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Publications

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Calibrated Landsat ETM+ nonthermal-band image mosaics of Afghanistan Calibrated Landsat ETM+ nonthermal-band image mosaics of Afghanistan

In 2005, the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Trade and Development Agency contracted with the U.S. Geological Survey to perform assessments of the natural resources within Afghanistan. The assessments concentrate on the resources that are related to the economic development of that country. Therefore, assessments were initiated in oil and gas, coal, mineral...
Authors
Philip A. Davis

Overview of the Opportunity Mars Exploration Rover Mission to Meridiani Planum: Eagle Crater to Purgatory Ripple Overview of the Opportunity Mars Exploration Rover Mission to Meridiani Planum: Eagle Crater to Purgatory Ripple

The Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity touched down at Meridiani Planum in January 2004 and since then has been conducting observations with the Athena science payload. The rover has traversed more than 5 km, carrying out the first outcrop‐scale investigation of sedimentary rocks on Mars. The rocks of Meridiani Planum are sandstones formed by eolian and aqueous reworking of sand grains...
Authors
S. W. Squyres, R. E. Arvidson, D. Bollen, J.F. Bell, J. Bruckner, N.A. Cabrol, W. M. Calvin, M. H. Carr, P. R. Christensen, B. C. Clark, L. Crumpler, D.J. Des Marais, C. D'Uston, T. Economou, J. Farmer, W.H. Farrand, W. Folkner, R. Gellert, T.D. Glotch, M. Golombek, S. Gorevan, J. A. Grant, R. Greeley, J. Grotzinger, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, S. Hviid, J. R. Johnson, G. Klingelhoefer, A.H. Knoll, G. Landis, M. Lemmon, Ron Li, M.B. Madsen, M.C. Malin, S. M. McLennan, H.Y. McSween, D. W. Ming, J. Moersch, R.V. Morris, T. Parker, J. W. Rice, L. Richter, R. Rieder, Christian Schroeder, M. Sims, M. Smith, P. Smith, Laurence A. Soderblom, R. Sullivan, N.J. Tosca, H. Wänke, T. Wdowiak, M. Wolff, A. Yen

Topomapping of Mars with HRSC Images, ISIS, and a commercial stereo workstation Topomapping of Mars with HRSC Images, ISIS, and a commercial stereo workstation

We demonstrate that the freely available USGS planetary cartography software package ISIS and the commercial photogrammetric software SOCET SET jointly provide a complete environment for the processing of Mars Express High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) images. Capabilities include bundle adjustment, automated production and interactive editing of stereo digital terrain models (DTMs)...
Authors
Randolph L. Kirk, Elpitha Howington-Kraus, Donna M. Galuszka, Bonnie L. Redding, Trent M. Hare

Abstracts of the Annual Meeting of Planetary Geologic Mappers, Nampa, Idaho 2006 Abstracts of the Annual Meeting of Planetary Geologic Mappers, Nampa, Idaho 2006

Approximately 18 people attended this year's mappers meeting, and many more submitted abstracts and maps in absentia. The meeting was held on the campus of Northwest Nazarene University (NNU), and was graciously hosted by NNU's School of Health and Science. Planetary mapper Dr. Jim Zimbelman is an alumnus of NNU, and he was pivotal in organizing the meeting at this location. Oral and...
Authors
Kenneth L. Tanaka, R. Stephen Saunders

Heat-producing elements in the lunar mantle: Insights from ion microprobe analyses of lunar pyroclastic glasses Heat-producing elements in the lunar mantle: Insights from ion microprobe analyses of lunar pyroclastic glasses

We provide new estimates for the abundance of heat-producing elements in the lunar mantle by using SIMS techniques to measure the concentrations of thorium and samarium in lunar pyroclastic glasses. Lunar pyroclastic glasses are utilized in this study because they represent quenched products of near-primary melts from the lunar mantle and as such, they provide compositional information...
Authors
Justin Hagerty, Charles K. Shearer, David Vaniman

Refined thorium abundances for lunar red spots: Implications for evolved, nonmare volcanism on the Moon Refined thorium abundances for lunar red spots: Implications for evolved, nonmare volcanism on the Moon

We have used improved knowledge of the spatial distribution of thorium (Th) on the lunar surface, in conjunction with a forward modeling analysis of Lunar Prospector gamma ray data, to estimate the thorium abundances of lunar red spots. The results from this study can be combined with preexisting compositional and morphologic evidence to suggest that Hansteen Alpha, the Gruithuisen domes...
Authors
Justin Hagerty, D. J. Lawrence, B. R. Hawke, D. T. Vaniman, R.C. Elphic, William C. Feldman

Overview of the Microscopic Imager Investigation during Spirit's first 450 sols in Gusev crater Overview of the Microscopic Imager Investigation during Spirit's first 450 sols in Gusev crater

The Microscopic Imager (MI) on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit has returned images of Mars with higher resolution than any previous camera system, allowing detailed petrographic and sedimentological studies of the rocks and soils at the Gusev landing site. Designed to simulate a geologist's hand lens, the MI is mounted on Spirit's instrument arm and can resolve objects 0.1 mm in size...
Authors
Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, Steve W. Squyres, Robert Anderson, Brent A. Archinal, Raymond E. Arvidson, Janet M. Barrett, Kris J. Becker, James F. Bell, Charles Budney, Nathalie A. Cabrol, Mary G. Chapman, Debbie Cook, Bethany L. Ehlmann, Jack Farmer, Brenda Franklin, Lisa R. Gaddis, Donna M. Galuszka, Patricia A. Garcia, Trent M. Hare, Elpitha Howington-Kraus, Jeffrey R. Johnson, Sarah Johnson, Kjartan M Kinch, Randolph L. Kirk, Ella M. Lee, Craig Leff, Mark T. Lemmon, Madsen Morten B., Justin N. Maki, Kevin F. Mullins, Bonnie L. Redding, Lutz Richter, Mark R. Rosiek, Michael H. Sims, Laurence A. Soderblom, Nicole Spanovich, Richard Springer, Robert M. Sucharski, Tracie L. Sucharski, Robert Sullivan, James M. Torson, Albert S. Yen

Overview of the Spirit Mars Exploration Rover mission to Gusev Crater: Landing site to Backstay Rock in the Columbia Hills Overview of the Spirit Mars Exploration Rover mission to Gusev Crater: Landing site to Backstay Rock in the Columbia Hills

Spirit landed on the floor of Gusev Crater and conducted initial operations on soil‐covered, rock‐strewn cratered plains underlain by olivine‐bearing basalts. Plains surface rocks are covered by wind‐blown dust and show evidence for surface enrichment of soluble species as vein and void‐filling materials and coatings. The surface enrichment is the result of a minor amount of transport...
Authors
R. E. Arvidson, S. W. Squyres, R. C. Anderson, J. F. Bell, D. Blaney, J. Bruckner, N.A. Cabrol, W. M. Calvin, M. H. Carr, P. R. Christensen, B. C. Clark, L. Crumpler, D. J. Des Marais, P.A. De Souza, C. D'Uston, T. Economou, J. Farmer, W. H. Farrand, W. Folkner, M. Golombek, S. Gorevan, J. A. Grant, R. Greeley, J. Grotzinger, E. Guinness, B.C. Hahn, L. Haskin, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, J.A. Hurowitz, S. Hviid, J. R. Johnson, G. Klingelhoefer, A. H. Knoll, G. Landis, C. Leff, M. Lemmon, R. Li, M.B. Madsen, M.C. Malin, S. M. McLennan, H.Y. McSween, D. W. Ming, J. Moersch, R.V. Morris, T. Parker, J. W. Rice, L. Richter, R. Rieder, D.S. Rodionov, C. Schroder, M. Sims, M. Smith, P. Smith, Laurence A. Soderblom, R. Sullivan, S.D. Thompson, N.J. Tosca, A. Wang, H. Wänke, J. Ward, T. Wdowiak, M. Wolff, A. Yen

Development of the Moon Development of the Moon

No abstract available.
Authors
Michael B. Duke, Lisa R. Gaddis, G. Jeffrey Taylor, Harrison H. Schmitt

Identifying the effects of petrologic processes in a closed basaltic system using trace element concentrations in olivines and glasses: Implications for comparative planetology Identifying the effects of petrologic processes in a closed basaltic system using trace element concentrations in olivines and glasses: Implications for comparative planetology

We use trace-element concentrations in olivines and glasses from a closed basaltic system to identify the effects of petrologic processes on the trace-element record of that system. The closed basaltic system in question is the Makaopuhi Lava Lake (MLL), which is closed with respect to magma mixing. Detailed studies of this lava lake have provided important information about system...
Authors
Justin Hagerty, Charles K. Shearer, David Vaniman, Paul V. Burger

Remote sensing studies of the Dionysius region of the Moon Remote sensing studies of the Dionysius region of the Moon

The Dionysius region is located near the western edge of Mare Tranquillitatis and is centered on Dionysius crater, which exhibits a well-developed dark ray system. Proposed origins for these dark rays included impact melt deposits and dark primary ejecta. The region also contains extensive deposits of Cayley-type light plains. Clementine multispectral images and a variety of spacecraft...
Authors
Thomas A. Giguere, B. Ray Hawke, Lisa R. Gaddis, David T. Blewett, J. J. Gillis-Davis, Paul G. Lucey, G.A. Smith, P. D. Spudis, G.J. Taylor

Alkaline volcanic rocks from the Columbia Hills, Gusev crater, Mars Alkaline volcanic rocks from the Columbia Hills, Gusev crater, Mars

Irvine, Backstay, and Wishstone are the type specimens for three classes of fine-grained or fragmental, relatively unaltered rocks with distinctive thermal emission spectra, found as float on the flanks of the Columbia Hills. Chemical analyses indicate that these rocks are mildly alkaline basalt, trachybasalt, and tephrite, respectively. Their mineralogy consists of Na- and K-rich...
Authors
H.Y. McSween, S. W. Ruff, R.V. Morris, J.F. Bell, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, Ralf Gellert, K.R. Stockstill, L.L. Tornabene, S. W. Squyres, J.A. Crisp, P. R. Christensen, T.J. McCoy, D. W. Mittlefehldt, M. Schmidt
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