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The Martian Near Surface Environment: Analysis of Antarctic Soils and Laboratory Experiments on Putative Martian Organics Item Type text; Electronic Dissertation Authors Archer, Paul Douglas Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 07/10/2021 13:24:53 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/195892 1 THE MARTIAN NEAR SURFACE ENVIRONMENT: ANALYSIS OF ANTARCTIC SOILS AND LABORATORY EXPERIMENTS ON PUTATIVE MARTIAN ORGANICS by Paul Douglas Archer, Jr. _____________________ A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF PLANETARY SCIENCES In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2010 2 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA GRADUATE COLLEGE As members of the Dissertation Committee, we certify that we have read the dissertation prepared by Paul Douglas Archer, Jr. entitled The Martian Near Surface Environment: Analysis of Antarctic Soils and Laboratory Experiments on Putative Martian Organics and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy _______________________________________________________________________ Date: April 22, 2010 Peter H. Smith _______________________________________________________________________ Date: April 22, 2010 Mark A. Smith _______________________________________________________________________ Date: April 22, 2010 William V. Boynton _______________________________________________________________________ Date: April 22, 2010 Victor R. Baker _______________________________________________________________________ Date: April 22, 2010 Shane Byrne Final approval and acceptance of this dissertation is contingent upon the candidate‘s submission of the final copies of the dissertation to the Graduate College. I hereby certify that I have read this dissertation prepared under my direction and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement. ________________________________________________ Date: April 22, 2010 Dissertation Director: Peter H. Smith 3 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This dissertation has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at the University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this dissertation are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the major department or the Dean of the Graduate College when in his or her judgment the proposed use of the material is in the interests of scholarship. In all other instances, however, permission must be obtained from the author. SIGNED: Paul Douglas Archer, Jr. 4 Acknowledgements I‘d first like to thank the many people who helped me complete the actual work in this dissertation. To my advisor, Peter Smith, who allowed me to find my own path but gave me direction when it was needed. And for letting me participate as a team member on the Phoenix Mission, one of the best experiences of my life. To Hiroshi Imanaka and Mark Smith, to whom I owe almost all of the experimental knowledge I gained in completing this dissertation. Without the help that they willingly gave, there is no way I would ever have completed this work. To the guys down in the LPL machine shop who helped me design my varied experimental apparatus and then were able to actually build the things based on my specifications. To Mercer Medding in the Soil, Water, and Environmental Science Department at the University of Arizona who gave me a crash course in soil properties and analytical techniques. To the IPY team whose combined expertise and frequent telecons helped me understand the Dry Valleys of Antarctica as if I had been there myself. And lastly, to my dissertation committee whose feedback was instrumental in producing this final product and who, certainly, will be some of the few people who will ever read this work in its entirety! Second, I‘d like to thank my friends and coworkers who kept me sane the past six years and helped me to become the scientist and person I am today. Particularly, to my fellow classmates with whom I went through many classes, traveled across the western United States on various fieldtrips, and who all became lifelong friends: I couldn‘t have done it without you. Third, I‘d like to thank my family for everything you‘ve done for me. To my dad, who for the past six years constantly asked me how I was doing on my dissertation. Now that I‘m done, you actually have to read this thing! And to my mom, who always asked me how I was doing on my ―book‖. You both gave me my love of learning and exploration and made me who I am today. To my siblings who constantly encouraged me and told me how cool they thought my research was. I appreciate your support and your friendship and everything else you guys do for me. Lastly, I‘d like to thank my wife Dana and my son Wesley. We did it Dana! My life is so much better with you in it. You constantly motivate me to do my best and to be a better person. Your daily encouragement and constant support gave me the confidence I needed to get this work done. And Wesley, who introduced me to the world of fatherhood and who just yesterday learned how to say ―Jupiter‖. You have made my life so much more rewarding; watching you learn and grow is amazing. I love you both and can‘t imagine my life without you. 5 Dedication To my wife, Dana, and my son, Wesley, who motivated me to go to work every morning and gave me a reason to hurry home every night. 6 Table of Contents Chapter 1 – Introduction .................................................................................................. 13 1.1 Astrobiology ....................................................................................................... 13 1.2 Astrobiology and Mars ....................................................................................... 15 1.3 The Phoenix Mission .......................................................................................... 19 1.4 Antarctica and Mars ........................................................................................... 20 1.5 From Antarctica to the lab .................................................................................. 23 1.6 This Work ........................................................................................................... 23 1.6.1 Antarctic Soil Analysis ............................................................................... 24 1.6.2 Irradiation of Organic Material ................................................................... 25 1.6.3 Pyrolysis of Organic Material ..................................................................... 26 Chapter 2 – Physical Properties of Arid Soils ................................................................. 28 2.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 28 2.2 The Antarctic Dry Valleys as a Martian analogue ............................................. 31 2.3 Antarctic Soil Regimes....................................................................................... 34 2.4 Sample Locations ............................................................................................... 36 2.5 Experimental Methods ....................................................................................... 47 2.6 Results and Discussion ....................................................................................... 52 2.6.1 Taylor Valley Physical Properties. ............................................................. 53 2.6.2 Taylor Valley Mineralogy and Specific Surface Area ................................ 59 2.6.3 University Valley Physical Properties ........................................................ 64 2.6.4 University Valley Mineralogy and Specific Surface Area ......................... 65 2.6.5 University Valley Salts ............................................................................... 66 2.6.6 University Valley Synthesis ........................................................................ 70 2.6.7 Particle Size and Color Ratio ...................................................................... 70 2.7 Implications for Mars ......................................................................................... 78 2.7.1 Ancient Mars ............................................................................................... 81 2.7.2 Modern Mars ............................................................................................... 82 2.7.3 The Phoenix Landing Site ........................................................................... 87 2.7.4 Viking ......................................................................................................... 90 2.8 Connection to Work on Putative Martian Organics ........................................... 90 Chapter 3 – UV Irradiation of Putative Martian Organics ............................................... 95 3.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................
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