Publications
Filter Total Items: 960
Aeolian processes at the Mars Exploration Rover Meridiani Planum landing site Aeolian processes at the Mars Exploration Rover Meridiani Planum landing site
The martian surface is a natural laboratory for testing our understanding of the physics of aeolian (wind-related) processes in an environment different from that of Earth. Martian surface markings and atmospheric opacity are time-variable, indicating that fine particles at the surface are mobilized regularly by wind. Regolith (unconsolidated surface material) at the Mars Exploration...
Authors
R. Sullivan, D. Banfield, J.F. Bell, W. Calvin, D. Fike, M. Golombek, R. Greeley, J. Grotzinger, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, D. Jerolmack, M. Malin, D. Ming, Laurence A. Soderblom, S. W. Squyres, S. Thompson, W.A. Watters, C.M. Weitz, A. Yen
An integrated view of the chemistry and mineralogy of martian soils An integrated view of the chemistry and mineralogy of martian soils
The mineralogical and elemental compositions of the martian soil are indicators of chemical and physical weathering processes. Using data from the Mars Exploration Rovers, we show that bright dust deposits on opposite sides of the planet are part of a global unit and not dominated by the composition of local rocks. Dark soil deposits at both sites have similar basaltic mineralogies, and...
Authors
A. S. Yen, Ralf Gellert, C. Schroder, R.V. Morris, J.F. Bell, A.T. Knudson, B. C. Clark, D. W. Ming, J.A. Crisp, R. E. Arvidson, D. Blaney, J. Bruckner, P. R. Christensen, D.J. DesMarais, P.A. De Souza, T.E. Economou, A. Ghosh, B.C. Hahn, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, L.A. Haskin, J.A. Hurowitz, B.L. Joliff, J. R. Johnson, G. Klingelhofer, M.B. Madsen, S. M. McLennan, H.Y. McSween, L. Richter, R. Rieder, D. Rodionov, Laurence A. Soderblom, S. W. Squyres, N.J. Tosca, A. Wang, M. Wyatt, J. Zipfel
The Zamama-Thor region of Io: Insights from a synthesis of mapping, topography, and Galileo spacecraft data The Zamama-Thor region of Io: Insights from a synthesis of mapping, topography, and Galileo spacecraft data
We have studied data from the Galileo spacecraft's three remote sensing instruments (Solid-State Imager (SSI), Near-Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (NIMS), and Photopolarimeter-Radiometer (PPR)) covering the Zamama–Thor region of Io's antijovian hemisphere, and produced a geomorphological map of this region. This is the third of three regional maps we are producing from the Galileo...
Authors
David A. Williams, Laszlo P. Keszthelyi, Paul M. Schenk, Moses P. Milazzo, Rosaly Lopes, Julie A. Rathbun, Ronald Greeley
Thermal infrared and visual observations of a water ice lag in the Mars southern summer Thermal infrared and visual observations of a water ice lag in the Mars southern summer
We present thermal infrared and visual evidence for the existence of water ice lags in the early southern summer. The observed H2O‐ice lags lay in and near a chasma and appears to survive between 6–8 sols past the sublimation of the CO2. Possible sources of the H2O that compose the lag are (1) atmospheric H2O that is incorporated into the seasonal cap during condensation, (2) cold...
Authors
Timothy N. Titus
THEMIS VIS and IR observations of a high-altitude Martian dust devil THEMIS VIS and IR observations of a high-altitude Martian dust devil
The Mars Odyssey Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) imaged a Martian dust devil in both visible and thermal-infrared wavelengths on January 30, 2004. We believe this is the first documented infrared observation of an extraterrestrial dust devil, and the highest to be directly observed at more than 16 kilometers above the equatorial geoid of Mars. This dust devil measured over 700...
Authors
Glen Cushing, Timothy N. Titus, Phillip R. Christensen
Mars exploration rover geologic traverse by the spirit rover in the plains of Gusev crater, Mars Mars exploration rover geologic traverse by the spirit rover in the plains of Gusev crater, Mars
The Spirit rover completed a 2.5 km traverse across gently sloping plains on the floor of Gusev crater from its location on the outer rim of Bonneville crater to the lower slopes of the Columbia Hills, Mars. Using the Athena suite of instruments in a transect approach, a systematic series of overlapping panoramic mosaics, remote sensing observations, surface analyses, and trenching...
Authors
L.S. Crumpler, S. W. Squyres, R. E. Arvidson, J.F. Bell, D. Blaney, N.A. Cabrol, P. R. Christensen, D.J. DesMarais, J.D. Farmer, R. Fergason, M.P. Golombek, F.D. Grant, J. A. Grant, R. Greeley, B. Hahn, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, J.A. Hurowitz, A.T. Knudson, G. A. Landis, R. Li, J. Maki, H.Y. McSween, D. W. Ming, J.E. Moersch, M.C. Payne, J.W. Rice, L. Richter, S. W. Ruff, M. Sims, S.D. Thompson, N. Tosca, A. Wang, P. Whelley, S.P. Wright, M.B. Wyatt
Provenance and diagenesis of the evaporite-bearing Burns formation, Meridiani Planum, Mars Provenance and diagenesis of the evaporite-bearing Burns formation, Meridiani Planum, Mars
Impure reworked evaporitic sandstones, preserved on Meridiani Planum, Mars, are mixtures of roughly equal amounts of altered siliciclastic debris, of basaltic provenance (40 ± 10% by mass), and chemical constituents, dominated by evaporitic minerals (jarosite, Mg-, Ca-sulfates ± chlorides ± Fe-, Na-sulfates), hematite and possibly secondary silica (60 ± 10%). These chemical constituents...
Authors
S. M. McLennan, J.F. Bell, W. M. Calvin, P. R. Christensen, B. C. Clark, P.A. de Souza, J. Farmer, W. H. Farrand, D.A. Fike, Ralf Gellert, A. Ghosh, T.D. Glotch, J.P. Grotzinger, B. Hahn, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, J.A. Hurowitz, J. R. Johnson, S.S. Johnson, B. Jolliff, G. Klingelhofer, A.H. Knoll, Z. Learner, M. C. Malin, H.Y. McSween, J. Pocock, S. W. Ruff, Laurence A. Soderblom, S. W. Squyres, N.J. Tosca, W.A. Watters, M.B. Wyatt, A. Yen
A microphysically-based approach to modeling emissivity and albedo of the martian seasonal caps A microphysically-based approach to modeling emissivity and albedo of the martian seasonal caps
A new model of albedo and emissivity of the martian seasonal caps represented as porous CO2 slabs containing spherical voids and dust particles is described. In the model, a radiative transfer model is coupled with a microphysical model in order to link changes in albedo and emissivity to changes in porosity caused by ice metamorphism. The coupled model is capable of reproducing temporal...
Authors
Janusz Eluszkiewicz, Jean-Luc Moncet, Timothy N. Titus, Gary B. Hansen
Pitted cones and domes on Mars: Observations in Acidalia Planitia and Cydonia Mensae using MOC, THEMIS, and TES data Pitted cones and domes on Mars: Observations in Acidalia Planitia and Cydonia Mensae using MOC, THEMIS, and TES data
Domes and cones with summit pits located in Acidalia Planitia and Cydonia Mensae were studied using MOC and THEMIS images and a TES‐derived thermal inertia map. North of 40.5°N latitude, the features have a dome‐like morphology, and south of that latitude, the morphology is more cone‐like. Layering is apparent in the summit craters of fresher looking southern cones, and asymmetric aprons...
Authors
William H. Farrand, Lisa R. Gaddis, Laszlo P. Keszthelyi
Albedo of the south pole on Mars determined by topographic forcing of atmosphere dynamics Albedo of the south pole on Mars determined by topographic forcing of atmosphere dynamics
The nature of the martian south polar cap has remained enigmatic since the first spacecraft observations. In particular, the presence of a perennial carbon dioxide ice cap, the formation of a vast area of black ‘slab ice’ known as the Cryptic region and the asymmetric springtime retreat of the cap have eluded explanation. Here we present observations and climate modelling that indicate...
Authors
Anthony Colaprete, Jeffrey R. Barnes, Robert M. Haberle, Jeffery L. Hollingsworth, Hugh H. Kieffer, Timothy N. Titus
Water alteration of rocks and soils on Mars at the Spirit rover site in Gusev crater Water alteration of rocks and soils on Mars at the Spirit rover site in Gusev crater
Gusev crater was selected as the landing site for the Spirit rover because of the possibility that it once held a lake. Thus one of the rover's tasks was to search for evidence of lake sediments. However, the plains at the landing site were found to be covered by a regolith composed of olivine-rich basaltic rock and wind-blown 'global' dust. The analyses of three rock interiors exposed...
Authors
L.A. Haskin, A. Wang, B.L. Jolliff, H.Y. McSween, B. C. Clark, D.J. Des Marais, S. M. McLennan, N.J. Tosca, J.A. Hurowitz, J.D. Farmer, A. Yen, S. W. Squyres, R. E. Arvidson, G. Klingelhofer, C. Schroder, P.A. De Souza, D. W. Ming, Ralf Gellert, J. Zipfel, J. Bruckner, J.F. Bell, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, P. R. Christensen, S. Ruff, D. Blaney, S. Gorevan, N.A. Cabrol, L. Crumpler, J. Grant, L. Soderblom
Evidence from Opportunity’s Microscopic Imager for water on Meridiani Planum Evidence from Opportunity’s Microscopic Imager for water on Meridiani Planum
The Microscopic Imager on the Opportunity rover analyzed textures of soils and rocks at Meridiani Planum at a scale of 31 micrometers per pixel. The uppermost millimeter of some soils is weakly cemented, whereas other soils show little evidence of cohesion. Rock outcrops are laminated on a millimeter scale; image mosaics of cross-stratification suggest that some sediments were deposited...
Authors
Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, S. W. Squyres, R. Arvidson, D.S. Bass, J. F. Bell, P. Bertelsen, B. L. Ehlmann, W. Farrand, Lisa R. Gaddis, R. Greeley, J. Grotzinger, A. G. Hayes, S.F. Hviid, J. R. Johnson, B. Jolliff, K.M. Kinch, A. H. Knoll, M.B. Madsen, J.N. Maki, S. M. McLennan, H.Y. McSween, D. W. Ming, J. W. Rice, L. Richter, M. Sims, P. H. Smith, Laurence A. Soderblom, Nicole Spanovich, R. Sullivan, S. Thompson, T. Wdowiak, C. Weitz, P. Whelley