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Columbus Crater HLS2 Hangout: Exploration Zone Briefing

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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. Science • CRISM analyses resulted in observations of putative Cl-oxyanion salts in the scientific regions of interest. • These analyses coupled with previous observations of sulfate-bearing minerals suggest that physiochemical conditions could have been habitable for S-driven and Cl-oxyanion driven microbial ecosystems Future Data Analysis Continued Work • We continue to analyze current available data from CRISM to learn more about the mineralogy, aqueous history, resource availability and habitability of Columbus Crater Future Data Needed • More high-resolution Images of the crater floor to determine suitable Landing and Habitation Zone • More stereo pairs of the northeastern shore so that we can fully determine the ability to exit Columbus Crater and explore other terrain. Acknowledgements • University of Arizona HiRISE Operations Center • Jen Hanley, Lowell Observatory • Briony Horgan, Purdue University Funding Sources • NASA Astrobiology Institute • Ford Foundation Fellowship Program • Georgia Institute of Technology Abstract Exploration Zone Briefing: #1008 Gusev Crater A. Z. Longo With gratitude to: R. M. Davis, B. Collom, E. Bogat, S. W. Ruff, J. W. Rice, M. Van Kranendonk, K. Campbell, B. Damer, T. Djokic, D. W. Deamer Why Gusev? Ground Truth Diverse geology Abundant Subsurface Ice Biopreservation potential EZ Briefing: Columbia Hills/Gusev Crater Gusev Crater EZ Overview st nd 17 1 HLS2 Workshop 2 HLS2 Workshop 16 18 Primary science targets: Primary science targets: 14 13 - Hot spring with potential - 1st Workshop, plus: 9 biosignatures - Globally-distributed olivine- 8 - Delta with 400m layered carbonate unit 6 sediments - Medussae Fossae Formation 11 7 - Mineralogical diversity: clays, (MFF) stratified ash 1 4 2 12 carbonates, sulfates, lavas 15 3 5 10 Primary resources: Primary resources: - Etched (glacial?) terrain - Subsurface ice? - Pingos - Pedestal craters 19 - Hydrated phyllosilicates - Pingos EZ Briefing: Columbia Hills/Gusev Crater Executive Summary • All requested HiRISE data has been acquired • Galdakao Crater (ROI 18) contains Medusae Fossae Formation stratified ash, and the valley entering it was likely carved by wind • Castril Crater (ROI 2) contains exposed bedrock, but no apparent layering • Abundant water ice may be present on the floor of the well-preserved crater in ROI 15 EZ Briefing: Columbia Hills/Gusev Crater Galdakao Crater: Overview • ESP_045740_1665 • Located on the northeast edge of this EZ; shared ROI with proposals 1043 (Kerber et al.) and 1046 (Rice et al.) • Left side of the crater is filled with layered material; right side is filled with Hesperian flood basalts • Crater rim is incised by a dendritic valley Parker et al., 2010 Hypothesis: Galdakao is a Noachian paleolake with slowly-eroding sediments EZ Briefing: Columbia Hills/Gusev Crater Galdakao Crater: Sediments • Sediments in Galdakao Crater are finely-layered • Miniature yardangs alternating with smooth plains • Eastern edge of the deposit is actively eroding EZ Briefing: Columbia Hills/Gusev Crater Galdakao Crater: Valley • Valley floor is largely obscured by ripples of dust • No layering is apparent in the walls of the valley • Channels branching off of the main valley are surrounded by undulating, grooved terrain EZ Briefing: Columbia Hills/Gusev Crater Galdakao Crater: Analogs • Lakebed sediments, such as those in Jezero Crater and Holden Crater, are typically light-toned and finely-layered • A large deposit of Medusae Fossae Formation (MFF) stratified ash is to the north of Galdakao itself • MFF deposits typically contain the small, angular mesas seen within the sediment on the floor of Galdakao Crater EZ Briefing: Columbia Hills/Gusev Crater Galdakao Crater: Conclusions • The layered deposit within Galdakao Crater is composed of stratified ash, similar to the rest of the Medusae Fossae Formation • As the MFF is easily eroded, the dendritic valley which intersects the crater rim was most likely carved by wind • Crews could go to the eastern edge of the MFF layers to collect recently-exposed samples • The MFF is likely Amazonian; therefore, Gusev has ancient and modern volcanic deposits co- located in one EZ EZ Briefing: Columbia Hills/Gusev Crater Castril Crater and Etched Terrain: Overview • ESP_060720_1650 • Large swaths of Gusev Crater’s floor are covered by etched terrain: knobby, easily- erodible material • The Etched Terrain could be a lacustrine or volcanic deposit • Castril Crater is a 2.2 km diameter impact crater that penetrates one exposure of etched terrain Hypothesis: Castril Crater could expose a cross-section of the etched terrain, and/or impact glass preserving biosignatures EZ Briefing: Columbia Hills/Gusev Crater Etched Terrain: Background • Two types of etched terrain are observed in the vicinity of the Columbia Hills • Small, friable olivine knobs sporadically altered to carbonate: Could have been altered by acid rain (Ruff et al., 2018) • Large knobs oriented in one direction: Could be deglaciated terrain (Gregg et al., 2007) • Are the two morphologies part of the same geologic unit? EZ Briefing: Columbia Hills/Gusev Crater Etched Terrain: Results • Castril sits within a deposit of large knobs of etched terrain • Located south of Spirit landing site, nicknamed “Italy” • Separated from the Gusev plains by a steep scarp • Small knobs of etched terrain are observed to the northeast of Castril adjacent to the scarp EZ Briefing: Columbia Hills/Gusev Crater Castril Crater: Results • CRISM cryocooler had failed by the time of this image request, so the search for impact glass could not be completed • Large blocks of ejecta could still potentially contain glass • Crater is filled with dust – no sedimentary layers are exposed • Bedrock is visible in sections of the crater rim EZ Briefing: Columbia Hills/Gusev Crater Castril Crater and Etched Terrain: Conclusions • Castril Crater penetrates the etched terrain, but it does not offer any insight as to their structure • Small and large knobs of etched terrain are located in close proximity. This suggests that they are most likely part of the same unit. • As it is most likely not a glacial feature, the etched terrain is not the best water-ice resource within this EZ • At one point, the floor of Gusev Crater was covered by a regional (global?) unit of olivine EZ Briefing: Columbia Hills/Gusev Crater Concentric Craters: Overview • ESP_045239_1650 AND ESP_053045_1650 • Located on the western rim of Gusev Crater • Small, well-preserved crater contained within a large, degraded crater Hypothesis: The craters within this ROI could expose a cross-section of the Noachian crust surrounding Gusev crater, penetrating deeper than any one crater alone. EZ Briefing: Columbia Hills/Gusev Crater Concentric Craters: Morphology • No layering apparent in the walls of the older crater • Younger crater has well-preserved bedrock exposures around its rim • Layers not visible in younger crater EZ Briefing: Columbia Hills/Gusev Crater Concentric Craters: Ice? • Younger crater has a flat floor • Broken into multiple large blocks, with smooth areas between them • Morphologically similar to ice rafting in Antarctica EZ Briefing: Columbia Hills/Gusev Crater Concentric Craters: Pedestal Craters • Additional indicators for ice are numerous small pedestal craters • Form when a meteor impacts ice-rich ground; ice melts and is protected by impact material (Schon and Head, 2012) • Frequently seen in areas such as Arsia Mons with large subsurface ice deposits • Upon further investigation, multiple pedestal craters are present on the floor of Gusev itself EZ Briefing: Columbia Hills/Gusev Crater Concentric Craters: Pedestal Craters EZ Briefing: Columbia Hills/Gusev Crater Concentric Craters: Conclusions • A well-preserved crater within the EZ may contain large amounts of subsurface water ice
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