Publications
Filter Total Items: 962
Searching for evidence of hydrothermal activity at Apollinaris Mons, Mars Searching for evidence of hydrothermal activity at Apollinaris Mons, Mars
A multidisciplinary approach involving various remote sensing instruments is used to investigate Apollinaris Mons, a prominent volcano on Mars, as well as the surrounding plains for signs of prolonged hydrologic and volcanic, and possibly hydrothermal activity. The main findings include (1) evidence from laser altimetry indicating the large thickness (1.5–2 km at some locations) of the...
Authors
M. Ramy El Maarry, James M. Dohm, Giuseppe A. Marzo, Robin Fergason, Walter Goetz, Essam Heggy, Andreas Pack, Wojciech J. Markiewicz
Assessment of environments for Mars Science Laboratory entry, descent, and surface operations Assessment of environments for Mars Science Laboratory entry, descent, and surface operations
The Mars Science Laboratory mission aims to land a car-sized rover on Mars' surface and operate it for at least one Mars year in order to assess whether its field area was ever capable of supporting microbial life. Here we describe the approach used to identify, characterize, and assess environmental risks to the landing and rover surface operations. Novel entry, descent, and landing...
Authors
Ashwin R. Vasavada, Allen Chen, Jeffrey R. Barnes, P. Daniel Burkhart, Bruce A. Cantor, Alicia M. Dwyer-Cianciolo, Robini L. Fergason, David P. Hinson, Hilary L. Justh, David M. Kass, Stephen R. Lewis, Michael A. Mischna, James R. Murphy, Scot C.R. Rafkin, Daniel Tyler, Paul G. Withers
Geometric derivations of minimal sets of sufficient multiview constraints Geometric derivations of minimal sets of sufficient multiview constraints
Geometric interpretations of four of the most common determinant formulations of multiview constraints are given, showing that they all enforce the same geometry and that all of the forms commonly in use in the machine vision community are a subset of a more general form. Generalising the work of Yi Ma yields a new general 2 x 2 determinant trilinear and 3 x 3 determinant quadlinear...
Authors
Orrin H. Thomas, Edward R. Oshel
Fault populations Fault populations
No abstract available.
Authors
Richard A. Schultz, Roger Soliva, Chris Okubo, Daniel Mege
The role of photogeologic mapping in traverse planning: Lessons from DRATS 2010 activities The role of photogeologic mapping in traverse planning: Lessons from DRATS 2010 activities
We produced a 1:24,000 scale photogeologic map of the Desert Research and Technology Studies (DRATS) 2010 simulated lunar mission traverse area and surrounding environments located within the northeastern part of the San Francisco Volcanic Field (SFVF), north-central Arizona. To mimic an exploratory mission, we approached the region “blindly” by rejecting prior knowledge or preconceived...
Authors
James A. Skinner, Corey M. Fortezzo
Curiosity's Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) investigation Curiosity's Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) investigation
The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) investigation will use a 2-megapixel color camera with a focusable macro lens aboard the rover, Curiosity, to investigate the stratigraphy and grain-scale texture, structure, mineralogy, and morphology of geologic materials in northwestern Gale crater. Of particular interest is the stratigraphic record of a ?5 km thick...
Authors
Kenneth S. Edgett, R. Aileen Yingst, Michael A. Ravine, Michael A. Caplinger, Justin N. Maki, F. Tony Ghaemi, Jacob A. Schaffner, James F. Bell, Laurence J. Edwards, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, Ezat Heydari, Linda C. Kah, Mark T. Lemmon, Michelle E. Minitti, Timothy S. Olson, Timothy J. Parker, Scott K. Rowland, Juergen Schieber, Robert J. Sullivan, Dawn Y. Sumner, Peter C. Thomas, Elsa H. Jensen, John J. Simmonds, Aaron J. Sengstacken, Reg G. Wilson, Walter Goetz
Selection of the Mars Science Laboratory landing site Selection of the Mars Science Laboratory landing site
The selection of Gale crater as the Mars Science Laboratory landing site took over five years, involved broad participation of the science community via five open workshops, and narrowed an initial >50 sites (25 by 20 km) to four finalists (Eberswalde, Gale, Holden and Mawrth) based on science and safety. Engineering constraints important to the selection included: (1) latitude (±30°)...
Authors
M. Golombek, J. Grant, D. Kipp, A. Vasavada, Randolph L. Kirk, Robin L. Fergason, P. Bellutta, F. Calef, K. Larsen, Y. Katayama, A. Huertas, R. Beyer, A. Chen, T. Parker, B. Pollard, S. Lee, R. Hoover, H. Sladek, J. Grotzinger, R. Welch, E. Noe Dobrea, J. Michalski, M. Watkins
Mars global digital dune database: MC-30 Mars global digital dune database: MC-30
The Mars Global Digital Dune Database (MGD3) provides data and describes the methodology used in creating the global database of moderate- to large-size dune fields on Mars. The database is being released in a series of U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Reports. The first report (Hayward and others, 2007) included dune fields from lat 65° N. to 65° S. (http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1158/)...
Authors
R.K. Hayward, L.K. Fenton, T.N. Titus, A. Colaprete, P. R. Christensen
Differential melt scaling for oblique impacts on terrestrial planets Differential melt scaling for oblique impacts on terrestrial planets
Analytical estimates of melt volumes produced by a given projectile and contained in a given impact crater are derived as a function of impact velocity, impact angle, planetary gravity, target and projectile densities, and specific internal energy of melting. Applications to impact events and impact craters on the Earth, Moon, and Mars are demonstrated and discussed. The most probable...
Authors
Oleg Abramov, Stephanie M. Wong Wong, David A. Kring Kring
An atlas of Mars sedimentary rocks as seen by HiRISE An atlas of Mars sedimentary rocks as seen by HiRISE
Images of distant and unknown places have long stimulated the imaginations of both explorers and scientists. The atlas of photographs collected during the Hayden (1872)expedition to the Yellowstone region was essential to its successful advocacy and selection in 1872 as America’s first national park. Photographer William Henry Jackson of the Hayden expedition captured the public’s...
Authors
Ross Beyer, Kathryn M. Stack, Jennifer L. Griffes, Ralph E. Milliken, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, Shane Byrne, John W. Holt, John P. Grotzinger
Planet-wide sand motion on mars Planet-wide sand motion on mars
Prior to Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter data, images of Mars showed no direct evidence for dune and ripple motion. This was consistent with climate models and lander measurements indicating that winds of sufficient intensity to mobilize sand were rare in the low-density atmosphere. We show that many sand ripples and dunes across Mars exhibit movement of as much as a few meters per year...
Authors
N.T. Bridges, M.C. Bourke, Paul E. Geissler, M. E. Banks, C. Colon, S. Diniega, M.P. Golombek, C.J. Hansen, S. Mattson, A. S. McEwen, M. T. Mellon, N. Stantzos, B.J. Thomson
Stratigraphic architecture of bedrock reference section, Victoria Crater, Meridiani Planum, Mars Stratigraphic architecture of bedrock reference section, Victoria Crater, Meridiani Planum, Mars
The Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has investigated bedrock outcrops exposed in several craters at Meridiani Planum, Mars, in an effort to better understand the role of surface processes in its geologic history. Opportunity has recently completed its observations of Victoria crater, which is 750 m in diameter and exposes cliffs up to ~15 m high. The plains surrounding Victoria crater...
Authors
Lauren A. Edgar, John P. Grotzinger, Alex G. Hayes, David M. Rubin, Steve W. Squyres, James F. Bell, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff