Martian Geochronology from Meteorites and Crater Counts
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Load more
Recommended publications
-
Columbus Crater HLS2 Hangout: Exploration Zone Briefing
Columbus Crater HLS2 Hangout: Exploration Zone Briefing Kennda Lynch1,2, Angela Dapremont2, Lauren Kimbrough2, Alex Sessa2, and James Wray2 1Lunar and Planetary Institute/Universities Space Research Association 2Georgia Institute of Technology Columbus Crater: An Overview • Groundwater-fed paleolake located in northwest region of Terra Sirenum • ~110 km in diameter • Diversity of Noachian & Hesperian aged deposits and outcrops • High diversity of aqueous mineral deposits • Estimated 1.5 km depth of sedimentary and/or volcanic infill • High Habitability and Biosignature Preservation Potential LZ & Field Station Latitude: 194.0194 E Longitude: 29.2058 S Altitude: +910 m SROI #1 RROI #1 LZ/HZ SROI #4 SROI #2 SROI #5 22 KM HiRISE Digital Terrain Model (DTM) • HiRISE DTMs are made from two images of the same area on the ground, taken from different look angles (known as a stereo-pair) • DTM’s are powerful research tools that allow researchers to take terrain measurements and model geological processes • For our traversability analysis of Columbus: • The HiRISE DTM was processed and completed by the University of Arizona HiRISE Operations Center. • DTM data were imported into ArcMap 10.5 software and traverses were acquired and analyzed using the 3D analyst tool. • A slope map was created in ArcMap to assess slope values along traverses as a supplement to topography observations. Slope should be ≤30°to meet human mission requirements. Conclusions Traversability • 9 out of the 17 traverses analyzed met the slope criteria for human missions. • This region of Columbus Crater is traversable and allows access to regions of astrobiological interest. It is also a possible access point to other regions of Terra Sirenum. -
Crater Gradation in Gusev Crater and Meridiani Planum, Mars J
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH, VOL. 111, E02S08, doi:10.1029/2005JE002465, 2006 Crater gradation in Gusev crater and Meridiani Planum, Mars J. A. Grant,1 R. E. Arvidson,2 L. S. Crumpler,3 M. P. Golombek,4 B. Hahn,5 A. F. C. Haldemann,4 R. Li,6 L. A. Soderblom,7 S. W. Squyres,8 S. P. Wright,9 and W. A. Watters10 Received 19 April 2005; revised 21 June 2005; accepted 27 June 2005; published 6 January 2006. [1] The Mars Exploration Rovers investigated numerous craters in Gusev crater and Meridiani Planum during the first 400 sols of their missions. Craters vary in size and preservation state but are mostly due to secondary impacts at Gusev and primary impacts at Meridiani. Craters at both locations are modified primarily by eolian erosion and infilling and lack evidence for modification by aqueous processes. Effects of gradation on crater form are dependent on size, local lithology, slopes, and availability of mobile sediments. At Gusev, impacts into basaltic rubble create shallow craters and ejecta composed of resistant rocks. Ejecta initially experience eolian stripping, which becomes weathering-limited as lags develop on ejecta surfaces and sediments are trapped within craters. Subsequent eolian gradation depends on the slow production of fines by weathering and impacts and is accompanied by minor mass wasting. At Meridiani the sulfate-rich bedrock is more susceptible to eolian erosion, and exposed crater rims, walls, and ejecta are eroded, while lower interiors and low-relief surfaces are increasingly infilled and buried by mostly basaltic sediments. Eolian processes outpace early mass wasting, often produce meters of erosion, and mantle some surfaces. -
Widespread Crater-Related Pitted Materials on Mars: Further Evidence for the Role of Target Volatiles During the Impact Process ⇑ Livio L
Icarus 220 (2012) 348–368 Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect Icarus journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/icarus Widespread crater-related pitted materials on Mars: Further evidence for the role of target volatiles during the impact process ⇑ Livio L. Tornabene a, , Gordon R. Osinski a, Alfred S. McEwen b, Joseph M. Boyce c, Veronica J. Bray b, Christy M. Caudill b, John A. Grant d, Christopher W. Hamilton e, Sarah Mattson b, Peter J. Mouginis-Mark c a University of Western Ontario, Centre for Planetary Science and Exploration, Earth Sciences, London, ON, Canada N6A 5B7 b University of Arizona, Lunar and Planetary Lab, Tucson, AZ 85721-0092, USA c University of Hawai’i, Hawai’i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, Ma¯noa, HI 96822, USA d Smithsonian Institution, Center for Earth and Planetary Studies, Washington, DC 20013-7012, USA e NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA article info abstract Article history: Recently acquired high-resolution images of martian impact craters provide further evidence for the Received 28 August 2011 interaction between subsurface volatiles and the impact cratering process. A densely pitted crater-related Revised 29 April 2012 unit has been identified in images of 204 craters from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. This sample of Accepted 9 May 2012 craters are nearly equally distributed between the two hemispheres, spanning from 53°Sto62°N latitude. Available online 24 May 2012 They range in diameter from 1 to 150 km, and are found at elevations between À5.5 to +5.2 km relative to the martian datum. The pits are polygonal to quasi-circular depressions that often occur in dense clus- Keywords: ters and range in size from 10 m to as large as 3 km. -
Physical Properties of Martian Meteorites: Porosity and Density Measurements
Meteoritics & Planetary Science 42, Nr 12, 2043–2054 (2007) Abstract available online at http://meteoritics.org Physical properties of Martian meteorites: Porosity and density measurements Ian M. COULSON1, 2*, Martin BEECH3, and Wenshuang NIE3 1Solid Earth Studies Laboratory (SESL), Department of Geology, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan S4S 0A2, Canada 2Institut für Geowissenschaften, Universität Tübingen, 72074 Tübingen, Germany 3Campion College, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan S4S 0A2, Canada *Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] (Received 11 September 2006; revision accepted 06 June 2007) Abstract–Martian meteorites are fragments of the Martian crust. These samples represent igneous rocks, much like basalt. As such, many laboratory techniques designed for the study of Earth materials have been applied to these meteorites. Despite numerous studies of Martian meteorites, little data exists on their basic structural characteristics, such as porosity or density, information that is important in interpreting their origin, shock modification, and cosmic ray exposure history. Analysis of these meteorites provides both insight into the various lithologies present as well as the impact history of the planet’s surface. We present new data relating to the physical characteristics of twelve Martian meteorites. Porosity was determined via a combination of scanning electron microscope (SEM) imagery/image analysis and helium pycnometry, coupled with a modified Archimedean method for bulk density measurements. Our results show a range in porosity and density values and that porosity tends to increase toward the edge of the sample. Preliminary interpretation of the data demonstrates good agreement between porosity measured at 100× and 300× magnification for the shergottite group, while others exhibit more variability. -
Educator's Guide
EDUCATOR’S GUIDE ABOUT THE FILM Dear Educator, “ROVING MARS”is an exciting adventure that This movie details the development of Spirit and follows the journey of NASA’s Mars Exploration Opportunity from their assembly through their Rovers through the eyes of scientists and engineers fantastic discoveries, discoveries that have set the at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Steve Squyres, pace for a whole new era of Mars exploration: from the lead science investigator from Cornell University. the search for habitats to the search for past or present Their collective dream of Mars exploration came life… and maybe even to human exploration one day. true when two rovers landed on Mars and began Having lasted many times longer than their original their scientific quest to understand whether Mars plan of 90 Martian days (sols), Spirit and Opportunity ever could have been a habitat for life. have confirmed that water persisted on Mars, and Since the 1960s, when humans began sending the that a Martian habitat for life is a possibility. While first tentative interplanetary probes out into the solar they continue their studies, what lies ahead are system, two-thirds of all missions to Mars have NASA missions that not only “follow the water” on failed. The technical challenges are tremendous: Mars, but also “follow the carbon,” a building block building robots that can withstand the tremendous of life. In the next decade, precision landers and shaking of launch; six months in the deep cold of rovers may even search for evidence of life itself, space; a hurtling descent through the atmosphere either signs of past microbial life in the rock record (going from 10,000 miles per hour to 0 in only six or signs of past or present life where reserves of minutes!); bouncing as high as a three-story building water ice lie beneath the Martian surface today. -
Exploration of Victoria Crater by the Mars Rover Opportunity
Exploration of Victoria Crater by the Mars Rover Opportunity The Harvard community has made this article openly available. Please share how this access benefits you. Your story matters Citation Squyres, Steven W., Andrew H. Knoll, Raymond E. Arvidson, James W. Ashley, James F. III Bell, Wendy M. Calvin, Philip R. Christensen, et al. 2009. Exploration of Victoria Crater by the Mars rover Opportunity. Science 324(5930): 1058-1061. Published Version doi:10.1126/science.1170355 Citable link http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:3934552 Terms of Use This article was downloaded from Harvard University’s DASH repository, and is made available under the terms and conditions applicable to Open Access Policy Articles, as set forth at http:// nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:dash.current.terms-of- use#OAP Exploration of Victoria Crater by the Rover Opportunity S.W. Squyres1, A.H. Knoll2, R.E. Arvidson3, J.W. Ashley4, J.F. Bell III1, W.M. Calvin5, P.R. Christensen4, B.C. Clark6, B.A. Cohen7, P.A. de Souza Jr.8, L. Edgar9, W.H. Farrand10, I. Fleischer11, R. Gellert12, M.P. Golombek13, J. Grant14, J. Grotzinger9, A. Hayes9, K.E. Herkenhoff15, J.R. Johnson15, B. Jolliff3, G. Klingelhöfer11, A. Knudson4, R. Li16, T.J. McCoy17, S.M. McLennan18, D.W. Ming19, D.W. Mittlefehldt19, R.V. Morris19, J.W. Rice Jr.4, C. Schröder11, R.J. Sullivan1, A. Yen13, R.A. Yingst20 1 Dept. of Astronomy, Space Sciences Bldg., Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA 2 Botanical Museum, Harvard University, Cambridge MA 02138, USA 3 Dept. -
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Opportunity Observations Of
PUBLICATIONS Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets RESEARCH ARTICLE Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Opportunity 10.1002/2014JE004686 observations of the Burns formation: Crater Key Point: hopping at Meridiani Planum • Hydrated Mg and Ca sulfate Burns formation minerals mapped with MRO R. E. Arvidson1, J. F. Bell III2, J. G. Catalano1, B. C. Clark3, V. K. Fox1, R. Gellert4, J. P. Grotzinger5, and MER data E. A. Guinness1, K. E. Herkenhoff6, A. H. Knoll7, M. G. A. Lapotre5, S. M. McLennan8, D. W. Ming9, R. V. Morris9, S. L. Murchie10, K. E. Powell1, M. D. Smith11, S. W. Squyres12, M. J. Wolff3, and J. J. Wray13 1 2 Correspondence to: Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Washington University in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA, School of Earth and Space R. E. Arvidson, Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA, 3Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colorado, USA, 4Department of [email protected] Physics, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, 5Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA, 6U.S. Geological Survey, Astrogeology Science Center, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA, 7 8 Citation: Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, Department Arvidson, R. E., et al. (2015), Mars of Geosciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA, 9NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, USA, Reconnaissance Orbiter and Opportunity 10Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, Maryland, USA, 11NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, observations of the Burns formation: Greenbelt, Maryland, USA, 12Department of Astronomy, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA, 13School of Earth and Crater hopping at Meridiani Planum, J. -
Volcanism on Mars
Author's personal copy Chapter 41 Volcanism on Mars James R. Zimbelman Center for Earth and Planetary Studies, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA William Brent Garry and Jacob Elvin Bleacher Sciences and Exploration Directorate, Code 600, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA David A. Crown Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, AZ, USA Chapter Outline 1. Introduction 717 7. Volcanic Plains 724 2. Background 718 8. Medusae Fossae Formation 725 3. Large Central Volcanoes 720 9. Compositional Constraints 726 4. Paterae and Tholi 721 10. Volcanic History of Mars 727 5. Hellas Highland Volcanoes 722 11. Future Studies 728 6. Small Constructs 723 Further Reading 728 GLOSSARY shield volcano A broad volcanic construct consisting of a multitude of individual lava flows. Flank slopes are typically w5, or less AMAZONIAN The youngest geologic time period on Mars identi- than half as steep as the flanks on a typical composite volcano. fied through geologic mapping of superposition relations and the SNC meteorites A group of igneous meteorites that originated on areal density of impact craters. Mars, as indicated by a relatively young age for most of these caldera An irregular collapse feature formed over the evacuated meteorites, but most importantly because gases trapped within magma chamber within a volcano, which includes the potential glassy parts of the meteorite are identical to the atmosphere of for a significant role for explosive volcanism. Mars. The abbreviation is derived from the names of the three central volcano Edifice created by the emplacement of volcanic meteorites that define major subdivisions identified within the materials from a centralized source vent rather than from along a group: S, Shergotty; N, Nakhla; C, Chassigny. -
Magnetite Biomineralization and Ancient Life on Mars Richard B Frankel* and Peter R Buseckt
Magnetite biomineralization and ancient life on Mars Richard B Frankel* and Peter R Buseckt Certain chemical and mineral features of the Martian meteorite with a mass distribution unlike terrestrial PAHs or those from ALH84001 were reported in 1996 to be probable evidence of other meteorites; thirdly, bacterium-shaped objects (BSOs) ancient life on Mars. In spite of new observations and up to several hundred nanometers long that resemble fos interpretations, the question of ancient life on Mars remains silized terrestrial microorganisms; and lastly, 10-100 nm unresolved. Putative biogenic, nanometer magnetite has now magnetite (Fe304), pyrrhotite (Fel_xS), and greigite (Fe3S4) become a leading focus in the debate. crystals. These minerals were cited as evidence because of their similarity to biogenic magnetic minerals in terrestrial Addresses magnetotactic bacteria. *Department of Physics, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California 93407, USA; e-mail: [email protected] The ancient life on Mars hypothesis has been extensively tDepartments of Geology and Chemistry/Biochemistry, Arizona State challenged, and alternative non-biological processes have University, Tempe, Arizona 85287-1404, USA; e-mail: [email protected] been proposed for each of the four features cited by McKay et al. [4]. In this paper we review the current situa tion regarding their proposed evidence, focusing on the Abbreviations putative biogenic magnetite crystals. BCM biologically controlled mineralization BIM biologically induced mineralization BSO bacterium-shaped object Evidence for and against ancient Martian life PAH polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon PAHs and BSOs Reports of contamination by terrestrial organic materials [5°,6°] and the similarity of ALH84001 PAHs to non-bio genic PAHs in carbonaceous chondrites [7,8] make it Introduction difficult to positively identify PAHs of non-terrestrial, bio A 2 kg carbonaceous stony meteorite, designated genic origin. -
Sdlao Uemoa Uicn
DiagnosticDiagnostic 4 FOR THE WEST AFRICAN COASTAL AREA THEWESTAFRICANFOR COASTAL REGIONAL SHORELINE MONITORING MONITORING SHORELINE REGIONAL STUDY AND DRAWING UP OF A UPOF STUDY ANDDRAWING REGIONAL DIAGNOSTIC MANAGEMENT SCHEME 2010 REGIONAL SHORELINE MONITORING STUDY AND DRAWING UP OF A MANAGEMENT SCHEME FOR THE WEST AFRICAN COASTAL AREA The regional study for shoreline monitoring and drawing up a development scheme for the West African coastal area was launched by UEMOA as part of the regional programme to combat coastal erosion (PRLEC – UEMOA), the subject of Regulation 02/2007/CM/UEMOA, adopted on 6 April 2007. This decision also follows on from the recommendations from the Conference of Ministers in charge of the Environment dated 11 April 1997, in Cotonou. The meeting of Ministers in charge of the environment, held on 25 January 2007, in Cotonou (Benin), approved this Regional coastal erosion programme in its conclusions. This study is implemented by the International Union for the IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature (UICN) as part of the remit of IUCN’s Marine Conservation of Nature, helps the and Coastal Programme (MACO) for Central and Western Africa, the world find pragmatic solutions to coordination of which is based in Nouakchott and which is developed our most pressing environment as a thematic component of IUCN’s Programme for Central and and development challenges. It supports scientific research, Western Africa (PACO), coordinated from Ouagadougou. manages field projects all over the world and brings governments, UEMOA is the contracting owner of the study, in this instance non-government organizations, through PRLEC – UEMOA coordination of the UEMOA United Nations agencies, Commission. -
Peculiarities of the Chemical Abundance Distribution in Galaxies NGC 3963 and NGC 7292
MNRAS 505, 2009–2019 (2021) https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stab1414 Advance Access publication 2021 May 19 Peculiarities of the chemical abundance distribution in galaxies NGC 3963 and NGC 7292 A. S. Gusev ‹ and A. V. Dodin Sternberg Astronomical Institute, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Universitetsky pr. 13, 119234 Moscow, Russia Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article/505/2/2009/6278202 by Lomonosov Moscow State University user on 09 June 2021 Accepted 2021 May 11. in original form 2021 April 27 ABSTRACT Spectroscopic observations of 32 H II regions in the spiral galaxy NGC 3963 and the barred irregular galaxy NGC 7292 were carried out with the 2.5-m telescope of the Caucasus Mountain Observatory of the Sternberg Astronomical Institute using the Transient Double-beam Spectrograph with a dispersion of ≈1Åpixel−1 and a spectral resolution of ≈3 Å. These observations were used to estimate the oxygen and nitrogen abundances and the electron temperatures in H II regions through modern strong- line methods. In general, the galaxies have oxygen and nitrogen abundances typical of stellar systems with similar luminosities, sizes, and morphology. However, we have found some peculiarities in chemical abundance distributions in both galaxies. The distorted outer segment of the southern arm of NGC 3963 shows an excess oxygen and nitrogen abundances. Chemical elements abundances in NGC 7292 are constant and do not depend on the galactocentric distance. These peculiarities can be explained in terms of external gas accretion in the case of NGC 3963 and major merging for NGC 7292. Key words: ISM: abundances – H II regions – galaxies: abundances – galaxies: individual: NGC 3963, NGC 7292. -
Mineralogy of the Martian Surface
EA42CH14-Ehlmann ARI 30 April 2014 7:21 Mineralogy of the Martian Surface Bethany L. Ehlmann1,2 and Christopher S. Edwards1 1Division of Geological & Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125; email: [email protected], [email protected] 2Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91109 Annu. Rev. Earth Planet. Sci. 2014. 42:291–315 Keywords First published online as a Review in Advance on Mars, composition, mineralogy, infrared spectroscopy, igneous processes, February 21, 2014 aqueous alteration The Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences is online at earth.annualreviews.org Abstract This article’s doi: The past fifteen years of orbital infrared spectroscopy and in situ exploration 10.1146/annurev-earth-060313-055024 have led to a new understanding of the composition and history of Mars. Copyright c 2014 by Annual Reviews. Globally, Mars has a basaltic upper crust with regionally variable quanti- by California Institute of Technology on 06/09/14. For personal use only. All rights reserved ties of plagioclase, pyroxene, and olivine associated with distinctive terrains. Enrichments in olivine (>20%) are found around the largest basins and Annu. Rev. Earth Planet. Sci. 2014.42:291-315. Downloaded from www.annualreviews.org within late Noachian–early Hesperian lavas. Alkali volcanics are also locally present, pointing to regional differences in igneous processes. Many ma- terials from ancient Mars bear the mineralogic fingerprints of interaction with water. Clay minerals, found in exposures of Noachian crust across the globe, preserve widespread evidence for early weathering, hydrothermal, and diagenetic aqueous environments. Noachian and Hesperian sediments include paleolake deposits with clays, carbonates, sulfates, and chlorides that are more localized in extent.