DOCSLIB.ORG

SALAR DE UYUNI’ AS a SIMULATED MARS BASE HABITAT in SOUTH AMERICA Natalia Vargas-Cuentas, Avid Roman-Gonzalez

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
SALAR DE UYUNI’ AS a SIMULATED MARS BASE HABITAT in SOUTH AMERICA Natalia Vargas-Cuentas, Avid Roman-Gonzalez THE ’SALAR DE UYUNI’ AS A SIMULATED MARS BASE HABITAT IN SOUTH AMERICA Natalia Vargas-Cuentas, Avid Roman-Gonzalez To cite this version: Natalia Vargas-Cuentas, Avid Roman-Gonzalez. THE ’SALAR DE UYUNI’ AS A SIMULATED MARS BASE HABITAT IN SOUTH AMERICA. Global Space Exploration Conference (GLEX 2017), Jun 2017, Beijing, China. hal-01635943 HAL Id: hal-01635943 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01635943 Submitted on 15 Nov 2017 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. THE ‘SALAR DE UYUNI’ AS A SIMULATED MARS BASE HABITAT IN SOUTH AMERICA Natalia I. Vargas-Cuentasa*, Avid Roman-Gonzalezb a International School, Beihang University of Aeronautics and Astronautics - BUAA, 37 Xueyuan Rd, Haidian Qu, Beijing Shi, China, 100191 b Image Processing Research Laboratory (INTI-Lab), Universidad de Ciencias y Humanidades - UCH, Av. Universitaria 5175, Los Olivos, Lima, Peru, Lima 39 * Corresponding Author Abstract The first man to step on Martian soil must be prepared and trained for everything he will face on the Red Planet, knowing what difficulties he will encounter, knowing where to explore, and what actions to take. All these aspects have to be learned here on Earth. That is why it is critical to have analog bases simulating Mars here on Earth. The primary objective of this work is to propose the ‘Salar de Uyuni’, located in Bolivia, as an analog base to simulate exploration missions on Mars. Uyuni's environmental characteristics make it a good alternative when one need to simulate exploration of other planets. In the present work, we can observe a comparison of the main features of the different simulation stations of Mars and the environmental characteristics of Uyuni. Keywords: Analog Mars, Mars, Uyuni, Planet Exploration, Human Exploration, Simulation 1. Introduction simulated Mars base habitats, and we want to propose a The growing interest to explore the Universe, location for the existence of a fifth simulated Mars base discover new planets, has led us to develop scientific habitats located in the 'Salar de Uyuni’ in Bolivia. The and technical projects, to discover the unknown. ‘Salar de Uyuni' is a place that has the climatic, and The exploration of Mars has been a project that has geological conditions that are required and also has a emerged since the beginning of the cold war, the quality of radiation. The salt and lithium that exist in the reasons for exploring the red planet are several, for territory affect the correct functioning of electronic example, ancient astronomers have evidenced the components, a quality that we would find interesting to presence of furrows on the surface of the red planet that simulate in search of a future human exploration would be an indication of the existence of water. On the mission to Mars. other hand, Mars would have a strategic position respect This paper is structured as follow. Section 2 presents to the Sun, contemplating the red planet for human some characteristics of the Mars environment. In expansion in the future. Finally, the existing technology Section 3 one describe different analog Mars station of space exploration can take us to that planet. around the world. Section 4 shows the advantages of In the last years, different projects have come up to Uyuni to be considered an analog Mars station. In make the exploration of Mars come true, first by Section 5 one shows the results. In Section 6 one sending rover explorations like Spirit, Opportunity, interprets the results although the discussion. Section 7 Curiosity and others. On the other hand, there have also present the arrived conclusion of this study. been projects to develop human exploration, with initiatives such as Mars500, MarsOne, and others. 2. Environmental conditions on Mars To crystallize the human explorations on Mars, it has been understood that the first thing to do is to 2.1 General environmental conditions on Mars understand the necessary considerations for a manned Mars is the fourth inner planet in the solar system, space mission, for this, the Mars Society launched the the most distant planet belonging to this group, is Mars Analog Research Station (MARS) project. A mainly composed of rock and metal and have two global program of Mars operations research that natural satellites Deimos and Phobos. includes four simulated Mars base habitats located in The red planet is the second smallest planet in the Australia, Iceland, the Canadian Arctic, Australian and solar system, and it is smaller than the Earth, the the American Southwest. This mission is designed to Martian year lasts 687 days. understand on earth aspects such as the conditions of The Martian atmosphere was destroyed by the solar life that would have to be faced on Mars for exploration, wind; therefore it is now composed mostly of carbon also carried out geological, biological, electronic and dioxide, and the red color of this planet comes from iron even psychological investigations. oxide in its soil. [1] In this paper, we want to make a comparison of Its surface is peppered with volcanoes, such as environmental conditions, geologic features, and Olympus Mons, which reaches a height of 21,129 biological attributes that we can see in the four meters, on the other hand, is also composed of valleys such as Valles Marineris. ● Laser Also on the planet are the famous dust storms, which ● Radio Frequency Fields have a duration of weeks or even months that come to darken the sky completely and have winds that can In the following figure, we can observe more clearly reach a speed of more than 150 km / h. the division of the mentioned two types of radiation, the Comparing the most relevant environmental first constituted by particles and the second with an conditions between our planet Earth and the red planet, electromagnetic nature. [3] we have the following table: Table 1. Environmental conditions on Mars and Earth Parameters Mars Earth Mass ( Kg) 0.639 5.97 Gravity (m/s) 3.7278 9.81 Solar UV radiation (nm) λ≥200 λ≥290 Solar particle events (Sv/h) ~ 0.1 - Cosmic ionizing radiation (mSv/a) 100 to 200 1 to 2 Pressure (mbar) 4 - 7 1013 Fig. 1. Radiation spectrum Temperature range (°C) -140 to 20 -90 to 60 Atmosphere Composition In this research, we will focus on the ultraviolet (UV) radiation about non-ionizing radiation.[4] Inside CO2 (%) 95.3 0.33 the ultraviolet radiation we can find the following three N2 (%) 2.7 78.1 bands: ● UVA: It is the closest to the visible spectrum and 02 (%) 0.1 20.9 is not absorbed by the ozone. Its range goes from Ar (%) 1.6 0.9 320 to 400 nm. This type of radiation damages the skin in the long term. ● UVB: It is a more dangerous type of radiation, The environmental conditions of Mars are extreme although it is absorbed almost completely by the because as mentioned earlier this planet is farther from ozone, its spectrum goes from the 280 to the 320 the sun than the Earth, it has an average temperature of - nm. It affects DNA and also causes melanoma and 63 °C, also because of its tenuous atmosphere and the other types of skin cancer. absence of magnetic field the radiation in the red planet ● UVC: They have more energy than other types of is very high. [2] UV rays, which is why this kind of radiation is Experts indicate that the environmental condition extremely dangerous but is completely absorbed that would most affect the human being in a future by the ozone and oxygen of our planet. Its mission on Mars would be the high radiation. spectrum is less than 280 nm. 2.2 Radiation on Mars Because the atmosphere of Mars is composed To talk about radiation on the red planet, we must primarily of carbon dioxide (CO2), the UV radiation first consider that there are two types of radiation: can reach the Martian surface. Ionizing radiation: this radiation carries enough energy to remove an electron from its orbit. Within this kind of radiation, we can see the following: ● Wave radiations: X-rays and gamma rays. ● Corpuscular radiations: Alpha radiation, beta radiation, neutron radiation. Non-ionizing radiation: this radiation does not emit photons with enough energy to cause that an electron is removed from its orbit. Within this kind of radiation, we can see the following: ● Microwave radiation ● Infrared radiation ● Ultraviolet radiation ● Visible light For many years, an important mission for space exploration has been the arrival of humans to Mars, for many reasons, but the most important are: the search for water and possible life on Mars, another important strategic reason is the possibility of contemplating the red planet for human expansion in the future, due to its position in the habitable zone of our solar system. For these reasons Mars analog research stations have been created over time for ground research, in order to be able to develop the knowledge necessary to prepare a future mission to Mars, performing key activities like a “living on Mars” simulation wearing a space suit simulator, developing Extra Vehicular Activities (EVA), testing the All Terrain Vehicle (ATV). [6] The most important analog missions and their main objective are described below. Fig. 2. UV radiation in Mars and in Earth 3.1 The Mars Society’s Mars Analog Research Station As can be seen in Figure 2, the cut-off point for UV The Mars Society is an american association that radiation on Mars is given at 200 nm; the primary cause was established in 1998 by Dr.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Of 13 Human Mars Mission Design – the Ultimate Systems Challenge
    Human Mars Mission Design – The Ultimate Systems Challenge John F. Connolly a, B. Kent Joostenb, Bret Drakec, Steve Hoffmanc, Tara Polsgroved, Michelle Ruckera, Alida Andrewsc, Nehemiah Williamsa a NASA Johnson Space Center, 2101 NASA Parkway, Houston, Texas 77058, john.connolly- [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] b Consultant,2383 York Harbour Ct., League City, TX 77573, [email protected] c The Aerospace Corporation, 2310 E El Segundo Blvd, El Segundo, California 90245, [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] d NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Alabama 35812, [email protected] Abstract A human mission to Mars will occur at some time in the coming decades. When it does, it will be the end result of a complex network of interconnected design choices, systems analyses, technical optimizations, and non-technical compromises. This mission will extend the technologies, engineering design, and systems analyses to new limits, and may very well be the most complex undertaking in human history. It can be illustrated as a large menu, or as a large decision tree. Whatever the visualization tool, there are numerous design decisions required to assemble a human Mars mission, and many of these interconnect with one another. This paper examines these many decisions and further details a number of choices that are highly interwoven throughout the mission design. The large quantity of variables and their interconnectedness results in a highly complex systems challenge, and the paper illustrates how a change in one variable results in ripples (sometimes unintended) throughout many other facets of the design.
    [Show full text]
  • Isolated and Confined Environments
    17 Isolated and Confined Environments Carole Tafforin Ethospace, Toulouse, France Characteristics of space analogue environments with regard to human per- formance concern the crew adaptation in a socio-psychological context and in a temporal dynamics. Isolation, confinement and time are major features on Earth to reproduce an extra-terrestrial environment for manned mission simulations. In the current space missions (low Earth orbit, LEO) and in the perspective of interplanetary missions (near-Earth asteroid, Moon, Mars), men and women will have to adapt to social constraints (crew size, multinationality, mixed-gender) and spatial restrictions (volume, multi-chambers, life-support) on short-term, medium-term and long-term durations. The crewmembers also will have to perform intra-vehicular activities (IVA)and extra-vehicular activ- ities (EVA). For training, preventing and optimizing such tasks, simulations of living and working together in isolated and confined environments, and simulations of operating with a space suit on geological surfaces are the new requirements. During the two decades (1991–2011), space simulators (confinement) and analogue settings (isolation) were adequately developed on Earth with the ultimate goal of walking on Mars. Time periods extended up to 500 days. Space analogue environments are located worldwide (Canada, United States, Russia, Europe, Antarctica and Arctic). Mission durations in space analogue environments cover days, weeks and years. Isolation and confinement facilities implemented for such simulations are listed in Table 17.1. Over a 7-day duration, the Canadian Astronaut Program Space Unit Life Simulation (CAPSULS) was an Earth-based initiative that simulated a typical space shuttle or space station mission [1]. CAPSULS provided the Canadian astronaut participants with space mission training.
    [Show full text]
  • Salt Lakes and Pans
    SCIENCE FOCUS: Salt Lakes and Pans Ancient Seas, Modern Images SeaWiFS image of the western United States. The features of interest that that will be discussed in this Science Focus! article are labeled on the large image on the next page. (Other features and landmarks are also labeled.) It should be no surprise to be informed that the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) was designed to observe the oceans. Other articles in the Science Focus! series have discussed various oceanographic applications of SeaWiFS data. However, this article discusses geological features that indicate the presence of seas that existed in Earth's paleohistory which can be discerned in SeaWiFS imagery. SeaWiFS image of the western United States. Great Salt Lake and Lake Bonneville The Great Salt Lake is the remnant of ancient Lake Bonneville, which gave the Bonneville Salt Flats their name. Geologists estimate that Lake Bonneville existed between 23,000 and 12,000 years ago, during the last glacial period. Lake Bonneville's existence ended abruptly when the waters of the lake began to drain rapidly through Red Rock Pass in southern Idaho into the Snake River system (see "Lake Bonneville's Flood" link below). As the Earth's climate warmed and became drier, the remaining water in Lake Bonneville evaporated, leaving the highly saline waters of the Great Salt Lake. The reason for the high concentration of dissolved minerals in the Great Salt Lake is due to the fact that it is a "terminal basin" lake; water than enters the lake from streams and rivers can only leave by evaporation.
    [Show full text]
  • (Uth)He Age for the Shallowmarine Wetumpka Impact Structure
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by OceanRep Meteoritics & Planetary Science 47, Nr 8, 1243–1255 (2012) doi: 10.1111/j.1945-5100.2012.01381.x An (U-Th)⁄He age for the shallow-marine Wetumpka impact structure, Alabama, USA Jo-Anne WARTHO1*, Matthijs C. van SOEST1, David T. KING, Jr.2, and Lucille W. PETRUNY2 1School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, PO Box 876004, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA 2Geology Office, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849, USA *Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] (Received 12 January 2012; revision accepted 27 May 2012) Abstract–Single crystal (U-Th) ⁄ He dating was applied to 24 apatite and 23 zircon grains from the Wetumpka impact structure, Alabama, USA. This small approximately 5–7.6 km impact crater was formed in a shallow marine environment, with no known preserved impact melt, thus offering a challenge to common geochronological techniques. A mean (U-Th) ⁄ He apatite and zircon age of 84.4 ± 1.4 Ma (2r) was obtained, which is within error of the previously estimated Late Cretaceous impact age of approximately 83.5 Ma. In addition, helium diffusion modeling of apatite and zircon grains during fireball ⁄ contact, shock metamorphism, and hydrothermal events was undertaken, to show the influence of these individual thermal processes on resetting (U-Th) ⁄ He ages in the Wetumpka samples. This study has shown that the (U-Th) ⁄ He geochronological technique has real potential for dating impact structures, especially smaller and eroded impact structures that lack impact melt lithologies.
    [Show full text]
  • Questioning the Surface of Mars As the 21St Century's Ultimate Pioneering Destination in Space
    Questioning The Surface Of Mars As The 21st Century's Ultimate Pioneering Destination In Space Small Bodies Assessment Group Meeting #13 Washington D.C. 1 July 2015 Questioning Mars As The Ultimate Pioneering Destination In Space Background And Context • Foreseeable human-initiated activity in space can be divided into two categories - Exploring (e.g. Lewis & Clark ca. 1805): survey foreign territory + A major component of NASA's charter + Can be conducted by humans directly or by robots under human control + Virtual human presence is possible via tele-robotics stationed < 100,000 km away + Mars never approaches Earth closer than 56 million km - Pioneering (e.g. Pilgrims ca.1620): put down multi-generation roots in foreign territory + NOT in NASA's charter + MUST be conducted by humans in situ and ultimately return sustained profits + Any examples to date are dubious and Earth-centered (e.g. communication satellites) • Mars is widely accepted as the ultimate 21st century pioneering destination in space - Why would 202,586* adults volunteer in 2013 for a one-way trip to the surface of Mars? - What are potential obstacles to pioneering the surface of Mars? - Might there be more accessible and hospitable pioneering destinations than Mars? * The number of applications actually completed and submitted to Mars One was reported in 2015 to be 4227. Daniel R. Adamo ([email protected]) 1 1 July 2015 Questioning Mars As The Ultimate Pioneering Destination In Space History† Indicates Humans Pioneer For Compelling Reasons • Escape from war, starvation,
    [Show full text]
  • Design of a Human Settlement on Mars Using In-Situ Resources
    46th International Conference on Environmental Systems ICES-2016-151 10-14 July 2016, Vienna, Austria Design of a Human Settlement on Mars Using In-Situ Resources Marlies Arnhof1 Vienna University of Technology, Vienna, 1040, Austria Mars provides plenty of raw materials needed to establish a lasting, self-sufficient human colony on its surface. Due to the planet's vast distance from Earth, it is neither possible nor economically reasonable to provide permanent, interplanetary supply. In-situ resource utilization (ISRU) will be necessary to keep the Earth launch burden and mission costs as low as possible, and to provide – apart from propellant and life support – a variety of construction material. However, to include outposts on other planets into the scope of human spaceflight also opens up new psychological and sociological challenges. Crews will live in extreme environments under isolated and confined conditions for much longer periods of time than ever before. Therefore, the design of a Mars habitat requires most careful consideration of physiological as well as psychosocial conditions of living in space. In this design for a Martian settlement, the author proposes that – following preliminary automated exploration – a basic surface base brought from Earth would be set up. Bags of unprocessed Martian regolith would be used to provide additional shielding for the habitat. Once the viability of the base and its production facilities are secured, the settlement would be expanded, using planetary resources. Martian concrete – processed regolith with a polymeric binder – would be used as main in-situ construction material. To provide optimum living and working conditions, the base would respond to the environment and the residents' number and needs, thereby evolving and growing continuously.
    [Show full text]
  • WIDER Working Paper 2021/18-Are We Measuring Natural Resource
    A Service of Leibniz-Informationszentrum econstor Wirtschaft Leibniz Information Centre Make Your Publications Visible. zbw for Economics Lebdioui, Amir Working Paper Are we measuring natural resource wealth correctly? A reconceptualization of natural resource value in the era of climate change WIDER Working Paper, No. 2021/18 Provided in Cooperation with: United Nations University (UNU), World Institute for Development Economics Research (WIDER) Suggested Citation: Lebdioui, Amir (2021) : Are we measuring natural resource wealth correctly? A reconceptualization of natural resource value in the era of climate change, WIDER Working Paper, No. 2021/18, ISBN 978-92-9256-952-5, The United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER), Helsinki, http://dx.doi.org/10.35188/UNU-WIDER/2021/952-5 This Version is available at: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/229419 Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen: Terms of use: Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Documents in EconStor may be saved and copied for your Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden. personal and scholarly purposes. Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle You are not to copy documents for public or commercial Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich purposes, to exhibit the documents publicly, to make them machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen. publicly available on the internet, or to distribute or otherwise use the documents in public. Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, If the documents have been made available under an Open gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort Content Licence (especially Creative Commons Licences), you genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte.
    [Show full text]
  • Lithium Extraction in Argentina: a Case Study on the Social and Environmental Impacts
    Lithium extraction in Argentina: a case study on the social and environmental impacts Pía Marchegiani, Jasmin Höglund Hellgren and Leandro Gómez. Executive summary The global demand for lithium has grown significantly over recent years and is expected to grow further due to its use in batteries for different products. Lithium is used in smaller electronic devices such as mobile phones and laptops but also for larger batteries found in electric vehicles and mobility vehicles. This growing demand has generated a series of policy responses in different countries in the southern cone triangle (Argentina, Bolivia and Chile), which together hold around 80 per cent of the world’s lithium salt brine reserves in their salt flats in the Puna area. Although Argentina has been extracting lithium since 1997, for a long time there was only one lithium-producing project in the country. In recent years, Argentina has experienced increased interest in lithium mining activities. In 2016, it was the most dynamic lithium producing country in the world, increasing production from 11 per cent to 16 per cent of the global market (Telam, 2017). There are now around 46 different projects of lithium extraction at different stages. However, little consideration has been given to the local impacts of lithium extraction considering human rights and the social and environmental sustainability of the projects. With this in mind, the current study seeks to contribute to an increased understanding of the potential and actual impacts of lithium extraction on local communities, providing insights from local perspectives to be considered in the wider discussion of sustainability, green technology and climate change.
    [Show full text]
  • Territorios Hidrosociales En Las Geografías Altoandinas Del Norte De Chile: Modernización Y Conflictos En La Región De Tarapacá
    IdeAs Idées d'Amériques 15 | 2020 Eau et gestion de l’eau dans les Amériques Territorios hidrosociales en las geografías altoandinas del Norte de Chile: modernización y conflictos en la región de Tarapacá. Territoires hydro sociaux dans les hauts plateaux andins du Chili du Nord : modernisation et conflits dans la région de Tarapacá Hydrosocial territories in andean geographies of Northern Chile: modernization and conflicts in the Tarapacá region Manuel Méndez y Hugo Romero Edición electrónica URL: http://journals.openedition.org/ideas/7512 DOI: 10.4000/ideas.7512 ISSN: 1950-5701 Editor Institut des Amériques Referencia electrónica Manuel Méndez y Hugo Romero, « Territorios hidrosociales en las geografías altoandinas del Norte de Chile: modernización y conflictos en la región de Tarapacá. », IdeAs [En línea], 15 | 2020, Publicado el 01 marzo 2020, consultado el 25 marzo 2020. URL : http://journals.openedition.org/ideas/7512 ; DOI : https://doi.org/10.4000/ideas.7512 Este documento fue generado automáticamente el 25 marzo 2020. IdeAs – Idées d’Amériques est mis à disposition selon les termes de la licence Creative Commons Attribution - Pas d'Utilisation Commerciale - Pas de Modification 4.0 International. Territorios hidrosociales en las geografías altoandinas del Norte de Chile: m... 1 Territorios hidrosociales en las geografías altoandinas del Norte de Chile: modernización y conflictos en la región de Tarapacá1. Territoires hydro sociaux dans les hauts plateaux andins du Chili du Nord : modernisation et conflits dans la région de Tarapacá Hydrosocial territories in andean geographies of Northern Chile: modernization and conflicts in the Tarapacá region Manuel Méndez y Hugo Romero 1 Abordar los conflictos en torno al agua desde una perspectiva hidrosocial es reconocer el carácter complejo e híbrido del fenómeno, entendiéndolo como un proceso continuamente reconstituido por diversos actores socionaturales.
    [Show full text]
  • El Salar De Uyuni
    El salar de Uyuni Fausto A. Balderrama F. Carrera de Ingeniería Metalúrgica y Ciencia de Materiales Universidad Técnica de Oruro [email protected] Resumen El Salar de Uyuni es la costra de sal más grande del mundo. Tiene una extensión aproximada de 10,000 km2. Esta costra de sal está formada básicamente por halita porosa llena de una salmuera intersticial rica en litio, potasio, boro y magnesio. Perforaciones realizadas en el Salar de Uyuni, indican que está formada por capas intercaladas de costras de sal porosas y de sedimentos lacustres. La perforación más profunda realizada hasta la fecha en el Salar de Uyuni es de 220.6 m. Aún no se conoce la profundidad total del Salar. En base a 40 perforaciones realizadas en la primera costra de sal, que tiene un espesor promedio de 4.7 m, se estimó una reserva de 8.9 millones de toneladas de litio y 194 millones de toneladas de potasio disueltos en la salmuera intersticial. A la fecha no se han realizado suficientes perforaciones en el resto de las costras salinas como para cuantificar las reservas totales en litio y potasio; sin embargo, se presume que son inmensas. Palabras clave: Salar de Uyuni, reservas, litio, potasio. The Uyuni salt lake Abstract The Uyuni salt lake is the biggest salt crust around the world. Its length is approximately 10,000 km2. This salt crust is formed of porous halite, filled of a interstitial brine rich in lithium, potassium, magnesium and boron. Perforations made in the Uyuni salt lake show that it’s formed by interstitial layers of porous halite filled of a brine rich in lithium, potassium, boron and magnesium.
    [Show full text]
  • Raman Spectroscopy of Shocked Gypsum from a Meteorite Impact Crater
    International Journal of Astrobiology 16 (3): 286–292 (2017) doi:10.1017/S1473550416000367 © Cambridge University Press 2016 This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Raman spectroscopy of shocked gypsum from a meteorite impact crater Connor Brolly, John Parnell and Stephen Bowden Department of Geology & Petroleum Geology, University of Aberdeen, Meston Building, Aberdeen, UK e-mail: c.brolly@ abdn.ac.uk Abstract: Impact craters and associated hydrothermal systems are regarded as sites within which life could originate onEarth,and onMars.The Haughtonimpactcrater,one ofthemost well preservedcratersonEarth,is abundant in Ca-sulphates. Selenite, a transparent form of gypsum, has been colonized by viable cyanobacteria. Basementrocks, which havebeenshocked,aremoreabundantinendolithicorganisms,whencomparedwithun- shocked basement. We infer that selenitic and shocked gypsum are more suitable for microbial colonization and have enhanced habitability. This is analogous to many Martian craters, such as Gale Crater, which has sulphate deposits in a central layered mound, thought to be formed by post-impact hydrothermal springs. In preparation for the 2020 ExoMars mission, experiments were conducted to determine whether Raman spectroscopy can distinguish between gypsum with different degrees of habitability. Ca-sulphates were analysed using Raman spectroscopyand resultsshow nosignificant statistical difference between gypsumthat has experienced shock by meteorite impact and gypsum, which has been dissolved and re-precipitated as an evaporitic crust. Raman spectroscopy is able to distinguish between selenite and unaltered gypsum. This showsthat Raman spectroscopy can identify more habitable forms of gypsum, and demonstrates the current capabilities of Raman spectroscopy for the interpretation of gypsum habitability.
    [Show full text]
  • Vegetation and Climate Change on the Bolivian Altiplano Between 108,000 and 18,000 Years Ago
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Department Papers in the Earth and Atmospheric Sciences of 1-1-2005 Vegetation and climate change on the Bolivian Altiplano between 108,000 and 18,000 years ago Alex Chepstow-Lusty Florida Institute of Technology, [email protected] Mark B. Bush Florida Institute of Technology Michael R. Frogley Florida Institute of Technology, 150 West University Boulevard, Melbourne, FL Paul A. Baker Duke University, [email protected] Sherilyn C. Fritz University of Nebraska-Lincoln, [email protected] See next page for additional authors Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/geosciencefacpub Part of the Earth Sciences Commons Chepstow-Lusty, Alex; Bush, Mark B.; Frogley, Michael R.; Baker, Paul A.; Fritz, Sherilyn C.; and Aronson, James, "Vegetation and climate change on the Bolivian Altiplano between 108,000 and 18,000 years ago" (2005). Papers in the Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. 30. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/geosciencefacpub/30 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Department of at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Papers in the Earth and Atmospheric Sciences by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Authors Alex Chepstow-Lusty, Mark B. Bush, Michael R. Frogley, Paul A. Baker, Sherilyn C. Fritz, and James Aronson This article is available at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ geosciencefacpub/30 Published in Quaternary Research 63:1 (January 2005), pp.
    [Show full text]