Publications
Filter Total Items: 964
A critical gap: In situ measurements of surface-atmosphere interactions from outside earth A critical gap: In situ measurements of surface-atmosphere interactions from outside earth
This white paper demonstrates five points: (1) The lack of robust measurements of the vertical gradients of natural boundary layers and transport fluxes on other planetary bodies precludes adequate estimation of aeolian and other meteorological processes throughout our Solar System (§1). (2) Thus, there exist critical knowledge gaps within high-priority planetary science questions that...
Authors
Serina Diniega, Devon M. Burr, Colin M. Dundas, Brian Jackson, Michael Mischna, Scot Rafkin, Isaac B. Smith, Robert Sullivan, Timothy N. Titus, Nathalie Vriend, Ian J. Walker, Kaj E. Williams
Summary of the final report from the Ice and Climate Evolution Science Analysis group (ICE-SAG) Summary of the final report from the Ice and Climate Evolution Science Analysis group (ICE-SAG)
The Ice and Climate Evolution Science Analysis Group (ICE-SAG) was convened by the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG) in fall 2018, with the aims of (1) identifying and prioritizing fundamental science questions related to the recent and ongoing evolution of Mars volatiles and climate, and (2) exploring new mission approaches that could address these high-priority science...
Authors
Serina Diniega, Nathaniel E. Putzig, Shane Byrne, Wendy M. Calvin, Colin M. Dundas, Lori K. Fenton, Paul O. Hayne, David M H Baker, John W Holt, Christine S. Hvidberg, Melinda Kahre, Michael Mischna, Gareth A Morgan, Dorothy Oehler, Ganna Portyankina, A. Deanne Rogers, Hanna G Sizemore, Isaac B. Smith, Alejandro Soto, Leslie Tamppari, Timothy N. Titus, Chris Webster
The Preventing Harassment in Science workshop: Summary and best practices for planetary science and astrobiology The Preventing Harassment in Science workshop: Summary and best practices for planetary science and astrobiology
The NASA-funded Preventing Harassment in Science workshop took place in June of 2020. Here we describe the workshop and summarize the best practices for reducing harassment that were discussed. We include a list of recommendations that can be used to take steps towards reducing harassment in the planetary science and astrobiology community.
Authors
Kristen A. Bennett, Maggie McAdam, Moses Milazzo, Patricia A. Garcia, Jenna L. Shelton, Peggy J. Gardiner, Serina Diniega, Catalina Martinez, Alexandra B. Etheridge, Alicia Rutledge, C. Richey
The Mars Orbiter for Resources, Ices, and Environments (MORIE) science goals and instrument trades in radar, imaging, and spectroscopy The Mars Orbiter for Resources, Ices, and Environments (MORIE) science goals and instrument trades in radar, imaging, and spectroscopy
The Mars Orbiter for Resources, Ices, and Environments (MORIE) was selected as one of NASA's 2019 Planetary Mission Concept Studies. The mission builds upon recent discoveries and current knowledge gaps linked to two primary scientific questions: (1) when did elements of the cryosphere form and how are ice deposits linked to current, recent, and ancient climate, and (2) how does the...
Authors
Wendy M. Calvin, Nathaniel E. Putzig, Colin M. Dundas, Ali M Bramson, Briony H. N. Horgan, Kim D Seelos, Hanna G Sizemore, Bethany L. Ehlmann, Gareth A Morgan, John W Holt, Scott L. Murchie, G Wesley Patterson
Alternating wet and dry depositional environments recorded in the stratigraphy of Mt Sharp at Gale Crater, Mars Alternating wet and dry depositional environments recorded in the stratigraphy of Mt Sharp at Gale Crater, Mars
The Curiosity rover is exploring Hesperian-aged stratigraphy in Gale crater, Mars, where a transition from clay-bearing units to a layered sulfate-bearing unit has been interpreted to represent a major environmental transition of unknown character. We present the first description of key facies in the sulfate-bearing unit, recently observed in the distance by the rover, and propose a...
Authors
William Rapin, Gilles Dromart, Dave Rubin, Laticia Le Deit, Nicolas Mangold, Lauren A. Edgar, Olivier Gasnault, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, S. Lemouelic, Ryan B. Anderson, S. Maurice, V. Fox, B. L. Ehlmann, J. L. Dickson, R. C. Wiens
Diagenesis revealed by fine-scale features at Vera Rubin ridge, Gale crater, Mars Diagenesis revealed by fine-scale features at Vera Rubin ridge, Gale crater, Mars
Fine-scale (submillimeter to centimeter) depositional and diagenetic features encountered during the Curiosity rover's traverse in Gale crater provide a means to understand the geologic history of Vera Rubin ridge (VRR). VRR is a topographically high feature on the lower north slope of Aeolis Mons, a 5-km high stratified mound within Gale crater. We use high-spatial resolution images...
Authors
Kristen A. Bennett, Frances Rivera-Hernandez, Connor Tinker, Briony H. N. Horgan, Deirdra M. Fey, C. S. Edwards, Lauren A. Edgar, Rachel Kronyak, Kenneth S. Edgett, Abigail A. Fraeman, Linda C. Kah, Marie Henderson, Nathan Stein, Erwin Dehouck, Amy Williams
Mars Astrobiological Cave and Internal habitability Explorer (MACIE): A New Frontiers mission concept Mars Astrobiological Cave and Internal habitability Explorer (MACIE): A New Frontiers mission concept
Martian subsurface habitability and astrobiology can be evaluated via a lava tube cave, without drilling. MACIE addresses two key goals of the Decadal Survey (2013–2022) and three MEPAG goals. New advances in robotic architectures, autonomous navigation, target sample selection, and analysis will enable MACIE to explore the Martian subsurface.
Authors
C. M. Phillips-Lander, A. Agha-mohamamdi, J. J. Wynne, Timothy N. Titus, N. Chanover, C. Demirel-Floyd, Kyle Uckert, Kaj E. Williams, D Wyrick, J. Blank, Penelope J. Boston, K. Mitchell, A Kereszturi, J. Martin-Torres, S. Shkolyar, N. Bardabelias, S. Datta, K. Retherford, Lydia Sam, A. Bahardwaj, A. Fairen, D. Flannery, Roger C. Wiens
A rock record of complex aeolian bedforms in a Hesperian desert landscape: The Stimson formation as exposed in the Murray Buttes, Gale Crater, Mars A rock record of complex aeolian bedforms in a Hesperian desert landscape: The Stimson formation as exposed in the Murray Buttes, Gale Crater, Mars
Lithified aeolian strata encode information about ancient planetary surface processes and the climate during deposition. Decoding these strata provides insight regarding past sediment transport processes, bedform kinematics, depositional landscape, and the prevailing climate. Deciphering these signatures requires a detailed analysis of sedimentary architecture to reconstruct dune...
Authors
Steve G. Banham, Sanjeev Gupta, David M. Rubin, Kenneth S. Edgett, Robert Barnes, Jason K. Van Beek, Jessica A. Watkins, Lauren A. Edgar, Christopher M. Fedo, Rebecca M. E. Williams, Kathryn M. Stack, John P. Grotzinger, Kevin Lewis, Ryan C. Ewing, Mackenzie D. Day, Ashwin R. Vasavada
The role of the Next Generation Lunar Scientists and Engineers (NextGen) group in lunar science and exploration The role of the Next Generation Lunar Scientists and Engineers (NextGen) group in lunar science and exploration
Founded in 2008, the Next Generation Lunar Scientists and Engineers (NextGen) is a group of students and early career professionals who have a vision and passion for lunar science and exploration. NextGen organizes professional development opportunities through workshops and networking events that are designed to provide resources and training for scientists and engineers so that they...
Authors
Ryan Watkins, Lillian R. Ostrach, Sarah Valencia, Amanda Stadermann, Lora Bleacher, Noah E. Petro, Tess Caswell, Amy Fagan, Erica Jawin, Heather Meyer, Deanna Phillips, Hannah O’Brien
Airborne dust plumes lofted by dislodged ice blocks at Russell Crater, Mars Airborne dust plumes lofted by dislodged ice blocks at Russell Crater, Mars
Linear dune gullies on poleward-facing Martian slopes are enigmatic. Formation by CO2-ice block or snow cornice falls has been proposed based on optical imagery of bright, high-albedo features inside gully channels. Because these features often resemble patchy frost residue rather than three-dimensional blocks, more evidence is needed to support the ice-block formation mechanism...
Authors
Cynthia L. Dinwiddie, Timothy N. Titus
Airborne dust plumes lofted by dislodged ice blocks at Russell crater, Mars Airborne dust plumes lofted by dislodged ice blocks at Russell crater, Mars
Linear dune gullies on poleward‐facing Martian slopes are enigmatic. Formation by CO2‐ice block or snow cornice falls has been proposed based on optical imagery of bright, high‐albedo features inside gully channels. Because these features often resemble patchy frost residue rather than three‐dimensional blocks, more evidence is needed to support the ice‐block formation mechanism...
Authors
Cynthia Dinwiddie, Timothy N. Titus
The Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mast camera zoom (Mastcam-Z) multispectral, stereoscopic imaging investigation The Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mast camera zoom (Mastcam-Z) multispectral, stereoscopic imaging investigation
Mastcam-Z is a multispectral, stereoscopic imaging investigation on the Mars 2020 mission’s Perseverance rover. Mastcam-Z consists of a pair of focusable, 4:1 zoomable cameras that provide broadband red/green/blue and narrowband 400-1000 nm color imaging with fields of view from 25.6° × 19.2° (26 mm focal length at 283 μrad/pixel) to 6.2° × 4.6° (110 mm focal length at 67.4 μrad/pixel)...
Authors
J. F. Bell, J. N. Maki, G. L. Mehall, M. A. Ravine, M. A. Caplinger, Z. J. Bailey, S. Brylow, J. A. Schaffner, K. M. Kinch, M. B. Madsen, A. Winhold, A. G. Hayes, P. Corlies, C. Tate, M. Barrington, E. Cisneros, E. Jensen, Katy L. Parise, Kelon Crawford, C. Rojas, L. Mehall, J. Joseph, J. B. Proton, N. Cluff, R. G. Deen, B. Betts, Edward A. Cloutis, A. J. Coates, Anthony Colaprete, K. S. Edgett, B. L. Ehlmann, Sarah A. Fagents, J. P. Grotzinger, C. Hardgrove, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, Briony H. N. Horgan, R. Jaumann, J. R. Johnson, M. T. Lemmon, G. Paar, M Caballo-Perucha, S. Gupta, C Traxler, F. Preusker, M. S. Rice, M. S. Robinson, N. Schmitz, R. Sullivan, M. J. Wolff