Publications
Filter Total Items: 988
Geological context and significance of the clay-sulfate transition region in Mount Sharp, Gale crater, Mars: An integrated assessment based on orbiter and rover data Geological context and significance of the clay-sulfate transition region in Mount Sharp, Gale crater, Mars: An integrated assessment based on orbiter and rover data
On Mars, phyllosilicate (“clay”) minerals are often associated with older terrains, and sulfate minerals are associated with younger terrains, and this dichotomy is taken as evidence that Mars’ surface dried up over time. Therefore, in situ investigation of the Mount Sharp strata in Gale crater, which record a shift from dominantly clay-bearing to sulfate-bearing minerals, as seen in...
Authors
Melissa J. Meyer, Ralph E. Milliken, Kathryn M. Stack, Lauren A. Edgar, Elizabeth B. Rampe, Madison L. Turner, Kevin W. Lewis, Edwin S. Kite, Gwenael Caravaca, Ashwin R. Vasavada, William E. Dietrich, Alex B. Bryk, Olivier Gasnault, Stephane Le Mouelic, Christina H. Seeger, Rachel Y. Sheppard
Seismically detected cratering on Mars: Enhanced recent impact flux? Seismically detected cratering on Mars: Enhanced recent impact flux?
Seismic observations of impacts on Mars indicate a higher impact flux than previously measured. Using six confirmed seismic impact detections near the NASA InSight lander and two distant large impacts, we calculate appropriate scalings to compare these rates with lunar-based chronology models. We also update the impact rate from orbital observations using the most recent catalog of new...
Authors
Ingrid J. Daubar, Raphael F. Garcia, Alexander E. Stott, Benjamin Fernando, Gareth S. Collins, Colin M. Dundas, Natalia Wojcicka, Geraldine Zenhausern, Alfred S. McEwen, Simon C. Stahler, Matthew P. Golombek, Constantinos Charalambous, Domenico Giardini, Philippe Lognonne, W. Bruce Banerdt
A survey of the severity of mental health symptoms in the planetary science community A survey of the severity of mental health symptoms in the planetary science community
There is a growing recognition of a mental health crisis within the academic and research communities. Members of the planetary science community have called for healthier work environments to improve mental well-being. As a preliminary step towards improving workplace culture, we sought to determine whether the broader mental health crisis extends to planetary science and to assess the...
Authors
David Trang, Christina E. Swafford, Tamar A. Kreps, Steven D. Vance, Jemma Davidson, Justin Filiberto, Lillian R. Ostrach, Christina R. Richey
Increasing the usability and accessibility of Voyager 2 images of Triton Increasing the usability and accessibility of Voyager 2 images of Triton
Much of what we know about Neptune’s moon Triton was inferred from the analysis of images returned by the Voyager 2 mission, the only spacecraft to have visited that putative ocean world. Unfortunately, the highest-resolution images (scales 2 km pixel−1) are difficult to use because they are only available in nonstandard formats, and the locations of the images on Triton’s surface are...
Authors
Michael T. Bland, Emily S. Martin, Alex Patthoff
Manganese-rich sandstones as an indicator of ancient oxic lake water conditions in Gale crater, Mars Manganese-rich sandstones as an indicator of ancient oxic lake water conditions in Gale crater, Mars
Manganese has been observed on Mars by the NASA Curiosity rover in a variety of contexts and is an important indicator of redox processes in hydrologic systems on Earth. Within the Murray formation, an ancient primarily fine-grained lacustrine sedimentary deposit in Gale crater, Mars, have observed up to 45× enrichment in manganese and up to 1.5× enrichment in iron within coarser grained...
Authors
Patrick J. Gasda, Nina L. Lanza, Pierre-Yves Meslin, Sarah N. Lamm, Agnes Cousin, Ryan Anderson, Olivier Forni, Elizabeth D. Swanner, Jonas L'Haridon, Jens Frydenvang, Nancy Thomas, Nathan Stein, Woody W. Fischer, Joel A. Hurowitz, Dawn Sumner, Frances Rivera-Hernandez, Laura Crossey, Ann M. Ollila, Ari Essunfeld, Horton E. Newsom, Benton C. Clark, Roger C. Wiens, Olivier Gasnault, Sam M. Clegg, Sylvestre Maurice, Dorothea Delapp, A. Reyes-Newell
The evolution of a young ocean within Mimas The evolution of a young ocean within Mimas
The fractured, young surfaces on confirmed ocean worlds such as Europa and Enceladus suggest that ocean-bearing moons with relatively thin overlying ice shells should be easy to identify. Hence, the discovery that Mimas’ rotation state is best explained by an internal ocean seems challenging to reconcile with its heavily cratered surface. Previous studies have shown that an internal...
Authors
A. R. Rhoden, M. E. Walker, M. L. Rudolph, Michael T. Bland, Michael Manga
A new database of giant impacts over a wide range of masses and with material strength: A first analysis of outcomes A new database of giant impacts over a wide range of masses and with material strength: A first analysis of outcomes
In the late stage of terrestrial planet formation, planets are predicted to undergo pairwise collisions known as giant impacts. Here, we present a high-resolution database of giant impacts for differentiated colliding bodies of iron–silicate composition, with target masses ranging from 1 × 10−4M⊕ up to super-Earths (5 M⊕). We vary the impactor-to-target mass ratio, core–mantle (iron...
Authors
Alexandre Emsenhuber, Erik Asphaug, Saverio Cambioni, Travis S.J. Gabriel, Stephen R. Schwartz, Robert E. Melikyan, C. Adeene Denton
How, when and where current mass flows in Martian gullies are driven by CO2 sublimation How, when and where current mass flows in Martian gullies are driven by CO2 sublimation
Martian gullies resemble water-carved gullies on Earth, yet their present-day activity cannot be explained by water-driven processes. The sublimation of CO2 has been proposed as an alternative driver for sediment transport, but how this mechanism works remains unknown. Here we combine laboratory experiments of CO2-driven granular flows under Martian atmospheric pressure with 1D climate...
Authors
Lonneke Roelofs, Susan J. Conway, Tjalling de Haas, Colin M. Dundas, Stephen R. Lewis, Jim McElwaine, Kelly Pasquon, Jan Raack, Matt Sylvest, Manish Patel
Measuring erosional and depositional patterns across Comet 67P's imhotep region Measuring erosional and depositional patterns across Comet 67P's imhotep region
Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko displays a pronounced hemispherical dichotomy in surface morphology, where the southern hemisphere exhibits more erosional features than the northern hemisphere due to receiving much greater solar radiation. Consequently, it is generally assumed that particles are ejected from the southern hemisphere through sublimation and a significant fraction...
Authors
Abhinav S. Jindal, Samuel P. D. Birch, Alexander G. Hayes, F. P. Ozyurt, A. Issah, S. Moruzzi, N. M. Barrington, Jason M. Soderblom, Randolph L. Kirk, R. Marschall, J.-B. Vincent
Planned geological investigations of the Europa Clipper mission Planned geological investigations of the Europa Clipper mission
Geological investigations planned for the Europa Clipper mission will examine the formation, evolution, and expression of geomorphic structures found on the surface. Understanding geologic features, their formation, and any recent activity are key inputs in constraining Europa’s potential for habitability. In addition to providing information about the moon’s habitability, the geologic...
Authors
I. J. Daubar, A. G. Hayes, Gail C. Collins, K. Craft, J. A. Rathbun, J.R. Spencer, D. Wyrick, Michael T. Bland, A. G. Davies, C. M. Ernst, Samuel Howell, Erin J. Leonard, Alfred S. McEwen, J. M. Moore, C. B. Phillips, L. Prockter, L. C. Quick, J. E. C. Scully, J. M. Soderblom, S. M. Brooks, M. Cable, M. E. Cameron, K. Chan, C. J. Chivers, M. Choukroun, Corey Cochrane, S. Diniega, A. J. Dombard, Catherine Elder, Christopher Gerekos, Christopher R. Glein, T Greathouse, C. Grima, Murthy Gudipati, K. L. Hand, C. Hansen, Paul O. Hayne, M. Hedman, K. Hughson, X. Jia, J. Lawrence, H. M. Meyer, H. L. Miller, Gerald Wesley Patterson, D Persaud, S. Piqueux, K. Retherford, Kirk Scanlan, P. Schenk, B. Schmidt, D. Schroeder, Gregor Steinbrugge, A. Stern, Gabriel Tobie, Paul Withers, D. A. Young, B. Buratti, Haje Korth, D. Senske, Robert Pappalardo
Current status of the community sensor model standard for the generation of planetary digital terrain models Current status of the community sensor model standard for the generation of planetary digital terrain models
The creation of accurate elevation models (topography) from stereo images are critical for a large variety of geospatial activities, including the production of digital orthomosaics, change detection, landing site analysis, geologic mapping, rover traverse planning, and spectral analysis. The United Stated Geological Survey, Astrogeology Science Center, continues to transition the...
Authors
Trent M. Hare, Randolph L. Kirk, Michael T. Bland, Donna M. Galuszka, Jason Laura, David Mayer, Bonnie L. Redding, Benjamin H Wheeler
Evolution of a lake margin recorded in the Sutton Island member of the Murray formation, Gale crater, Mars Evolution of a lake margin recorded in the Sutton Island member of the Murray formation, Gale crater, Mars
This study uses data from the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover to document the facies of the Sutton Island member of the Murray formation, interpret paleoenvironments, and establish key stratigraphic transitions at Gale crater. Two facies associations were identified: Facies Association 1 (FA1) and Facies Association 2 (FA2). Individual facies in FA1 include planar-laminated...
Authors
Samantha Gwizd, Christopher M. Fedo, John P. Grotzinger, Steve G. Banham, Frances Rivera-Hernandez, Sanjeev Gupta, Kathryn M. Stack, Lauren A. Edgar, Ashwin R. Vasavada, Joel M. Davis, Linda C. Kah