Publications
Filter Total Items: 960
Brine-driven destruction of clay minerals in Gale crater, Mars Brine-driven destruction of clay minerals in Gale crater, Mars
Mars’ sedimentary rock record preserves information on geological (and potential astrobiological) processes that occurred on the planet billions of years ago. The Curiosity rover is exploring the lower reaches of Mount Sharp, in Gale crater on Mars. A traverse from Vera Rubin ridge to Glen Torridon has allowed Curiosity to examine a lateral transect of rock strata laid down in a martian...
Authors
T. F. Bristow, John P. Grotzinger, E. Rampe, J. Cuadros, S. J. Chipera, G. Downs, Christopher M. Fedo, Jens Frydenvang, A. C. McAdam, R. V. Morris, C. N. Achilles, D. F. Blake, N. Castle, P. Craig, D. J. Des Marais, R. T. Downs, R. M. Hazen, D. W. Ming, S. M. Morrison, M. T. Thorpe, A. H. Treiman, V. Tu, D. T. Vaniman, A. S. Yen, R. Gellert, P. R. Mahaffy, Roger C. Wiens, A. B. Bryk, Kristen A. Bennett, V. K. Fox, R. E. Milliken, Abigail A. Fraeman, A. R. Vasavada
Active Mars: A dynamic world Active Mars: A dynamic world
Mars exhibits diverse surface changes at all latitudes and all seasons. Active processes include impact cratering, aeolian sand and dust transport, a variety of slope processes, changes in polar ices, and diverse effects of seasonal CO2 frost. The extent of surface change has been surprising and indicates that the present climate is capable of reshaping the surface. Activity has...
Authors
Colin M. Dundas, Patricio Becerra, Shane Byrne, Matthew Chojnacki, Ingrid J. Daubar, Serina Diniega, Candice J. Hansen, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, Margaret E. Landis, Alfred S. McEwen, Ganna Portyankina, Adomas Valantinas
Improving ChemCam LIBS long-distance elemental compositions using empirical abundance trends Improving ChemCam LIBS long-distance elemental compositions using empirical abundance trends
The ChemCam instrument on the Curiosity rover provides chemical compositions of Martian rocks and soils using remote laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). The elemental calibration is stable as a function of distance for Ti, Fe, Mg, and Ca. The calibration shows small, systematically increasing abundance trends as a function of distance for Al, Na, K, and to some extent, Si. The...
Authors
Roger C. Wiens, A. J. Blazon-Brown, N. Melikechi, J. Frydenvang, E. Dehouck, S. M. Clegg, D. Delapp, Ryan B. Anderson, A. Cousin, S. Maurice
Further adventures in Mars DTM quality: Smoothing errors, sharpening details Further adventures in Mars DTM quality: Smoothing errors, sharpening details
We have used high-precision, high-resolution digital terrain models (DTMs) of the NASA Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) and Mars 2020 rover landing sites based on mosaicked images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (MRO HiRISE) camera as a reference data set to evaluate DTMs based on Mars Express High Resolution Stereo Camera (MEX HRSC) images...
Authors
Randolph L. Kirk, David Mayer, Bonnie L. Redding, Donna M. Galuszka, Robin L. Fergason, Trent M. Hare, Klaus Gwinner
A roadmap for planetary caves science and exploration A roadmap for planetary caves science and exploration
While researchers have pondered the possibility of extraterrestrial caves for more than 50 years, we have now entered the incipient phase of planetary caves exploration. Our knowledge of planetary caves varies from body to body. Earth represents the most advanced level of exploration, but many unanswered questions remain. Beyond Earth, identification of possible caves is most advanced...
Authors
Timothy N. Titus, J. Judson Wynne, Michael J. Malaska, Ali-akbar Agha-Mohammadi, Peter Buhler, E. Calvin Alexander, James W. Ashley, Armando Azua-Bustos, Penelope J. Boston, Debra L. Buczkowski, Leroy Chiao, Glen E. Cushing, John DeDecker, Pablo de Leon, Cansu Demirel-Floyd, Jo de Waele, Alberto G. Fairen, Amos Frumkin, Gary L. Harris, Heather Jones, Laura H. Kerber, Erin J. Leonard, Richard J. Leveille, Kavya Manyapu, Matteo Massironi, Ana Z. Miller, John E. Mylroie, Bogdan P. Onac, Scott E. Parazynski, Cynthia B. Phillips, Charity M. Phillips-Lander, Thomas H. Prettyman, Haley M. Sapers, Francesco Sauro, Norbert Schorghofer, Dirk Schulze-Makuch, Jennifer Scully, Kyle Uckert, Robert V. Wagner, William L. Whittaker, Kaj E. Williams, Uland Y. Wong
Quantification of manganese for ChemCam Mars and laboratory spectra using a multivariate model Quantification of manganese for ChemCam Mars and laboratory spectra using a multivariate model
We report a new calibration model for manganese using the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy instrument that is part of the ChemCam instrument suite onboard the NASA Curiosity rover. The model has been trained using an expanded set of 523 manganese-bearing rock, mineral, metal ore, and synthetic standards. The optimal calibration model uses the Partial Least Squares (PLS) and Least...
Authors
Patrick J. Gasda, Ryan B. Anderson, A. Cousin, O. Forni, S. M. Clegg, A. Ollila, Nina L. Lanza, S Lamm, Roger C. Wiens, Sylvestre Maurice, Olivier Gasnault, R. Beal, A. Reyes-Newell, D. Delapp
Introduction: Does water flow on Martian slopes? Introduction: Does water flow on Martian slopes?
No abstract available.
Authors
Colin M. Dundas, Susan J. Conway, David E Stillman
Dry formation of recent Martian slope features Dry formation of recent Martian slope features
Martian surface conditions are cold and dry, unfavorable for liquid water, yet steep slopes display young and currently active features suggestive of wet processes. These include recurring slope lineae and slope streaks, gully landforms, and small lobate features. Wet origins for these features would imply surprising amounts of liquid water at the surface. However, detailed observations...
Authors
Colin M. Dundas
Mars science helicopter: Compelling science enabled by an aerial platform Mars science helicopter: Compelling science enabled by an aerial platform
This whitepaper describes two conceptual vehicle designs, including possible tradeoffs within those designs, which would enable a wide array of innovative science investigations. In addition to describing vehicle capabilities, flight characteristics, and the breadth of enabled science for the two helicopter designs, we also introduce three mission concepts that showcase investigations...
Authors
Jonathan Bapst, Timothy J Parker, J Balaram, T Tzanetos, L. H. Matthies, C D Edwards, Aaron Freeman, S Withrow-Maser, W. Carter Johnson, E Amador-French, Janice L. Bishop, Ingrid J. Daubar, Colin M. Dundas, Abigail A. Fraeman, Christopher W. Hamilton, C. Hardgrove, Briony H. N. Horgan, C. W. Leung, Y. Lin, A Mittelholz, B. P. Weiss
Aeolian processes and landforms across the Solar System: Science and technology requirements for the next decade Aeolian processes and landforms across the Solar System: Science and technology requirements for the next decade
Discussions of planetary atmospheric-surface interactions (including aeolian processes and phenomena and the resulting landforms) are often tied to a specific planetary body. Considering this, a series of workshops were initiated in 2008 to facilitate an interdisciplinary and interplanetary body approach to further our understanding of aeolian processes, phenomena, and landforms (Titus...
Authors
Timothy N. Titus, S. Diniega, L.K. Fenton, Lynn Neakrase, J. Nienhuis, J Radebaugh, Kaj E. Williams, James R. Zimbelman
Science and technology requirements to explore caves in our Solar System Science and technology requirements to explore caves in our Solar System
We are in the incipient phase of exploring the subterranean realm of our Solar System. Planetary caves research offers interdisciplinary, cross-planetary body investigations spanning geology, climatology, astrobiology, robotics, and human use. Caves are of great importance in advancing our understanding of planetary processes and the search for life beyond Earth. Given these advances, a...
Authors
Timothy N. Titus, Janna Wynne, P. J. Boston, P. de Leon, C. Demirel-Floyd, H Jones, Francesco Sauro, Kyle Uckert, Ali-akbar Agha-Mohammadi, E. Calvin Alexander, James W. Ashley, Armando Azua-Bustos, Leroy Chiao, Glen E. Cushing, J DeDecker, Alberto G. Fairen, A Frumkin, Jo de Waele, Gary L. Harris, Laura A. Kerber, Richard J. Leveille, Michael J. Malaska, Kavya Manyapu, Matteo Massironi, Ana Z. Miller, John E. Mylroie, Bogdan P. Onac, Scott Parazynski, Charity Phillips-Lander, Thomas Prettyman, Haley Sapers, Norbert Schorghofer, Dirk Schulze-Makuch, Red Whittaker, Kaj E. Williams, Uland Wong
Planetary defense preparedness: Identifying the potential for post-asteroid impact time delayed and geographically displaced hazards Planetary defense preparedness: Identifying the potential for post-asteroid impact time delayed and geographically displaced hazards
A considerable amount of effort has been done to quantify impact effects from the impact of an asteroid. The effects usually considered are: blast, overpressure shock, thermal radiation, cratering, seismic shaking, ejecta, and tsunami (e.g. Hills & Goda, 1993; Collins et al., 2005, Rumpf et al., 2017). These first-order effects typically are localized in time and diminish with increased...
Authors
Timothy N. Titus, D. G. Robertson, Joel B. Sankey