Following the Mars Science Laboratory As It Explores the Red

Home , CheMin, Goulburn (Mars), Jake Matijevic (rock), Mount Sharp, N165, Rocknest (Mars)

NASA/JPL(Caltech/MSSS1

241July120131

Following the Mars Science Jen Blank Laboratory as it Explores the Red MSL Science Team NASA Ames Research Planet at Gale Crater Center Curiosity’s*primary*scien1ﬁc*goal*is*to*explore*and* quan1ta1vely*assess*a*local*region*on*Mars’*surface*as*a* poten1al*habitat*for*life,*past*or*present* • Biological*poten1al* • Geology*and*geochemistry* • Role*of*water* • Surface*radia1on*

NASA/JPL(Caltech1

Curiosity’s Science Objectives Curiosity’s1Capabili@es1

A*Robo1c*Field*Geologist* A*Mobile*Geochemical*and* • Long*life,*ability*to*traverse*many* Environmental*Laboratory** miles*over*rocky*terrain* • Ability*to*acquire*and*process*dozens*of* • Landscape*and*handHlens*imaging* rock*and*soil*samples* • Ability*to*survey*composi1on*of* • Instruments*that*analyze*samples*for* bedrock*and*regolith1 chemistry,*mineralogy,*and*organics* • Sensors*to*monitor*water,*weather,*and* natural*highHenergy*radia1on* Phoenix Viking 2

Pathfinder Viking 1

Curiosity Opportunity (Still Going!) Spirit

90°N to 90°S, 180°W to 180°W, centered on 0° MSSS/MGS MOC & MOLA product

Mars Robotic Exploration Field Sites Curiosity Gale Crater Curiosity • 5.4°S, 222.3°W field site

• 155 km diameter

• Mt. Sharp is about 5 km high Aeolis Mons (Mt. Sharp) • Field site elevation is near –4.5 km

Mosaic of MRO CTX images 61 Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, 5 November 2012 — K. Edgett, Malin Space Science Systems, Inc. NASA/JPL(Caltech1

NASA/JPL(Caltech/ESA/DLR/FU1Berlin/MSSS1

Target: Gale Crater and Mount Sharp REMOTE*SENSING1 ChemCam$ Mastcam$ Mastcam1(M.1Malin,1MSSS)1(1Color1and1telephoto1imaging,1 video,1atmospheric1opacity1 RAD$ ChemCam1(R.1Wiens,1LANL/CNES)1–1Chemical1composi@on;1 REMS$ remote1micro(imaging1 1 DAN$ CONTACT*INSTRUMENTS*(ARM)11 MAHLI1(K.1EdgeV,1MSSS)1–1Hand(lens1color1imaging1 APXS1(R.1Gellert,1U.1Guelph,1Canada)1(1Chemical1 composi@on1 * ANALYTICAL*LABORATORY*(ROVER*BODY)11 MAHLI$ APXS$ SAM1(P.1Mahaﬀy,1GSFC/CNES/JPL(Caltech)1(1Chemical1and1 isotopic1composi@on,1including1organics1 Brush$ MARDI$ Drill$/$Sieves$ CheMin1(D.1Blake,1ARC)1(1Mineralogy111111111111 Scoop$ 1 Wheel*Base: * *2.8*m* ENVIRONMENTAL*CHARACTERIZATION* Height*of*Deck: * *1.1*m* MARDI1(M.1Malin,1MSSS)1(1Descent1imaging1 Ground*Clearance: *0.66*m* REMS1(J.1Gómez(Elvira,1CAB,1Spain)1(1Meteorology1/1UV1 Height*of*Mast:* *2.2*m* RAD1(D.1Hassler,1SwRI)1(1High(energy1radia@on1 Mass: * **900*kg* DAN1(I.1Mitrofanov,1IKI,1Russia)1(1Subsurface1hydrogen1

Curiosity’s Investigation Teams Organic*Check* Material*

Sample* • Cleans1rock1surfaces1with1a1brush1 Observa1on* Tray* • Places1and1holds1the1APXS1and1 MAHLI1instruments1 Extra*Drill* Bits* • Acquires1samples1of1rock1or1soil1 Turret* 2.25Hm*Robot*Arm* with1a1powdering1drill1or1scoop1

APXS* • Sieves1the1samples1(to11501μm1or111 CHIMRA* mm)1and1delivers1them1to1 instruments1or1an1observa@on1tray1 • Exchanges1spare1drill1bits1

MAHLI* Drill*

Brush*

Curiosity’s Sampling System ChemCam (Chemistry) Mastcam APXS (Imaging) RAD (Chemistry) MAHLI (Radiation) (Imaging) REMS (Weather)

DAN (Subsurface Hydrogen)

Drill Scoop Brush Sieves

SAM (Chemistry CheMin MARDI and Isotopes) (Mineralogy) (Imaging)

Curiosity’s Science Payload Cameras on Curiosity Curiosity1–1Spirit/Opportunity1(1Sojourner1

975.0*kg* 174.0*kg* 10.6*kg* Missions1to1Mars1since1~19961 Launch$Year$ 1996*to*2011* 2011* 2013* 2016* 2018* 2020*

Odyssey* ESA’s* ExoMars* Mars*Sample* Trace*Gas* * Cache* Orbiter* MRO* MGS* MAVEN*

MEX*(ESA)*

Curiosity* MER* Phoenix* (Mars*Science*Lab)* MER* Curiosity1Launch:11261November120111(Cape1Canaveral1FL)1 1 Travel1Time1to1Mars:11~181months,1101days1 1 Arrival1to1Mars:1151August1(PDT)120121(Bradbury1Landing,1Gale)1 1 Travel1Distance:11567,000,0001km1(352,000,0001mi)11 1 Sol111=1ﬁrst1day1of1mission1on1Mars1 1 Sol1=1241hours1+1401minutes1(longer1than1an1Earth1day)1 First Observations at Bradbury Landing

“Seven1Minutes1of1Terror”1video:11hVps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2I8AoB1xgU1 NASA/JPL(Caltech1 “Touchdown confirmed.” “Let’s see where Curiosity will take us.” Looking North to Crater Rim

NASA/JPL(Caltech/MSSS1 Looking South to Mount Sharp

NASA/JPL(Caltech/MSSS1 Near-Field Diversity Mid-Field Diversity NASA/JPL(Caltech/LANL/CNES/IRAP/MSSS1 NASA/JPL(Caltech/LANL/CNES/IRAP1 ChemCam spectra of Coronation Target:*Corona1on*(N165)* Sol*13* Shots:*30*

NASA/JPL(Caltech/LANL/CNES/IRAP/MSSS1 NASA/JPL(Caltech/MSSS1 Target:*Beechey*(Sol*19)* Shots*per*point:*50*

Before* Aeer* 8*cm* (3”)* NASA/JPL(Caltech/LANL/CNES/IRAP/LPGN/CNRS1 ChemCam’s laser induced breakdown spectrometer acquires a 5-point raster in soil NASA/JPL(Caltech/MSSS1

Nested, hand-lens imaging of the 25-cm (10”) high rock Jake Matijevic Jake Matijevic studied by Mastcam (image), APXS, and ChemCam

Composition is similar to alkaline basalts on Earth produced by partial melting of the mantle

Si Al sol34 Caltarget 90 min sol46 JakeMatijevic 30 min 10 Mg

Na APXS*Spectra* Fe S K Ca 1 Cl Ti

Mn P

Zn Br 0.1 Cr countspersecond Ni

0.01

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Energy [keV] NASA/JPL(Caltech/MSSS1

NASA/JPL(Caltech/U.1Guelph1 NASA/JPL(Caltech/Univ.1of1Arizona1 Curiosity progressed toward Glenelg, where three distinct terrain types meet Discovery of Conglomerate NASA/JPL(Caltech/Univ.1of1Arizona1

Map view of conglomerate outcrops (next slides) NASA/JPL(Caltech/MSSS1

The Goulburn scour revealed the first look at underlying bedrock NASA/JPL(Caltech/MSSS1 The conglomerate “Link” with associated loose, rounded pebbles NASA/JPL(Caltech/UofA1

Conglomerate reveals an ancient streambed, likely originating at the northern crater rim

MAHLI Portraits and Rocknest Scooping Campaign NASA/JPL(Caltech/MSSS1

Images of Curiosity’s turret centered on MAHLI (left) and APXS (right) NASA/JPL(Caltech/MSSS1 Curiosity images its undercarriage with its Mars Hand-Lens Imager NASA/JPL(Caltech/MSSS1

Windblown sand at the Rocknest site Wheel scuff to prepare for safe scooping

NASA/JPL(Caltech1 Curiosity self-portrait at Rocknest

Assembled from 55 MAHLI images

Shows four scoop trenches and wheel scuff

NASA/JPL(Caltech/MSSS1 NASA/JPL(Caltech/MSSS1 381 NASA/JPL(Caltech/MSSS1 NASA/JPL(Caltech/MSSS1 Gases SAM and released CheMin during SAM analyses experiments of Rocknest

Sand found to be basaltic grains, along with evidence NASA/JPL(Caltech/Ames1 for water, NASA/JPL(Caltech/MSSS1 sulfates, NASA/JPL(Caltech/Goddard1 carbonates, and potentially perchlorates X-ray diffraction pattern from CheMin Measurements of Mars’ Atmosphere and Environment REMS’ ground and air temperature sensors are located on small booms on the rover’s mast

The ground temperature changes by 90°C (170 degrees Fahrenheit) between day and night

The air is warmer than the ground at night, and cooler during the morning, before it is heated by the ground NASA/JPL(Caltech/CAB(CSIC(INTA)1

Curiosity’s Rover Environmental Monitoring Station is taking weather readings 24 × 7 Each day the pressure varies by over 10%, similar to the change in pressure between Los Angeles and Denver

Solar heating of the ground drives a pressure “tidal wave” that sweeps across the planet each day

Overall, the pressure is increasing as carbon dioxide sublimates from the southern seasonal polar cap

NASA/JPL(Caltech/CAB(CSIC(INTA)/FMI/Ashima1Research1 Earth’s atmosphere = 101,325 Pascals, or about 140 times the pressure at Gale Crater

REMS pressure measurements detect local, regional, and global weather phenomena RAD observed galactic cosmic rays and five solar energetic particle events traveling from Earth to Mars

Mars’ atmosphere partially shields the surface from radiation. When the atmosphere is thicker (higher REMS pressure), RAD measures less radiation.

NASA/JPL(Caltech/SwRI1

Curiosity’s Radiation Assessment Detector measures high-energy radiation DAN sends ten million neutrons into the ground, ten times a second

The “echo” back is recorded. If hydrogen is present in the ground, perhaps in aqueous minerals, some neutrons will collide and lose energy

DAN is used to survey the upper one meter of the ground below the rover as it drives along NASA/JPL(Caltech/Russian1Space1Research1Ins@tute1

Curiosity’s Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons experiment sounds the ground for hydrogen Atmospheric*Gas* SAM found that argon, Abundances* rather than nitrogen is the Measured*by*SAM* second most abundant gas SAM also found that Mars’ atmosphere is enriched in the heavy versions of isotopes, indicating that atmospheric loss has occurred

Methane has not been definitively detected

NASA/JPL(Caltech/Goddard1

TLS uses infrared lasers and mirrors to measure the absorption of light by atmospheric gases

The SAM Tunable Laser Spectrometer and Mass Spectrometer measure atmospheric composition The Glenelg Region and Yellowknife Bay NASA/JPL(Caltech/Univ.1of1Arizona1 Curiosity explored Yellowknife Bay, a basin within the Glenelg region NASA/JPL(Caltech/MSSS1

“Shaler” rocks just outside Yellowknife Bay show inclined, fine layers that indicate sediment transport NASA/JPL(Caltech/MSSS1 Heading into Yellowknife Bay NASA/JPL(Caltech/MSSS1 Postcards from Yellowknife Bay showing a diversity of rock types, fractures, and veins

NASA/JPL(Caltech1 NASA/JPL(Caltech/MSSS1

First use of dust-removing brush ChemCam*Remote* MicroHImager*

NASA/JPL(Caltech/LANL/CNES/IRAP/1 LPGNantes/CNRS/LGLyon/Planet(Terre1

ChemCam1spectra1from1sol11251 “Crest”1and11351“Rapitan”1

“Sheepbed” rocks contain 1 to 5-mm fractures filled with calcium sulfate minerals that precipitated from fluids at low to moderate temperatures NASA/JPL(Caltech/MSSS1

“Sheepbed” rocks also contain many spherules suggesting that water percolated though pores Drill Campaign at John Klein, Yellowknife Bay (First drilled rock) NASA/JPL(Caltech/MSSS1 John Klein Drill Site Drill Target Candidates NASA/JPL(Caltech/MSSS1 Drilling1Sol11741(Feb12013)1 NASA/JPL(Caltech/LANL/CNES/IRAP/ LPGNantes/CNRS1

NASA/JPL(Caltech/MSSS1 Curiosity’s 1.6-cm Drill Bit, Drill and Test Holes NASA/JPL(Caltech/D.1Bouic1 Arm Deployed at John Klein Curiosity1Traverse1Map1 Curiosity111km1‘milestone’,1Sol13351(171July12013)11 Mount Sharp, The Ultimate Destination NASA/JPL(Caltech/Univ.1of1Arizona1 Curiosity’s ultimate goal is to explore the lower reaches of the 5-km high Mount Sharp Potential route up through the foothills of Mt Sharp sub-frame of MRO CTX D03_028269_1752_XI_04S222W N 7 August 2012

Upper Mt. Sharp Strata Lower Mt. Sharp Strata • no stream erosion • canyons cut by streams • no sulfate or clay detection • sulfate and clay-bearing • above erosional unconformity

Record of Equatorial Mars Transition from “Wet” to “Dry”?

671 NASA/JPL(Caltech/MSSS1 NASA/JPL(Caltech/MSSS1 This boulder is the size of Curiosity

NASA/JPL(Caltech/MSSS1

Layers, Canyons, and Buttes of Mount Sharp Analog1Exercises1 Mars1Desert1Research1Sta@on1Feb120131

Hanksville1 UTAH1 Rocks1at1MDRS1resemble1those1at1Gale1 Crater1(1similar1deposi@onal1histories? environments.1

Simula@ng1Field1Ac@vi@es1on1Mars1

Learn1More1about1Curiosity1and1Mars1

Current*Mars*Mission:**Mars*Science*Laboratory* hgp://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/index.html* * Mars*Explora1on*Program:**hgp://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/* All*about*Mars:**hgp://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/allaboutmars/* Imagining*Mars*in*the*future*(with*people):*** *****hgp://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/imagine/* * * * Some*addi1onal*materials:*** **hgp://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/par1cipate/marsforeducators/* Mars*for*kids:**hgp://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/par1cipate/funzone/1 Or,1 Contact*me:[email protected]