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At least 127 records · Page 7

Mechanical Abrasion as a Low Cost Technique for Contamination-Free Sample Acquisition from a Category IVA Clean Platform

The proposed Mars Sample Transfer Chain Architecture provides Planetary Protection Officers with clean samples that are required for the eventual release from confinement of the returned Martian samples. At the same time, absolute cleanliness and sterility requirement is not placed of any part of the Lander (including the deep drill), Mars Assent Vehicle (MAV), any part of the Orbiting Sample container (OS), Rover mobility platform, any part of the Minicorer, Robotic arm (including instrument sensors), and most of the caching equipment on the Rover. The removal of the strict requirements in excess of the Category IVa cleanliness (Pathfinder clean) is expected to lead to significant cost savings. The proposed architecture assumes that crosscontamination renders all surfaces in the vicinity of the rover(s) and the lander(s) contaminated. Thus, no accessible surface of Martian rocks and soil is Earth contamination free. As a result of the latter, only subsurface samples (either rock or soil) can be and will be collected for eventual return to Earth. Uncontaminated samples can be collected from a Category IVa clean platform. Both subsurface soil and rock samples can be maintained clean if they are collected by devices that are self-contained and clean and sterile inside only. The top layer of the sample is removed in a manner that does not contaminate the collection tools. Biobarrier (e.g., aluminum foil) covering the moving parts of these devices may be used as the only self removing bio-blanket that is required. The samples never leave the collection tools. The lids are placed on these tools inside the collection device. These single use tools with the lid and the sample inside are brought to Earth in the OS. The lids have to be designed impenetrable to the Earth organisms. The latter is a well established art.

Dolgin, B.↗

The Influence of Abrasion on Martian Dust Grains: Evidence from a Study of Antigorite Grains

Grinding was shown to greatly affect the structure and a number of properties of antigorite grains in a study by Drief and Nieto. Grinding is likely to influence the structure of most clay mineral grains and has been shown recently to influence the structure of kaolinite. The antigorite structure includes curved waves of layered silicate as shown by D dony et al.. Our study was performed in order to characterize in detail changes in the mineral grains resulting from grinding and to assess the influence of physical processes on clay minerals on the surface of Mars. This project includes a combination of SEM, reflectance spectroscopy and Moessbauer spectroscopy.

Bishop, Janice L.↗

Measurements of the Coefficient of Restitution of Quartz Sand on Basalt: Implications for Abrasion Rates on Earth and Mars

Knowledge of the rates at which rocks abrade from the impact of saltating sand provides important input into estimating the age and degree of modification of arid surfaces on Earth and Mars. Previous work has relied on measuring mass loss rates in the field and the laboratory. The susceptibility of rocks and other natural materials has been quantified on a relative scale from laboratory studies.

Banks, M.↗

Protective, Abrasion-Resistant Coatings With Tailorable Properties

Because of their light weight and impact resistance, transparent plastic structures are becoming increasingly desirable for use not only on aircraft but also in terrestrial applications such as automotive windshields and ophthalmic lenses. However, plastics are typically soft and scratch readily, reducing their transparency with use. At the NASA Lewis Research Center, reactively deposited aluminum oxide coatings as thin as 12,000 angstroms have been demonstrated to provide improved resistance to most scratches encountered during normal use. The properties of the coating can be adjusted to tailor the surface to meet other needs, such as water shedding. These adjustments can be made during the deposition process so that multiple manufacturing steps are eliminated.

Source record↗

Multi-wafer slicing with a fixed abrasive

A wafering machine having a multiplicity of wire cutting blades supported by a bladehead reciprocally moving past a workpiece supported by a holder that rocks about an axis perpendicular to the wires at a frequency less than the reciprocation of the bladehead.

Schmid, Frederick↗

Dust Abrasion Damage on Martian Solar Arrays: Experimental Investigation and Opportunity Rover Performance Analysis

Here we investigate the effects of erosion and weathering that occur on III-V cover-glass interconnected cells (CICs) after exposure to Mars dust storm conditions. The durability of these materials in a Martian environment is not well characterized so we perform analogous experimentation. To replicate the dust impingement, test coupons were placed in an enclosure and sandblasted with Mars dust simulant. We show the J-V response dependency on both incident angle and exposure times. We find that the simulated Martian dust storm often results in damage to the anti-reflective coating and subsequent reduced short circuit current. Reduction in the open circuit voltage is observed, likely caused by structural damage to the crystal lattice after CIC fracture. We employ data-driven modeling to determine a performance degradation rate that is consistent with zero within uncertainty. We also quantify the soiling contribution and power degradation of the photovoltaic cells on Mars through analysis of 4.95 Martian years of report-out power conditions from the Opportunity rover. We find that atmospheric dust suspended due to a weather event does not result in instantaneous settled dust on the PV cells. We calculate via autocorrelation function that the dust settling rate is approximately 21 Sols from atmospheric dust suspension. The findings presented here deliver a realistic approximation for the insolation values and subsequent PV power expected over time on the Martian surface thus informing future dust abatement systems.

McMillon-Brown, Lyndsey↗

Dust Abrasion Damage on Martian Solar Arrays: Experimental Investigation and Opportunity Rover Performance Analysis

Here we investigate the effects of erosion and weathering that occur on III-V cover-glass interconnected cells (CICs) after exposure to Mars dust storm conditions. The durability of these materials in a Martian environment is not well characterized so we perform analogous experimentation. To replicate the dust impingement, test coupons were placed in an enclosure and sandblasted with Mars dust simulant. We show the J-V response dependency on both incident angle and exposure times. We find that the simulated Martian dust storm often results in damage to the anti-reflective coating and subsequent reduced short circuit current. Reduction in the open circuit voltage is observed, likely caused by structural damage to the crystal lattice after CIC fracture. We employ data-driven modeling to determine a performance degradation rate that is consistent with zero within uncertainty. We also quantify the soiling contribution and power degradation of the photovoltaic cells on Mars through analysis of 4.95 Martian years of report-out power conditions from the Opportunity rover. We find that atmospheric dust suspended due to a weather event does not result in instantaneous settled dust on the PV cells. We calculate via autocorrelation function that the dust settling rate is approximately 21 Sols from atmospheric dust suspension. The findings presented here deliver a realistic approximation for the insolation values and subsequent PV power expected over time on the Martian surface thus informing future dust abatement systems.

McMillon-Brown, Lyndsey↗

Martian Dust Abrasion Damage on Solar Arrays: HALT Experimental Investigation and Opportunity Rover Performance Analysis

We explored the utility of ground-based highly accelerated life testing (HALT) on epitaxial lift-off (ELO) triple-junction coverglass interconnected cells (CICs) after exposure to simulated Martian dust storms. Dust storm impingement was replicated by sandblasting CICs with Mars dust simulant replicating conditions similar to the weather conditions reported by the Viking landers. We observed that even in cases when there are no observable open circuit voltage (VOC) losses, the minority carrier lifetime is reduced. Short circuit current (JSC) losses can be recovered upon cleaning, suggesting JSC losses are not linked to permanent damage, like cell cracking. This suggests a permanent degradation could be determined by quantifying the difference between recoverable and non-recoverable power loss. We mined field data from the Mars Exploration Rover, Opportunity and extracted a degradation rate to compare to our experimental data. We found exceptional agreement between 4.9 Martian years of mined field data (9.4%) and the irreversible damage observed in our HALT experiment (9.7%). We demonstrate that the laboratory method for exposing CICs to Martian dust storm conditions well represents the physical reality of long duration CIC operation on Mars.

Lyndsey McMillon-Brown↗

The XPS depth profiling and tribological characterization of ion-plated gold on various metals

Friction properties were measured with a gold film; the graded interface between gold and nickel substrate; and the nickel substrate. All sliding was conducted against hard silicon carbide pins in two processes. In the adhesive process, friction arises primarily from adhesion between sliding surfaces. In the abrasion process, friction occurs as a result of the hard pin sliding against the film, indenting into it, and plowing a series of grooves. Copper and 440 C stainless steel substrates were also used. Results indicate that the friction related to both adhesion and abrasion is influenced by coating depth. The trends in friction behavior as a function of film depth are, however, just the opposite. The graded interface exhibited the highest adhesion and friction, while the graded interface resulted in the lowest abrasion and friction. The coefficient of friction due to abrasion is inversely related to the hardness. The greater the hardness of the surface, the lower is the abrasion and friction. The microhardness in the graded interface exhibited the highest hardness due to an alloy hardening effect. Almost no graded interface between the vapor-deposited gold film and the substrates was detected.

Miyoshi, K.↗

Erosion and transport of eolian materials on Mars

An abrasion chamber was constructed to produce grain to grain impacts and to eliminate, as far as possible, grain to wall impact. Quartz, basalt, olivine, and volcanic ash were used as abrasives to determine particle longevity on Mars during eolian abrasion. The various abrasion velocities, measured velocity or particles, calculated velocity of collision, time during which abrasion took place, the charge (material) in grams, and the percent remaining after completion are tabulated. The tests show that if coarse sand-sized particles of the composition presumably present on Mars are moved at the wind velocities given, almost complete destruction can occur in geologically insignificant time periods. Grain to rock collisions are not necessary for almost complete destruction; grain to grain collisions are sufficient.

Krinsley, D.↗

Assessing Organic Preservation and the Implications for Potential Biosignatures in the Bastide Member of the Séítah Formation, Jezero Crater

Introduction: Olivine has the highest CO2 trapping potential of ultramafic minerals, due to its rapid rate of dissolution and high percentage of divalent cations/unpolymerized silicate tetrahedra [1]. It generates divalent carbonates from CO2 and sequesters CO2 into the mineral matrix of the target lithology. The co-occurrence of olivine and carbonate within abraded targets from the Bastide Member of the Séítah Formation (Fm) of the Jezero crater floor [2] suggests the carbonation of olivine occurred within the mineral matrix hosted in a subsurface system. Hydrothermal origins for the subsurface system are hypothesized from orbital data [3]. This is supported by the detection of hydration features within the rock as well as the carbonate features are solely detected within the abrasion patch but not the rock’s surface. Organic preservation potential of abrasion patches: We incorporated the SHERLOC/WATSON results acquired from the Dourbes, Garde, and Quartier abrasion patches in the Séítah Fm to investigate the organomineral associations, and determine the biosignature preservation potential of these rocks. Dourbes is dominated by olivine and has minor amounts of carbonate, hydrated Ca-sulfate, and amorphous or microcrystalline silicate. Fluorescence features (330-340 nm) are detected in discrete locales and could be consistent with double ring aromatic organic molecules; yet, these features do not appear to be associated with an identified mineral phase. Dark subhedral to euhedral olivine grains within the Garde abrasion patch often co-occur with carbonate-consistent spectral signatures in all analyzed scans. The availability of Fe2+ is a known influence on olivine dissolution rates [1] and SuperCam estimates of the olivine composition (Forsterite-60 average for Sols 202-234) may thereby provide a constraint on the carbonation extent. Carbonated olivine phenocrysts within the matrix may be due to aqueous alteration, as the carbonation of nodules is consistent with observations in other hydrothermal systems and within Martian meteorites (ALH84001) [4]. In comparison, the Quartier abrasion patch represents an extensively altered endmember within the Bastide Member of the Séítah Fm. It contains a fluorescence doublet at 305/325 nm that coexists with multiple species of Na-sulfate and Mg-sulfate, Mg-carbonates, olivine [5]. Aqueous alteration and implications for habitability: The identification of primary and secondary mineral phases observed in the Bastide Member suggests the release of cations from primary ultramafic minerals through aqueous alteration. Within Garde, the carbonate detected appears to be Mg-rich and likely formed from the in situ alteration of Mg-rich olivine within the region as carbonate has only been detected within the rock via in situ analysis. Carbonates derived from abiotic and biotic reactions preserve biosignatures (i.e. indices of habitability) on Earth. The detected carbonate phase found in association with fluorescent features within the rock matrix may also indicate potential organic compounds preserved in a putative hydrothermal system. Fluorescent features (~330 nm) are unique to Garde and Dourbes, though they are co-located to carbonate signatures solely within Garde, and between the light toned minerals. Identification of these fluorescent features may be consistent with 1-2 ring aromatic compounds. The limit of detection for Raman is multiple orders of magnitude greater than the limit of detection required for fluorescence [6]. Implications for provenance: Hydrothermal systems represent disequilibrium chemical conditions that are hypothesized to have supported the emergence of life and also preserve ancient carbon within precipitated carbonates [7]. Hydrothermal system associated carbonates are capable of preserving biosignatures up to an estimated ~3.77 – 4.28 Gya [8]. Thus, carbonated olivine found within the Séítah Fm may represent a high-potential biosignature preserving environment on Mars. The formation of carbonates by an aqueous alteration process, such as carbonation of olivine is also consistent with hypotheses for carbonate within the greater regional-olivine bearing unit [2,3], which contains Garde, Dourbes, and Quartier. Acknowledgments: This work was carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, The California Institute of Technology under a contract from NASA. References: [1] Wood et al., (2019) ES&T, 6, 10. [2] Stack, K. et al., (2020) Space Sci Rev, 216, 127. [3] Tarnas, J. et al., (2021) JGR: Planets, 126, 11. [4] Steele et al., (2007) Meteorit. Planet. Sci., 42, 9. [5] Murphy, A.E. et al., (2022) LPSC [6] Bhartia et al., (2021) Space Sci Rev, 217, 58. [7] Luther (2021) GRL, 48, e2021GL094869. [8] Dodd et al., (2017) Nature, 543, 60-64

E L Cardarelli↗

Wear-Resistance Investigations on Ceramic Coatings for Lunar Dust Mitigation

Lunar dust has posed a major challenge to exploration efforts due to abrasion and impact. This work focuses on fundamental studies on ceramic coatings as candidates for enhanced resistance to impact and wear. As a first step, standard and modified approaches to the method of abrasion testing were explored for options to incorporate lunar regolith as wear media, the effects of which were presented for AL6061-T6 control samples. Following this, wear results for air plasma-sprayed (APS) alumina coatings were investigated due to their superior strength and surface hardness. In addition, APS 8 wt % yttria-stabilized zirconia (8YSZ) coatings were studied for their strength and martensitic transformation toughness. Measurements were made by assessing the mass loss, with a standard scale at various intervals. In addition, surface roughness was measured with a profilometer and features identified with a high-resolution microscope. The findings demonstrated that wear media has a distinct effect on the abrasion. The alumina coatings demonstrated improved wear over 8YSZ. However, the tailorability of 8YSZ makes it an attractive option to continue to modify as a wear-resistant coating to protect against lunar dust abrasion. The results of these measurements provide insight into the wear behavior of future directions in candidate ceramic coatings for the harsh lunar environment.

ceramic coatings↗