Publications
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Apophis specific action team report Apophis specific action team report
This report about Asteroid (99942) Apophis's Earth close approach on April 13, 2029 was generated by a Specific Action Team (SAT) formed by the Small Body Assessment Group (SBAG) at the request of NASAs Planetary Science Division (PSD). The SAT assessed the current predictions for the effects that may occur due to the close encounter, evaluated observing capabilities, and identified...
Authors
J. L. Dotson, M. Brozovic, S. Chesley, S. Jarmak, N. Moskovitz, A. Rivkin, P. Sanchez, D. Souami, Timothy N. Titus
Planetary caves: A Solar System view of processes and products Planetary caves: A Solar System view of processes and products
We provide the first solar system wide compendium of speleogenic processes and products. An examination of 15 solar system bodies revealed that six cave-forming processes occur beyond Earth including volcanic (cryo and magmatic), fracturing (tectonic and impact melt), dissolution, sublimation, suffusion, and landslides. Although no caves (i.e., confirmed entrances with associated linear...
Authors
J. Judson Wynne, John E. Mylroie, Timothy N. Titus, Michael J. Malaska, Debra L. Buczkowski, Peter B. Buhler, Paul K. Byrne, Glen E. Cushing, Ashley Gerard Davies, Amos Frumkin, Candice Hansen-Koharcheck, Victoria Hiatt, Jason D. Hofgartner, Trudi Hoogenboom, Ulyana Horodyskyj, Kynan H. G. Hughson, Laura A. Kerber, Margaret E. Landis, Erin J. Leonard, Elodie Lesage, Alice Lucchetti, Matteo Massironi, Karl L. Mitchell, Luca Penasa, Cynthia B. Phillips, Riccardo Pozzobon, Jani Radebaugh, Francesco Sauro, Robert V. Wagner, Thomas R. Watters
Largest recent impact craters on Mars: Orbital imaging and surface seismic co-investigation Largest recent impact craters on Mars: Orbital imaging and surface seismic co-investigation
Two 130+ meter diameter impact craters formed on Mars during the later half of 2021. These are the two largest fresh impact craters discovered by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter since operations started 16 years ago. The impacts created two of the largest seismic events (magnitudes greater than 4) recorded by InSight during its three year mission. The combination of orbital imagery and...
Authors
Lilia Posiolova, P Lognonne, W B Banerdt, John Clinton, Gareth S Collins, Taichi Kawamura, S Ceylan, Ingrid J. Daubar, B Fernando, M Froment, D Giardini, Michael C. Malin, Katarina Miljkovic, Simon C Stahler, Z. George Xue, Maria E Banks, E Beucler, Bruce A Cantor, C. Charalambous, N Dahmen, Paul W. Davis, Cesar M. Duran, M. Drilleau, Colin M. Dundas, F Euchner, R F Garcia, Matthew P. Golombek, Anna Horleston, C Keegan, Abdul S. Khan, D. Kim, C Larmat, Ralph D. Lorenz, L Margerin, S Menina, Mark Panning, C Pardo, C Perrin, W T Pike, M Plasman, A Rajsic, Lucie Rolland, E Rougier, Gunnar Speth, Aymeric Spiga, Alexander E. Stott, David Susko, N Teanby, A Valeh, A. Werynski, N Wojcicka, G Zenhausern
It’s time for focused in situ studies of planetary surface-atmosphere interactions It’s time for focused in situ studies of planetary surface-atmosphere interactions
A critical gap in planetary observations has been in situ characterization of extra-terrestrial, present-day atmospheric and surface environments and activity. While some surface activity has been observed and some in situ meteorological measurements have been collected by auxiliary instruments on Mars, existing information is insufficient to conclusively characterize the natural...
Authors
Serina Diniega, Nathan Barba, Louis Giersch, Brian Jackson, Alejandro Soto, Don Banfield, Mackenzie D. Day, Gary Doran, Colin M. Dundas, Michael Mischna, Scot Rafkin, Isaac B. Smith, Rob Sullivan, Christy Swann, Timothy N. Titus, Ian J. Walker, Jacob Widmer, Devon M. Burr, Lukas Mandrake, Nathalie Vriend, Kaj E. Williams
Mars Science Laboratory CheMin data from the Glen Torridon region and the significance of lake-groundwater interactions in interpreting mineralogy and sedimentary history Mars Science Laboratory CheMin data from the Glen Torridon region and the significance of lake-groundwater interactions in interpreting mineralogy and sedimentary history
The Glen Torridon (GT) region is positioned in terrains with strong clay mineral signatures, as inferred from orbital spectroscopy. The GT campaign confirmed orbital distinctions with in situ measurements by the Mars Science Laboratory rover, Curiosity, and the CheMin X-ray diffraction instrument with of some of the highest clay mineral abundances to date. Additionally, GT is unique...
Authors
Michael T. Thorpe, T. F. Bristow, E. Rampe, Nicholas Tosca, John P. Grotzinger, Kristen A. Bennett, C. N. Achilles, D. F. Blake, S. J. Chipera, G. Downs, R. T. Downs, S. M. Morrison, V. Tu, N. Castle, P. Craig, D. J. Des Marais, R. M. Hazen, D. W. Ming, R. V. Morris, A. H. Treiman, D. T. Vaniman, A. S. Yen, A. R. Vasavada, Erwin Dehouck, J. Bridges, J.O. Berger, Amy McAdam, T. Peretyazhko, K. Siebach, A. B. Bryk, V. F. Fox, Christopher M. Fedo
Sedimentary organics in Glen Torridon, Gale Crater, Mars: Results from the SAM instrument suite and supporting laboratory analyses Sedimentary organics in Glen Torridon, Gale Crater, Mars: Results from the SAM instrument suite and supporting laboratory analyses
The Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) suite instrument on board NASA's Curiosity rover has characterized the inorganic and organic chemical composition of seven samples from the Glen Torridon (GT) clay-bearing unit. A variety of organic molecules were detected with SAM using pyrolysis (up to ∼850°C) and wet chemistry experiments coupled with evolved gas analysis (EGA) and gas chromatography...
Authors
Maeva Millan, Amy Williams, Amy McAdam, Jennifer Eigenbrode, A. Steele, C Freissinet, D. P. Glavin, C. Szopa, A. Buch, Roger E. Summons, J. M. T. Lewis, G. M. Wong, C. H. House, B. Sutter, O. McIntosh, A. B. Bryk, H. B. Franz, C. Pozarycki, J. C. Stern, R. Navarro-Gonzalez, R. H. Williams, D. P. Archer, V. Fox, Kristen A. Bennett, S. Teinturier, C. Malespin, S. S. Johnson, P. R. Mahaffy
Geology and stratigraphic correlation of the Murray and Carolyn Shoemaker formations across the Glen Torridon region, Gale crater, Mars Geology and stratigraphic correlation of the Murray and Carolyn Shoemaker formations across the Glen Torridon region, Gale crater, Mars
The Glen Torridon (GT) region within Gale crater, Mars, occurs in contact with the southern side of Vera Rubin ridge (VRR), a well-defined geomorphic feature that is comparatively resistant to erosion. Prior to detailed ground-based investigation of GT, its geologic relationship with VRR was unknown. Distinct lithologic subunits within the Jura member (Murray formation), which forms the...
Authors
Christopher M. Fedo, Alexander Bryk, Lauren A. Edgar, Kristen A. Bennett, Valerie K. Fox, William E. Dietrich, Steve G. Banham, Sanjeev Gupta, Kathryn M. Stack, Rebecca Williams, John P. Grotzinger, Nathan Stein, Dave Rubin, Gwenael Caravaca, Ray E. Arvidson, Madison N Hughes, Abigail A. Fraeman, Ashwin R. Vasavada, Juergen Schieber, Brad Sutter
Aqueously altered igneous rocks sampled on the floor of Jezero crater, Mars Aqueously altered igneous rocks sampled on the floor of Jezero crater, Mars
The Perseverance rover landed in Jezero crater, Mars, to investigate ancient lake and river deposits. We report observations of the crater floor, below the crater’s sedimentary delta, finding the floor consists of igneous rocks altered by water. The lowest exposed unit, informally named Séítah, is a coarsely crystalline olivine-rich rock, which accumulated at the base of a magma body. Fe...
Authors
K.A. Farley, K.M. Stack, D.L. Shuster, B.H.N. Horgan, J.A. Hurowitz, J. D. Tarnas, J.I. Simon, V.Z. Sun, E.L. Scheller, K.R. Moore, S.M. McLennan, P.M. Vasconcelos, R. C. Wiens, A.H. Treiman, L.E. Mayhew, O. Beyssac, T.V. Kizovski, N. J. Tosca, K.H. Williford, L.S. Crumpler, L.W. Beegle, J.F. Bell III, B.L. Ehlmann, Y. Liu, J.N. Maki, M. E. Schmidt, A.C. Allwood, H.E.F. Amundsen, R. Ghartia, T. Bosak, A.J. Brown, B. C. Clark, A. Cousin, O. Forni, Travis S.J. Gabriel, Y. Goreva, S. Gupta, S.-E. Hamran, C.D.K. Herd, K. Hickman-Lewis, J.R. Johnson, L.C. Kah, P. B. Kelemen, K.B. Kinch, L. Mandon, N. Mangold, C. Quantun-Nataf, M.S. Rice, P.S. Russell, S. Sharma, S. Siljestroem, A. Steele, R. Sullivan, M. Wadhwa, B. P. Weiss, A.J. Williams, B.V. Wogsland, P.A. Willis, T.A. Acosta-Maeda, B. Peck, K. Benzerara, S. Bernard, A.S. Burton, E. L. Cardarelli, B. Chide, Elise Clavé, E.A. Cloutis, A.D. Czaja, V. Debaille, E. Dehouck, A.G. Fairen, D.T. Flannery, S.Z. Fleron, T. Fouchet, J. Frydenvang, B.J. Garczynski, E.F. Gibbons, E.M. Hausrath, A.G. Hayes, J. Henneke, J.L. Jorgensen, E.M. Kelly, J. Lasue, Stéphane Le Mouélic, J. M. Madariaga, S. Maurice, M. Merusi, P. #NAME? Meslin, S.M. Milkovich, C.C. Million, R.C. Moeller, J.I. Nunez, A.M. Ollila, G. Paar, D.A. Paige, D.A.K. Pedersen, P. Pilleri, C. Pilorget, P.C. Pinet, J.W. Rice Jr., C. Royer, V. Sautter, M. Schulte, M. A. Sephton, S.K. Sharma, S.F. Sholes, N. Spanovich, M. St. Clair, C.D. Tate, K. Uckert, S.J. VanBommel, A.G. Yanchilina, M. #NAME? Zorzano
The distribution of clay minerals and their impact on diagenesis in Glen Torridon, Gale crater, Mars The distribution of clay minerals and their impact on diagenesis in Glen Torridon, Gale crater, Mars
Glen Torridon (GT) is a recessive-trough feature on the northwestern slope of “Mt. Sharp” in Gale crater, Mars with the highest Fe-/Mg-phyllosilicates abundances detected by the Curiosity rover to date. Understanding the origin of these clay minerals and their relationship with diagenetic processes is critical for reconstructing the nature and habitability of past surface and subsurface
Authors
Amanda Rudolph, Briony H. N. Horgan, Jeffrey B. Johnson, Kristen A. Bennett, James Haber, James F. Bell, V. F. Fox, Samantha Jacob, S. Maurice, Elizabeth B. Rampe, Melissa Rice, Christina Seeger, Roger C. Wiens
Sedimentological and geochemical perspectives on a marginal lake environment recorded in the Hartmann’s Valley and Karasburg members of the Murray formation, Gale crater, Mars Sedimentological and geochemical perspectives on a marginal lake environment recorded in the Hartmann’s Valley and Karasburg members of the Murray formation, Gale crater, Mars
This study utilizes instruments from the Curiosity rover payload to develop an integrated paleoenvironmental and compositional reconstruction for the 65-m thick interval of stratigraphy comprising the Hartmann's Valley and Karasburg members of the Murray formation, Gale crater, Mars. The stratigraphy consists of cross-stratified sandstone (Facies 1), planar-laminated sandstone (Facies 2)...
Authors
Samantha Gwizd, Christopher M. Fedo, John P. Grotzinger, Steven G. Banham, Frances Rivera-Hernandez, Kathryn M. Stack, Kirsten L. Siebach, Michael T. Thorpe, Lucy Thompson, Catherine O’Connell-Cooper, Nathan Stein, Lauren A. Edgar, Sanjeev Gupta, David M. Rubin, Dawn Sumner, Ashwin R. Vasavada
Thermophysical and compositional properties of paleobedforms on Mars Thermophysical and compositional properties of paleobedforms on Mars
Bedforms on Earth and Mars are often preserved in the rock record in the form of sedimentary rock with distinct cross-bedding. On rare occasions, the full-surface geometry of a bedform can be preserved through burial and lithification. These features, known as paleobedforms, are found in a variety of geographic locations on Mars. Evidence in the morphology of paleobedforms, such as the...
Authors
Aaron R. Weintraub, Christopher S. Edwards, Matthew Chojnacki, Lauren A. Edgar, Lori K. Fenton, Sylvain Piqueux, Amber L. Gullikson
The formation mechanisms for mid-latitude ice scarps on Mars The formation mechanisms for mid-latitude ice scarps on Mars
Mid-latitude exposed ice scarps have recently been identified on Mars (Dundas et al., 2018; 2021). The presence of such surface ice exposures at relatively low latitudes was itself a mystery, and the formation dynamics of such scarps have also not been explained. In this work we model the ice ablation rates of several identified mid-latitude scarps. We find that, given certain...
Authors
Kaj E. Williams, Colin M. Dundas, Melinda A. Kahre