Publications
Filter Total Items: 910
Planetary cave exploration progresses
Planetary caves have been identified on the Moon and on Mars, and are likely to occur across the Solar System. They present a new frontier for planetary science, subsurface astrobiology, geology and human exploration. The fourth in a series of scientific meetings focusing on the science and exploration of planetary caves brought together 55 terrestrial and planetary scientists, robotics and instru
Authors
Timothy N. Titus, C. M. Phillips-Lander, P. J. Boston, J. J. Wynne, L. Kerber
Lava–water interaction and hydrothermal activity within the 2014–2015 Holuhraun Lava Flow Field, Iceland
Lava that erupted during the 2014–2015 Holuhraun eruption in Iceland flowed into a proglacial river system, resulting in aqueous cooling of the lava and an ephemeral hydrothermal system. We carried out a monitoring study of this system from 2015 to 2018 to document the cooling of the lava over this time, using thermocouple measurements and data-logging sensors. The heat loss rate from advection th
Authors
Colin M. Dundas, Laszlo P. Keszthelyi, Einat Lev, M. Elise Rumpf, Christopher W. Hamilton, Armann Hoskuldsson, Thorvaldur Thordarson
Extraformational sediment recycling on Mars
Extraformational sediment recycling (old sedimentary rock to new sedimentary rock) is a fundamental aspect of Earth’s geological record; tectonism exposes sedimentary rock, whereupon it is weathered and eroded to form new sediment that later becomes lithified. On Mars, tectonism has been minor, but two decades of orbiter instrument–based studies show that some sedimentary rocks previously buried t
Authors
Kenneth S. Edgett, Steven Banham, Kristen A. Bennett, Lauren A. Edgar, Christopher S. Edwards, Alberto Fairen, Christopher M. Fedo, Deirdra M. Fey, James B. Garvin, John P. Grotzinger, Sanjeev Gupta, Marie Henderson, Christopher H House, Nicolas Mangold, Scott McLennan, Horton E. Newsom, Scott Rowland, Kirsten L. Siebach, Lucy Thompson, Scott VanBommel, Roger C. Wiens, Rebecca Williams, Aileen Yingst
Mars orbiter for resources, ices, and environments (MORIE)
The MORIE mission concept study examined the science and technical trade space to address high priority questions related to ice reservoirs and environmental transitions. The study team converged on a medium-class SEP-enabled orbiter with seven instruments to unlock the extent and volume of subsurface ice and geologic sequence stratigraphy through time. Observations would include the first radar i
Authors
Wendy M. Calvin, Nathaniel E. Putzig, John W Holt, Ali M Bramson, Colin M. Dundas, Bethany L. Ehlmann, Briony H. N. Horgan, Gareth A Morgan, Scott L. Murchie, G Wesley Patterson, Kimberly D. Seelos, Hanna G Sizemore, Steve Matousek, Ryan Woolley, Carlos Brinoccolo, Valerie Scott, Cassie Stuurman, Kevin Wheeler, Brian Sutin, Marc Lane, Nathan Barba, Ivair Gontijo, Katherine Park, Mariko Burgin, Scott Hensley, Jan Martin, Jean Biancone, David Hinkle, Barbara Insua
Exposure of an early to middle Noachian valley network in three dimensions on Mars
We document a set of channels in a section of the Martian cratered highlands located between crustal massifs northeast of Hellas Planitia that are visible in cross section and planview >200 m below the surface. The morphometry and spatial distribution of the outcrops provide concrete geological evidence of a dynamic aqueous system in a structural sub-basin during the Early to Middle Noachian, bols
Authors
James A. Skinner, Corey M. Fortezzo, Peter J. Mouginis-Mark
Compositional layering in Io driven by magmatic segregation and volcanism
The compositional evolution of volcanic bodies like Io is not well understood. Magmatic segregation and volcanic eruptions transport tidal heat from Io's interior to its surface. Several observed eruptions appear to be extremely high temperature (≥ 1600 K), suggesting either very high degrees of melting, refractory source regions, or intensive viscous heating on ascent. To address this ambiguity,
Authors
Dan C Spencer, Richard F. Katz, Ian J. Hewitt, David A. May, Laszlo P. Kestay
Evaluating stereo DTM quality at Jezero Crater, Mars with HRSC, CTX, and HiRISE images
We have used a high-precision, high-resolution digital terrain model (DTM) of the NASA Mars 2020 rover Perseverance landing site in Jezero crater based on mosaicked images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (MRO HiRISE) camera as a reference dataset to evaluate DTMs based on Mars Express High Resolution Stereo Camera (MEX HRSC) and MRO Context camera (C
Authors
Randolph L. Kirk, Robin L. Fergason, Bonnie L. Redding, Donna M. Galuszka, Ethan Smith, David Mayer, Trent M. Hare, Klaus Gwinner
Ancient Martian aeolian sand dune deposits recorded in the stratigraphy of Valles Marineris and implications for past climates
Aeolian sediment transport, deposition, and erosion have been ongoing throughout Mars's history. This record of widespread aeolian processes is preserved in landforms and geologic units that retain important clues about past environmental conditions including wind patterns. In this study we describe landforms within Melas Chasma, Valles Marineris, that occur in distinct groups with linear to cresc
Authors
Matthew Chojnacki, Lori K. Fenton, Aaron R Weintraub, Lauren A. Edgar, Mohini Jeetendra Jodhpurkar, Christopher S. Edwards
A global shape model for Saturn's moon Enceladus from a dense photogrammetric control network
A planetary bodys global shape provides both insight into its geologic evolution, and a key element of any Planetary Spatial Data Infrastructure (PSDI). NASAs Cassini mission to Saturn acquired more than 600 moderate- to high-resolution images (< 500 m/pixel) of the small, geologically active moon Enceladus. The moons internal global ocean and intriguing geology mark it as a candidate for future e
Authors
Michael T. Bland, Lynn A. Weller, David Mayer, Brent Archinal
Coordination of planetary coordinate system recommendations by the IAU Working Group on Cartographic Coordinates and Rotational Elements–2020 status and future
Our goal is to request input from the lunar and planetary community regarding issues of planetary coordinate systems and cartography standards. We begin with an overview of the work of the International Astronomical Union Working Group on Cartographic Coordinates and Rotational Elements. We briefly describe the operations and membership of the Working Group, some of the various uses of the recomme
Authors
Brent Archinal, C. H. Acton, A. Conrad, T. Duxbury, D. Hestroffer, J. L. Hilton, L. Jorda, Randolph L. Kirk, S. A. Klioner, J.-L. Margot, J. Oberst, F. Paganelli, J. Ping, K. Seidelmann, D. J. Tholen, I. P. Williams
Evidence for a diagenetic origin of Vera Rubin Ridge, Gale Crater, Mars: Summary and synthesis of Curiosity's exploration campaign
This paper provides an overview of the Curiosity rover's exploration at Vera Rubin ridge (VRR) and summarizes the science results. VRR is a distinct geomorphic feature on lower Aeolis Mons (informally known as Mount Sharp) that was identified in orbital data based on its distinct texture, topographic expression, and association with a hematite spectral signature. Curiosity conducted extensive remo
Authors
Abigail A. Fraeman, Lauren A. Edgar, Elizabeth B. Rampe, Lucy M. Thompson, Jens Frydenvang, Christopher M. Fedo, Jeff G. Catalano, William E. Dietrich, Travis S. J. Gabriel, John P. Grotzinger, Jonas L'Haridon, Nicholas Mangold, Vivian Z. Sun, Christopher H House, Alexander Bryk, Craig Hardgrove, Sean Czarnecki, Kathryn M. Stack, Richard V. Morris, Ray E. Arvidson, Steve G. Banham, Kristen A. Bennett, Jon C. Bridges, Christopher S. Edwards, Woodward W. Fischer, Valerie K. Fox, Sanjeev Gupta, Briony H. N. Horgan, Sammantha R. Jacob, Jeffrey R. Johnson, Sarah S. Johnson, David R. Rubin, Mark R Salvatore, Susanne P. Schwenzer, Kirsten L. Siebach, Nathan T. Stein, Stuart Turner, Danika F. Wellington, Roger C. Wiens, Amy J. Williams, G.A. Davidson, Gregory M. Wong
The chemostratigraphy of the Murray formation and role of diagenesis at Vera Rubin ridge in Gale crater, Mars, as observed by the ChemCam instrument
Geochemical results are presented from Curiosity’s exploration of the Vera Rubin ridge (VRR), in addition to the full chemostratigraphy of the predominantly lacustrine mudstone Murray formation up to and including VRR. VRR is a prominent ridge flanking Aeolis Mons (informally Mt. Sharp), the central mound in Gale crater, Mars, and was a key area of interest for the Mars Science Laboratory mission.
Authors
Jens Frydenvang, Nicholas Mangold, Roger C. Wiens, Abigail A. Fraeman, Lauren A. Edgar, Christopher M. Fedo, Jonas L'Haridon, Candice C. Bedford, Sanjeev Gupta, John P. Grotzinger, Jon C. Bridges, Ben C. Clark, Elizabeth B. Rampe, Olivier Gasnaut, Sylvestre Maurice, Patrick J. Gasda, Nina L. Lanza, Ann M. Olilla, Pierre-Yves Meslin, Valerie Payre, Fred J. Calef, Mark R Salvatore, Christopher H House