Astrogeology Science Center
Publications
Evaluating stereo DTM quality at Jezero Crater, Mars with HRSC, CTX, and HiRISE images
We have used a high-precision, high-resolution digital terrain model (DTM) of the NASA Mars 2020 rover Perseverance landing site in Jezero crater based on mosaicked images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (MRO HiRISE) camera as a reference dataset to evaluate DTMs based on Mars Express High...
Kirk, Randolph L.; Fergason, Robin L.; Redding, Bonnie L.; Galuszka, Donna M.; Smith, Ethan; Mayer, David; Hare, Trent M.; Gwinner, Klaus Ancient Martian aeolian sand dune deposits recorded in the stratigraphy of Valles Marineris and implications for past climates
Aeolian sediment transport, deposition, and erosion have been ongoing throughout Mars's history. This record of widespread aeolian processes is preserved in landforms and geologic units that retain important clues about past environmental conditions including wind patterns. In this study we describe landforms within Melas Chasma, Valles Marineris...
Chojnacki, Matthew; Fenton, Lori K.; Weintraub, Aaron R; Edgar, Lauren A.; Jodhpurkar, Mohini Jeetendra; Edwards, Christopher S. A global shape model for Saturn's moon Enceladus from a dense photogrammetric control network
A planetary bodys global shape provides both insight into its geologic evolution, and a key element of any Planetary Spatial Data Infrastructure (PSDI). NASAs Cassini mission to Saturn acquired more than 600 moderate- to high-resolution images (< 500 m/pixel) of the small, geologically active moon Enceladus. The moons internal global ocean and...
Bland, Michael T.; Weller, Lynn A.; Mayer, David; Archinal, Brent Evidence for a diagenetic origin of Vera Rubin Ridge, Gale Crater, Mars: Summary and synthesis of Curiosity's exploration campaign
This paper provides an overview of the Curiosity rover's exploration at Vera Rubin ridge and summarizes the science results. Vera Rubin ridge (VRR) is a distinct geomorphic feature on lower Aeolis Mons (informally known as Mt. Sharp) that was identified in orbital data based on its distinct texture, topographic expression, and association with a...
Fraeman, Abigail A.; Edgar, Lauren A.; Rampe, Elizabeth B.; Thompson, Lucy M.; Frydenvang, Jens; Fedo, Christopher M.; Catalano, Jeff G.; Dietrich, William E.; Gabriel, Travis S. J.; Grotzinger, John P.; L'Haridon, Jonas; Mangold, Nicholas; Sun, Vivian Z.; House, Christopher H; Bryk, Alexander; Hardgrove, Craig; Czarnecki, Sean; Stack, Kathryn M.; Morris, Richard V.; Arvidson, Ray E.; Banham, Steve G.; Bennett, Kristen Alicia; Bridges, Jon C.; Edwards, Christopher S.; Fischer, Woodward W.; Fox, Valerie K.; Gupta, Sanjeev; Horgan, Briony H. N.; Jacob, Sammantha R.; Johnson, Jeffrey R.; Johnson, Sarah S.; Rubin, David R.; Salvatore, Mark R; Schwenzer, Susanne P.; Siebach, Kirsten L.; Stein, Nathan T.; Turner, Stuart; Wellington, Danika F.; Wiens, Roger C.; Williams, Amy J.; Davidson, G.A.; Wong, Gregory M. The chemostratigraphy of the Murray formation and role of diagenesis at Vera Rubin ridge in Gale crater, Mars, as observed by the ChemCam instrument
Geochemical results are presented from Curiosity’s exploration of the Vera Rubin ridge (VRR), in addition to the full chemostratigraphy of the predominantly lacustrine mudstone Murray formation up to and including VRR. VRR is a prominent ridge flanking Aeolis Mons (informally Mt. Sharp), the central mound in Gale crater, Mars, and was a key area...
Frydenvang, Jens; Mangold, Nicholas; Wiens, Roger C.; Fraeman, Abigail A.; Edgar, Lauren A.; Fedo, Christopher M.; L'Haridon, Jonas; Bedford, Candice C.; Gupta, Sanjeev; Grotzinger, John P.; Bridges, Jon C.; Clark, Ben C.; Rampe, Elizabeth B.; Gasnaut, Olivier; Maurice, Sylvestre; Gasda, Patrick J.; Lanza, Nina L.; Olilla, Ann M.; Meslin, Pierre-Yves; Payre, Valerie; Calef, Fred J.; Salvatore, Mark R; House, Christopher H Conceptual model for the removal of cold-trapped H2O ice on the Mars northern seasonal springtime polar cap
The transport of H2O ice along the retreating north polar seasonal CO2 ice cap has previously been modeled and observed. Spectral observations show that H2O ice forms on the interior of the seasonal cap, while thermal observations show these regions to be consistent with CO2 ice. Prior to the sublimation of the seasonal CO2, the observed...
Titus, Timothy N.; Williams, Kaj; Cushing, Glen E. A newly emerging thermal area in Yellowstone
Yellowstone is a large restless caldera that contains many dynamic thermal areas that are the surface expression of the deeper magmatic system. In 2018, using a Landsat 8 nighttime thermal infrared image, we discovered the emergence of a new thermal area located near Tern Lake on the northeast margin of the Sour Creek dome. A high-spatial-...
Vaughan, R. Greg; Hungerford, Jefferson; Keller, Bill Sparse subsurface radar reflectors in Hellas Planitia, Mars
Geomorphological features potentially related to subsurface ice, such as scalloped depressions, expanded craters, pedestal craters, and banded terrain, are present in and around Hellas Planitia, Mars. We present a radar survey of the region using the Shallow Radar (SHARAD) instrument on board the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) to identify...
Cook, Claire W; Bramson, Ali M; Byrne, Shane; Holt, John W; Christoffersen, Michael S; Viola, Donna; Dundas, Colin M.; Goudge, Timothy A The Mars Global Digital Dune Database (MGD3): Composition and stability
We present an expansion to the Mars Global Digital Dune Database (MGD3) describing 1) bulk dune field composition determined by fitting a mineral spectral library to Thermal Emission Spectra (TES) data, and 2) a morphologic stability index that measures the degree of non-aeolian modification that has eroded and stabilized each dune field. This...
Fenton, Lori K.; Gullikson, Amber; Hayward, Rosalyn; Charles, Heather; Titus, Timothy N. Disk-integrated thermal properties of Ceres measured at the millimeter wavelengths
We observed Ceres at three epochs in 2015 November and 2017 September and October with Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) 12 m array and in 2017 October with the ALMA Compact Array (ACA), all at ~265 GHz continuum (wavelengths of ~1.1 mm) to map the temperatures of Ceres over a full rotation at each epoch. We also used 2017...
Li, Jian-Yang; Moullet, Arielle; Titus, Timothy N.; Hsieh, Henry H.; Sykes, Mark V. An aeolian grainflow model for Martian Recurring Slope Lineae
Recurring Slope Lineae (RSL) on Mars have been enigmatic since their discovery; their behavior resembles a seeping liquid but sources of water remain puzzling. This work demonstrates that the properties of RSL are consistent with observed behaviors of Martian and terrestrial aeolian processes. Specifically, RSL are well-explained as flows of sand...
Dundas, Colin M. Present-day mass wasting in sulfate-rich sediments in the equatorial regions of Mars
Present-day topographic changes are observed on steep slopes in equatorial regions of Mars that are associated with sulfate-rich sediments. Hydrated sulfates are known to be present in many sedimentary deposits on Mars. We document volume changes in the form of mass movements and gullies over these regions. We have estimated erosion rates of ~12...
Thomas, Melissa F; McEwen, Alfred S.; Dundas, Colin M.