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Publications

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Crater population and resurfacing of the Martian north polar layered deposits Crater population and resurfacing of the Martian north polar layered deposits

Present‐day accumulation in the north polar layered deposits (NPLD) is thought to occur via deposition on the north polar residual cap. Understanding current mass balance in relation to current climate would provide insight into the climatic record of the NPLD. To constrain processes and rates of NPLD resurfacing, a search for craters was conducted using images from the Mars...
Authors
Maria E. Banks, Shane Byrne, Kapil Galla, Alfred S. McEwen, Veronica J. Bray, Colin M. Dundas, Kathryn E. Fishbaugh, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, Bruce C. Murray

The thermal signature of volcanic eruptions on Io and Earth, The thermal signature of volcanic eruptions on Io and Earth,

We investigate a spectrum-based technique to identify the style of active volcanic eruptions on Jupiter's moon Io. Thermal remote sensing of Io has had to rely primarily on low-spatial-resolution data, similar to low-spatial-resolution satellite data applied to detecting and charting the temporal evolution of terrestrial hot spots. These terrestrial analyses use data from sensors...
Authors
Ashley G. Davies, Laszlo P. Keszthelyi, Andrew J. L. Harris

Visible and near-infrared multispectral analysis of geochemically measured rock fragments at the Opportunity landing site in Meridiani Planum Visible and near-infrared multispectral analysis of geochemically measured rock fragments at the Opportunity landing site in Meridiani Planum

We have used visible and near‐infrared Panoramic Camera (Pancam) spectral data acquired by the Opportunity rover to analyze 15 rock fragments at the Meridiani Planum landing site. These spectral results were then compared to geochemistry measurements made by the in situ instruments Mössbauer (MB) and Alpha Particle X‐ray Spectrometer (APXS) to determine the feasibility of mineralogic
Authors
Catherine M. Weitz, William H. Farrand, Jeffrey R. Johnson, Iris Fleischer, Christian Schroder, Aileen Yingst, Bradley L. Jolliff, Ralf Gellert, Jim Bell, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, G. Klingelhoefer, Barbara Cohen, Wendy M. Calvin, Malcolm Rutherford, James W. Ashley

Properties and distribution of paired candidate stony meteorites at Meridiani Planum Properties and distribution of paired candidate stony meteorites at Meridiani Planum

The Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity investigated four rocks, informally dubbed Barberton, Santa Catarina, Santorini, and Kasos, that are possible stony meteorites. Their chemical and mineralogical composition is similar to the howardite, eucrite, and diogenite group but with additional metal, similar to mesosiderite silicate clasts. Because of their virtually identical composition and...
Authors
Christian Schroder, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, William H. Farrand, John E. Chappelow, Wei Wang, L.R. Nittler, James W. Ashley, Iris Fleischer, Ralf Gellert, Matthew P. Golombek, Jeffrey R. Johnson, G. Klingelhoefer, Ron Li, Richard V. Morris, Steven W. Squyres

Regional and grain size influences on the geochemistry of soil at Gusev Crater Regional and grain size influences on the geochemistry of soil at Gusev Crater

Congruous with earlier work, Martian soil along the Spirit Rover's traverse at Gusev crater can be divided into three broad groups by size: fines (
Authors
Suniti Karunatillake, Scott M. McLennan, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff

Gone with the wind: Eolian erasure of the Mars Rover tracks Gone with the wind: Eolian erasure of the Mars Rover tracks

The wheel tracks left by the Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity are unique artificial markings on the surface of Mars. The tracks stretch several kilometers across diverse terrain in two widely separated regions of the planet. The initial appearance and characteristics of the tracks were well documented by the science and navigation cameras aboard the vehicles at the time the...
Authors
Paul E. Geissler, R. Sullivan, M. Golombek, J. R. Johnson, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, N. Bridges, Amy Vaughan, J. Maki, T. Parker, J. Bell

Spirit Mars Rover Mission: Overview and selected results from the northern Home Plate Winter Haven to the side of Scamander crater Spirit Mars Rover Mission: Overview and selected results from the northern Home Plate Winter Haven to the side of Scamander crater

This paper summarizes Spirit Rover operations in the Columbia Hills, Gusev crater, from sol 1410 (start of the third winter campaign) to sol 2169 (when extrication attempts from Troy stopped to winterize the vehicle) and provides an overview of key scientific results. The third winter campaign took advantage of parking on the northern slope of Home Plate to tilt the vehicle to track the...
Authors
R. E. Arvidson, J.F. Bell, P. Bellutta, N.A. Cabrol, J.G. Catalano, J. Cohen, L.S. Crumpler, D. J. Des Marais, T.A. Estlin, W.H. Farrand, R. Gellert, J. A. Grant, Rebecca N Greenberger, E.A. Guinness, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, J.A. Herman, K.D. Iagnemma, J. R. Johnson, G. Klingelhoefer, K.A. Lichtenberg, S.A. Maxwell, D. W. Ming, R.V. Morris, M.S. Rice, S. W. Ruff, A. Shaw, Kirsten L. Siebach, Paulo A. de Souza, A.W. Stroupe, S. W. Squyres, R.J. Sullivan, K.P. Talley, J.A. Townsend, A. Wang, J.R. Wright, A. S. Yen

Mineralogy and chemistry of cobbles at Meridiani Planum, Mars, investigated by the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity Mineralogy and chemistry of cobbles at Meridiani Planum, Mars, investigated by the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity

Numerous loose rocks with dimensions of a few centimeters to tens of centimeters and with no obvious physical relationship to outcrop rocks have been observed along the traverse of the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. To date, about a dozen of these rocks have been analyzed with Opportunity's contact instruments, providing information about elemental chemistry (Alpha Particle X‐ray...
Authors
I. Fleischer, J. Bruckner, C. Schroder, W. Farrand, E. Treguier, R.V. Morris, G. Klingelhoefer, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, David W. Mittlefehldt, J. Ashley, M. Golombek, J. R. Johnson, B. Jolliff, Steve W. Squyres, C. Weitz, R. Gellert, Paulo A. de Souza, B. A. Cohen

A comparison of Martian north and south polar cold spots and the long‐term effects of the 2001 global dust storm A comparison of Martian north and south polar cold spots and the long‐term effects of the 2001 global dust storm

In the 1970s, Viking and Mariner observed areas in the polar regions of Mars with winter brightness temperatures below the expected kinetic temperatures for CO2 ice sublimation. These areas have since been termed “cold spots” and have been identified as surface deposits of CO2 atmospheric condensates and, occasionally, active CO2 storms. Three Mars years of data from the Mars Global...
Authors
C. Cornwall, Timothy N. Titus

Global geological mapping of Ganymede Global geological mapping of Ganymede

We have compiled a global geological map of Ganymede that represents the most recent understanding of the satellite based on Galileo mission results. This contribution builds on important previous accomplishments in the study of Ganymede utilizing Voyager data and incorporates the many new discoveries that were brought about by examination of Galileo data. We discuss the material...
Authors
G. Wesley Patterson, Geoffrey C. Collins, James W. Head, Robert T. Pappalardo, Louise M. Prockter, Baerbel K. Lucchitta, Jonathan P. Kay

The construction of Chasma Boreale on Mars The construction of Chasma Boreale on Mars

The polar layered deposits of Mars contain the planet’s largest known reservoir of water ice1,2 and the prospect of revealing a detailed Martian palaeoclimate record3,4, but the mechanisms responsible for the formation of the dominant features of the north polar layered deposits (NPLD) are unclear, despite decades of debate. Stratigraphic analyses of the exposed portions of Chasma...
Authors
J.W. Holt, Kathryn E. Fishbaugh, S. Byrne, S. Christian, Kenneth L. Tanaka, P.S. Russell, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, A. Safaeinili, Nathaniel E. Putzig, R.J. Phillips

Acquisition and history of water on Mars Acquisition and history of water on Mars

The purpose of this chapter is to summarize the geologic history of Mars and the role water has played in the evolution of the surface so that subsequent chapters on more specific topics can be viewed in a broader context. It focuses mainly on surficial processes such as erosion, sedimentation, and weathering, rather than on primary terrain-building processes such as impact, tectonism...
Authors
M. H. Carr, James W. Head
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