early Mars from fluid evaporation. Results focused on three specific areas: (1) First, a fluid evaporation model incorporating iron minerals was developed to compute the evaporation of a likely solution on early Mars derived from the weathering of mafic rock. (2) Second, the fluid evaporation model was applied to salts within Martian meteorites, specifically salts in the nakhlites and ALH84001. Evaporation models were found to be consistent with the mineralogy of salt assemblages-anhydrite, gypsum, Fe-Mg-Ca carbonates, halite, clays-- and the concentric chemical fractionation of Ca-to Mg-rich carbonate rosettes in ALH84001. We made progress in further developing our models of fluid concentration by contributing to updating the FREZCHEM model. (3) Third, theoretical investigation was done to determine the thermodynamics and kinetics involved in the formation of gray, crystalline hematite. This mineral, of probable ancient aqueous origin, has been observed in several areas on the surface of Mars by the Thermal Emission Spectrometer on Mars Global Surveyor. The "Opportunity" Mars Exploration Rover has also detected gray hematite at its landing site in Meridiani Planum. We investigated how gray hematite can be formed via atmospheric oxidation, aqueous precipitation and subsequent diagenesis, or hydrothermal processes. We also studied the geomorphology of the Aram Chaos hematite region using Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) images.

Catling, David C.↗

DOE OSTI2021

Co-precipitation induces changes to iron and carbon chemistry and spatial distribution at the nanometer scale

Association of organic matter (OM) with mineral phases via co-precipitation is expected to be a widespread process in environments with high OM input and frequent mineral dissolution and re-precipitation. In contrast to surface area-limited adsorption processes, co-precipitation may allow for greater carbon (C) accumulation. However, the potential sub-micrometer scale structural and compositional differences that affect the bioavailability of co-precipitated C are largely unknown. In this work, we used a combination of high-resolution analytical electron microscopy and bulk spectroscopy to probe interactions between a mineral phase (ferrihydrite, nominally Fe 2 O 3 •0.5H 2 O) and organic soil-derived water-extractable OM (WEOM). In co-precipitated WEOM-Fe, nanometer-scale scanning transmission electron microscopy with electron energy loss spectroscopy (STEM-EELS) revealed increased Fe(II) and less Fe aggregation relative to adsorbed WEOM-Fe. Spatially distinct lower- and higher-energy C regions were detected in both adsorbed and co-precipitated WEOM-Fe. In co-precipitates, lower-energy aromatic and/or substituted aromatic C was spatially associated with reduced Fe(II), but higher-energy oxidized C was enriched at the oxidized Fe(III) interface. Therefore, we show that co-precipitation does not constitute a non-specific physical encapsulation of C that only affects Fe chemistry and spatial distribution, but may cause a bi-directional set of reactions that lead to spatial separation and transformation of both Fe and C forms. In particular, we propose that abiotic redox reactions between Fe and C via substituted aromatic groups (e.g., hydroquinones) play a role in creating distinct co-precipitate composition, with potential implications for its mineralization.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

NASA NTRS1981

The role of geological surfaces in determining visible-near infra red spectral signatures

The goal of the study described here is to determine new criteria for improved target discrimination in areas of hydrothermal mineralization. It is noted that the portion of materials, that is, geological surfaces detected by sensing devices, must be accurately determined before elemental and mineralogical characterization. The depth from which visible-near infrared radiation is reflected from target surfaces depends on composition and fabric. Reflectance spectra are obtained from binary mixtures of hematite, goethite, kaolinite and montmorillonite with a reflecting sphere spectrometer over a wavelength range of 400-2500 nm. The reflection (or absorption) intensity is plotted vs. the sample thickness (determined by scanning electron microscopy) to determine the sample thickness at which absorption saturates. The optical depth is seen to vary as a function of mineralogy and wavelength. In general, the maximum depth from which reflection features are discerned is from 12 to 47 microns measured in the visible-near infrared spectral region.

Sommer, S. E.↗

DOE OSTI2022

Insights into Controls of Mineralogy and Pore Structure on the Density of Methane Adsorption Phase in Shales under Supercritical Conditions

With gradually increasing enhancing population and industrialization, exploitation of shale gas is enhancing in the world to satisfy the growing demand for energy worldwide. To exploit shale gas efficiently, accurate assessment of shale gas in place (GIP) is necessary for determining production strategies. Unlike free and dissolved gas, adsorbed gas contributes to the shale GIP up to 85% due to the well-developed surface area and micropores. Measured excess adsorption of methane (up to over 95% of subsurface shale gas) is often corrected to absolute adsorption to obtain the actual amount of adsorption under supercritical (or geological) conditions. During the correction, adsorption phase density (APD) is critical. However, the APD of subsurface shale gas and the effects of shale properties (e.g., mineralogy and pore structure) on APD remain poorly understood. A series of high-pressure methane adsorption isotherms (HPMAI) on Caney Shales were collected and analyzed in conjunction with other United States and Chinese shales from the literature at 35–125 °C and up to 15 MPa. Here, a three-layer Ono–Kondo (OK3) model is utilized to derive the temperature- and pressure-dependent APD coupling low-pressure nitrogen adsorption isotherms (LPNAI) and HPMAI. X-ray diffraction and organic geochemistry are combined to reveal the mineralogy. Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, Barrett–Joyner–Halenda, and Horvath–Kawazoe analyses via LPNAI are used to investigate the pore structures. Results show that APD increases with organic matter (OM) proxied by total organic carbon and decreases with clay minerals and the sum of quartz and feldspar. OM dramatically contributes to the APD as multiple-layer adsorption exists, and the APD for OM could be 1.4–8.5 times that for clay minerals. Other inorganic minerals contribute less to APD. The properties and constitution of the surface area instead of the volume fraction contribute to the APD in shales. APD does not show an obvious correlation with micropore volume, likely related to the ratio of micropore volume to the total pore volume. Here, we provide a significant and comprehensive study of petrological factors that impact the APD of subsurface shale gas, which will improve the estimation of supercritical adsorption and shale GIP under reservoir conditions. Also, the findings in this work can provide applications for subsurface carbon dioxide adsorption and storage.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

NASA NTRS1990

Integrated lunar materials manufacturing process

A manufacturing plant and process for production of oxygen on the moon uses lunar minerals as feed and a minimum of earth-imported, process materials. Lunar feed stocks are hydrogen-reducible minerals, ilmenite and lunar agglutinates occurring in numerous, explored locations mixed with other minerals in the pulverized surface layer of lunar soil known as regolith. Ilmenite (FeTiO.sub.3) and agglutinates contain ferrous (Fe.sup.+2) iron reducible by hydrogen to yield H.sub.2 O and metallic Fe at about 700.degree.-1,200.degree. C. The H.sub.2 O is electrolyzed in gas phase to yield H.sub.2 for recycle and O.sub.2 for storage and use. Hydrogen losses to lunar vacuum are minimized, with no net hydrogen (or any other earth-derived reagent) consumption except for small leaks. Feed minerals are surface-mined by front shovels and transported in trucks to the processing area. The machines are manned or robotic. Ilmenite and agglutinates occur mixed with silicate minerals which are not hydrogen-reducible at 700.degree.-1,200.degree. C. and consequently are separated and concentrated before feeding to the oxygen generation process. Solids rejected from the separation step and reduced solids from the oxygen process are returned to the mine area. The plant is powered by nuclear or solar power generators. Vapor-phase water electrolysis, a staged, countercurrent, fluidized bed reduction reactor and a radio-frequency-driven ceramic gas heater are used to improve thermal efficiency.

Gibson, Michael A.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Surface-induced brightness temperature variations and their effects on detecting thin cirrus clouds using IR emission channels in the 8-12 micrometer region

A method for detecting cirrus clouds in terms of brightness temperature differences between narrow bands at 8, 11, and 12 mu m has been proposed by Ackerman et al. (1990). In this method, the variation of emissivity with wavelength for different surface targets was not taken into consideration. Based on state-of-the-art laboratory measurements of reflectance spectra of terrestrial materials by Salisbury and D'Aria (1992), we have found that the brightness temperature differences between the 8 and 11 mu m bands for soils, rocks and minerals, and dry vegetation can vary between approximately -8 K and +8 K due solely to surface emissivity variations. We conclude that although the method of Ackerman et al. is useful for detecting cirrus clouds over areas covered by green vegetation, water, and ice, it is less effective for detecting cirrus clouds over areas covered by bare soils, rocks and minerals, and dry vegetation. In addition, we recommend that in future the variation of surface emissivity with wavelength should be taken into account in algorithms for retrieving surface temperatures and low-level atmospheric temperature and water vapor profiles.

Gao, Bo-Cai↗

DOE OSTI2022

Effects of Carbonic Acid-Rock Interactions on CO2/Brine Multiphase Flow Properties in the Upper Minnelusa Sandstones

Summary Carbon dioxide (CO2) injection into a deep saline aquifer can dissolve into formation brine and generate carbonic acid. The resulting acid can drive fluid-rock geochemical reactions. The impact of these fluid-rock geochemical reactions on porosity, permeability, and multiphase flow responses is relevant to the determination of CO2 storage capacity of deep saline aquifers. In this research, carbonic acid flooding experiments were performed on core samples consisting of poorly sorted, quartz-rich sand with laminated bedding from a possible CO2 storage target in northwest Wyoming. Complementary pre- and post-injection porosity and permeability, thin-section, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area, mercury intrusion capillary pressure (MICP), and time-domain nuclear magnetic resonance (TD-NMR) measurements were conducted. Overall, both core porosity and permeability increased after a 7-day carbonic acid injection, from 6.2 to 8.4% and 1.6 to 3.7 md, respectively. We attributed these changes to carbonate mineral dissolution, which was evidenced by the effluent brine geochemistry, pore-throat size distribution (PTSD), and BET surface area. To be more specific, within the more-permeable section of core samples containing larger pore size, the permeability increment is apparent due to dolomite mineral grains and cements dissolution. However, for the lower-permeability section corresponding to the smaller pore size, mineral precipitation possibly lessened dissolution effects, leading to insignificant petrophysical properties changes. Consequently, the observed heterogeneous carbonic acid-rock interactions resulted in alterations of CO2/brine relative permeability (i.e., the initial CO2 saturation decreased and the CO2 flow capacity was enhanced). This research provides a fundamental understanding regarding effects of fluid-rock reactions on changes in static and multiphase flow properties of eolian sandstones, which lays the foundation for more accurate prediction/simulation of CO2 injection into deep saline aquifers.

Engineering↗

DOE OSTI2020

Water-dispersible nanocolloids and higher temperatures promote the release of carbon from riparian soil

Increasing temperatures in alpine regions accompanied by glacial retreat is occurring rapidly due to climate change. This may affect riparian soils by increasing weathering rates, resulting in greater organic carbon (OC) release to rivers via movement of iron-containing colloids and nanonminerals. Increased concentrations of iron- or silcate-nanominerals would result in higher surface area for OC adsorption. To test the influence of temperature on OC leaching, we examined mineral weathering and nanocolloid facilitated release of OC through a series of controlled laboratory batch and column experiments using sediment from the banks of the Nisqually River, Mount Rainier in Washington State (USA). Additional experiments were conduscted using the same sediments, but with an illite amendment added to test the influence of additional surface area and nanominerals that many sediments along the Nisqually River contain. These higher- and lower-surface-area sediments (i.e., sediments with and with the illite amendment) were incubated for three months at 4 or 20 °C, followed by batch and column OC leaching tests. Results show that OC leaching rates for 20 °C were two to three times greater than for 4 °C. Further, our results suggest that nanocolloids are responsible for moving this increased OC load from these sediments. When hydrologically connected, OC is released from back sediments to rivers faster than presently anticipated in fluvial environments experiencing climate change-induced glacial retreat. Further, a one-dimensional, finite-element computational model developed for this study estimates that a 1 °C increase in temperature over a 3-mo summer runoff period increases the OC release rate from sediments by 79%.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2020

Synergistic enhancement of nanocellulose foam with dual in situ mineralization and crosslinking reaction

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) foams have recently gained research interests because they are renewable, abundant, biodegradable and exhibit high surface area. However, the application of CNCs-based foams is still challenging, which is attributed to its lack of effective entanglements between the CNCs particles, thus lowering foam properties. In this study, a synergistic enhancement strategy was proposed, based on the in situ mineralization with hydroxyapatite (HAP) layer onto the CNCs surface, followed by a chemical crosslinking reaction. The physical and chemical structures of the composites were analyzed with SEM, STEM, XRD, FTIR, and TGA. By controlling the amount of coated HAP and the crosslinker, it is possible to manufacture a series of CNCs-based foams that are lightweight (50–75 mg/cm 3 ), highly porous (~90%) with high water absorption (>1300%) and outstanding mechanical strength properties (as high as 1.37 MPa). Moreover, our study further indicated that these CNCs/HAP materials could increase the proliferation of rat osteoblast cells. The method developed in this study presents a novel approach to design improved networked CNCs foam, which has the potential to be used in thermal-retardant material, wastewater treatment, tissue engineering, and personal care applications.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

NASA NTRS1973

Fracture trends identified by ERTS-1 imagery in Utah and Nevada

The author has identified the following significant results. Structures clearly traceable through bed rock are considered most reliable. Continuity, however, is frequently traceable through ranges and across adjoining sedimentary basins where changes in drainage, erosion pattern, soil color, or vegetation suggest that the basin sediments are extremely sensitive to underlying structures. Many large and continuous trends, too smeared by erosion to be visible on the ground or from aircraft photos, become quite evident at the scale of the ERTS-1 images. The study was made with little regard for surface geology. The trends have been retraced to separate and unidirectional sets. These are now being related to surface geology, geophysical studies, volcanic and intrusive centers, and areas of mineralization.

Jensen, M. L.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Soluble minerals in chemical evolution. II - Characterization of the adsorption of 5-prime-AMP and 5-prime-CMP on a variety of soluble mineral salts

The adsorption of 5-prime-AMP and 5-prime-CMP is studied in the saturated solutions of several mineral salts as a function of pH, ionic strength, and surface area of the solid salt. It is suggested that the adsorption which results from the binding between the nucleotide molecule and the salt surface is due to electrostatic forces. The adsorption is reversible in nature and decreases with increasing ionic strength.

Chan, Stephen↗

NASA NTRS1993

The nanosphere iron mineral(s) in Mars soil

A series of surface-modified clays containing nanophase (np) iron/oxyhydroxides of extremely small particle sizes, with total iron contents as high as found in Mars soil, were prepared by iron deposition on the clay surface from ferrous chloride solution. Comprehensive studies of the iron mineralogy in these 'Mars-soil analogs' were conducted using chemical extractions, solubility analyses, pH and redox, x ray and electron diffractometry, electron microscopic imaging specific surface area and particle size determinations, differential thermal analyses, magnetic properties characterization, spectral reflectance, and Viking biology simulation experiments. The clay matrix and the procedure used for synthesis produced nanophase iron oxides containing a certain proportion of divalent iron, which slowly converts to more stable, fully oxidized iron minerals. The noncrystalline nature of the iron compounds precipitated on the surface of the clay was verified by their complete extractability in oxalate. Lepidocrocite (gamma-FeOOH) was detected by selected area electron diffraction. It is formed from a double iron Fe(II)/Fe(III) hydroxyl mineral such as 'green rust', or ferrosic hydroxide. Magnetic measurements suggested that lepidocrocite converted to the more stable meaghemite (gamma-Fe203) by mild heat treatment and then to nanophase hematite (aplha-Fe203) by extensive heat treatment. Their chemical reactivity offers a plausible mechanism for the somewhat puzzling observations of the Viking biology experiments. Their unique chemical reactivities are attributed to the combined catalytic effects of the iron oxide/oxyhydroxide and silicate phase surfaces. The mode of formation of these (nanophase) iron oxides on Mars is still unknown.

Banin, A.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Multidisciplinary applications of ERTS and Skylab data in Ohio

Experimental studies of ERTS-1 and Skylab earth resources data, in combination with correlative aircraft and on-site data, for environmental quality, land use, and resource management applications in Ohio show several areas of operational promise. Prime data use candidates demonstrated to date include definition and enforcement of surface mining (all minerals) legislation; Lake Erie modeling/management; land use classification and mapping studies at state, regional, and localized levels; and resources' inventories particularly of forested areas on both regional (multicounty) and localized scales.

Sweet, D. C.↗

NASA NTRS2015

Noctis Landing: A Proposed Landing Site/Exploration Zone for Human Missions to the Surface of Mars

The proposed Noctis Landing Site/Exploration Zone (LS/EZ) is shown in Figure 1. Our preliminary study suggests that the proposed site meets all key Science and Resources (incl. Civil Engineering) requirements. The site is of significant interest, as the EZ not only offers a large number and wide range of regions of interest (ROIs) for short-term exploration, it is also located strategically at the crossroads between Tharsis and Valles Marineris, which are key for long-term exploration. The proposed site contains Regions of Interest (ROIs) that meet the following Science requirements: -‐ Access to (1) deposits with a high preservation potential for evidence of past habitability and fossil biosignatures and (2) sites that are promising for present habitability. The site presents a wide variety of ROIs qith likely aqueous features and deposits, including sinous channels and valleys, slope gullies, lobate debris aprons, impact craters with lobate ejecta flows, and "bathtub ring" deposits. Neutron spectrometry also suggests hydrogen is present within the topmost 0.3 m or so of 4 to 10 wt% WEH (Water Equivalent Hydrogen). -‐ Noachian and/or Hesperian rocks in a stratigraphic context that have a high likelihood of containing trapped atmospheric gases. Collapsed canyon rim material with preserved stratigraphy is abundantly present and accessible. -‐ Exposures of at least two crustal units that have regional or global extents, that are suitable for radiometric dating, and that have relative ages that sample a significant range of martian geological time. Canyons floors in Ius Chasma, Tithonium Chasma, and plateau tops on Tharsis and in Sinai Planum offer access to distinct crustal units of regional extent. -‐ Access to outcrops with linked morphological and/or geochemical signatures indicative of aqueous or groundwater/ mineral interactions. Iron and sulfur-bearing deposits on canyon floors in Noctis Labyrinthus, and in Ius Chasma (IC) and Tithonium Chasma (TC) offer many such outcrop options. -‐ Identifiable stratigraphic contacts and cross-cutting relationships from which relative ages can be determined. In place and collapsed canyon walls in NL, TC, and IC offer such opportunities. -‐ Other types of ROIs include access points to surrounding plateau top areas for longer term regional exploration. A key attribute of the proposed Noctic Landing site is its strategic location to allow the shortest possible surface excusions to Tharsis and Valles Marineris (VM). VM is the feature and region on Mars that exposes the longest record of Mars' geology and evolution through time. Tharsis is the region of Mars that has experienced the longest and most extensive volcanic history, and might still be volcanically active. Some of the youngest lava flows on Mars have been identified on the western flanks of the Tharsis Bulge, i.e., within driving range of future longrange (500 - 1000 km) pressurized rover traverses. The proposed site also contains ROIs that offer the following Resources (incl. Civil Engineering) characteristics: -‐ Access to raw material that exhibits the potential to (1) be used as feedstock for water-generating in situ resource utilization (ISRU) processes and (2) yield significant quantities (greater than 100 MT) of water. The raw material is likely in the form of hydrated minerals, and possibly ice/regolith mix. The top of the raw material deposit is at the surface. -‐ Access to a region where infrastructure can be emplaced or constructed. This region is less than 5 km from the LS and contains flat, stable terrain. The region exhibits evidence for an abundant source of loose regolith. Several deep pits in the area combined with the availability of sand suggests that some natural terrain features can be adapted for construction purposes. -‐ Access to raw material that exhibits the potential to be used as metal feedstock for ISRU and construction purposes. Iron and sulfur-rich mineral surface deposits have been identified in CRISM data in many locations in this area. Noctis Landing is the lowest-altitude location on Mars that straddles both the Tharsis region (above average geothermal gradients) and Valles Marineris (minimal crustal thickness from surface (valley floor) to a subsurface liquid water table. Noctis Landing has the potential for being an ideal site for eventual deep drilling on Mars to access deep subsurface liquid water and potentially encountering extant life. Available data remains insufficient to fully qualify the Noctis Landing site. Additional remote sensing data (visible, Near and Mid-IR, and radar) and surface reconnaissance via a high-mobility robotic rover are recommended. In particular, it will be important to assess the trafficability of the site, and its potential for yielding water and metals as a resource. Access to plateau tops from the Noctis Landing site on the canyon floor should be demonstrated. Future exploration of the site would also be enhanced significantly by the availability of robotic (tele-operatable) surveying and sample-collecting drones. Testing of the use of such collaborative science and exploration technologies should be conducted at terrestrial sites such as the Haughton-Mars Project site on Devon Island, High Arctic, among others. Note: Noctis Landing is not an official Mars nomenclature name for this location. Because the area of the proposed LS/EZ had no name, and because it is close to Noctis Labyrinthus to the West while being distinct from it, the provisional name Noctis Landing is proposed. Noctis means night in Latin.

Lee, Pascal↗

NASA NTRS2018

Extraction of Water from Martian Regolith Simulant via Open Reactor Concept

To demonstrate proof of concept water extraction from simulated Martian regolith, an open reactor design is presented along with experimental results. The open reactor concept avoids sealing surfaces and complex moving parts. In an abrasive environment like the Martian surface, those reactor elements would be difficult to maintain and present a high probability of failure. A general lunar geotechnical simulant was modified by adding borax decahydrate (Na2B4O7·10H2O) (BDH) to mimic the ~ 3 percent water content of hydrated salts in near surface soils on Mars. A rotating bucket wheel excavated the regolith from a source bin and deposited the material onto an inclined copper tray, which was fitted with heaters and a simple vibration system. The combination of vibration, tilt angle and heat was used to separate and expose as much regolith surface area as possible to liberate the water contained in the hydrated minerals, thereby increasing the efficiency of the system. The experiment was conducted in a vacuum system capable of maintaining a Martian like atmosphere. Evolved water vapor was directed to a condensing system using the ambient atmosphere as a sweep gas. The water vapor was condensed and measured. Processed simulant was captured in a collection bin and weighed in real time. The efficiency of the system was determined by comparing pre- and post-processing soil mass along with the volume of water captured.

Trunek, Andrew J.↗

DOE OSTI2020

Microbially mediated iron redox cycling of subsurface sediments from Hanford Site, Washington State, USA

Iron-bearing clay minerals are predominant in soils and sediments, and they undergo oxidation-reduction cycles as a result of natural processes such as wetting/drying cycles and plant root respiration. However, the kinetics and mechanisms of multiple redox cycles of iron in clay-rich sediments and consequences of such cycling on sediment properties are poorly understood. The objective of this study was to understand how multiple redox cycles of Fe in clay-rich sediment affect the rate and extent of Fe bioreduction and the physicochemical properties of the sediment. A natural sediment sample containing Fe-bearing montmorillonite from Hanford, Washington, USA was size-fractionated [2.0 to 0.5 μm (Hanford-C) and 0.5 to 0.02 μm (Hanford-F)] and redox-cycled for four times. Bioreduction was achieved utilizing Geobacter sulfurreducens and re-oxidization was performed with sparged air. Time-course change of total Fe (II) was monitored to measure the rate and extent of Fe (III) bioreduction. Redox-cycled sediments were characterized to determine the physicochemical changes. Both the initial rate and extent of bioreduction fluctuated across the four redox cycles, but they ultimately decreased from 5.3 μmol g -1 h -1 and 22.9% to nearly zero by the fourth cycle. These fluctuation patterns were likely due to a combined effect of reductive dissolution of small/poorly crystalline clay particles (by 3–5%) and clay mineral structural changes, as evidenced by redox induced changes of aqueous chemistry, surface area, cation exchange capacity, mineralogy, and Mössbauer parameters. Once these small/poorly crystalline clay particles were dissolved, structural Fe in residual larger and more crystalline clay particles was largely reversible across additional redox cycles, as revealed by Mössbauer spectroscopy through the first three cycles.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗