Sinus Meridiani Landing Site for Human Explora On

Sinus Meridiani Landing Site for Human Exploraon — A Mesoscale Fluvial System Workshop Abstract # 1042

M. Justin Wilkinson Texas State Univ., Earth Science & Remote Sensing, Jacobs Contract, NASA-JSC, Houston, TX Patrick J. McGovern USRA, Lunar Planetary Institute, Houston, TX Heath Mills University of Houston-Clear Lake, Clear Lake, TX Exploraon Zone Map

1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars

Full slide image of proposed FOR EXAMPLE: Exploraon Zone map graphically annotated with the following: • Idenfy well-known features • ~200 km diameter showing the EZ extent • Science Regions of Interest - numbered SROI 1 through SROI (n) • Resource Regions of Interest - numbered RROI 1 through RROI (n) • Landing Site with latude, longitude, and altude • Locaon of Surface Feld Staon

Sinus Meridiani—Miyamoto 2 Meridiani sediment suite setting —

regional ﬂuvial analog ?

Sinus Meridiani sediment suite

Miyamoto

numerous valley networks

Sinus Meridiani, Mars image width represents ~1400 km, THEMIS Daylight IR mosaic Meridiani sediment suite setting —

regional ﬂuvial analog ? Sinus Meridiani sediment suite

Miyamoto

numerous valley networks Analog for Sinus Meridiani? Sinus Meridiani, Mars image width represents ~1400 km, THEMIS Daylight IR mosaic Meridiani sediment suite setting — regional ﬂuvial T I B E T analog ?

210 km 325 km 120 km

G a n g e s

GANGES PLAIN — Kosi R. Mahananda-Tista Brahmaputra LARGE FANS Switching behavior — Kosi River avulsions — – cross entire surface of fan – average rate ~19 yr between switching events

Kosi R. avulsions Megafan distribution (n=88) on a Mars-like continent —

Megafan distribution in Africa’s basin-swell context.

2.4 Swell margins: single-margin (i.e. larger) basins ―

– fan distribution along basin 3.3 2.5 circumferences 1 – large fans at variable altitudes – on swell ﬂanks mainly 2.3 – sometimes on basin ﬂoors 2.2 – diamond-shaped fans more frequent

3.2 2.1 – clusters of fans in the T/T pattern

2.7 Rifts: smaller double-margin basins —

– most fans and fan clusters within rifted lowlands 3.1 – occasionally on swell crests — 3.5 Salamat fan (Central African Rep.) Modern and paleo-megafans Sudd, Africa’s largest – triangle-shaped fans more frequent Possible megafans Rifts all contain smaller fans Unexpected conclusions —

Large fans are probably — • new class of landform feature on the planet — not the freak end point in the alluvial fan continuum • the norm in all ﬁlling continental basins -- Unexpected conclusions —

Large fans are probably — • new class of landform feature on the planet — not the freak end point in the alluvial fan continuum • the norm in all ﬁlling continental basins -- • at the poorly known middling scale the new stuff

the middling scale Unexpected conclusions —

prediction — successful prediction of location is now being performed for Earth landscapes Megafans on Mars ? ―

Apollinaris Patera — fan feature with radius of 200 km on the southern slopes (top right quadrant). Fan interpreted as an “alluvial fan” (Ghail and Hutchison, 2003). 7ºS, 173ºE,Viking image

ROCKIES Rockies-derived Analog tweak: Common eroded upland-lowland sedimentaries margin — landscape sequence

upland sedi- eroded upland-derived ment source “trench” sediments

Rocky Pecos Ogallala 1 Mts trench sedimentaries

R O C K I E S PECOS TRENCH 4

PECOS

TRENCH

5 Ogallala Formation, Great Plains (Frye 1971)

ROCKIES Rockies-derived Analog tweak: Common eroded upland-lowland sedimentaries margin — landscape sequence

upland sedi- eroded upland-derived ment source “trench” sediments

Rocky Pecos Ogallala Mts trench sedimentaries

R O C K I E S PECOS TRENCH

PECOS TRENCH

Ogallala Formation, Great Plains (Frye 1971) Science ROI 1A -- stragraphy

1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars

Image of SROI 1 Stragraphic relaonships between — • Units of the Sinus Meridiani sediment suite, especially the hemate Ph unit margin • Valley Networks

Habitability — • Hemate Ph unit potenal for habitability • Possible lake sediments (Newsom et al. 2003), with potenal for habitability

Sinus Meridiani—Miyamoto 14 Science ROI 1A -- stragraphy

1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars Stragraphic relaonships between — • Units of the Sinus Meridiani sediment Image of SROI 1 suite, especially the hemate margin • Valley Networks

Habitability — • Hemate Ph unit potenal for habitability • Possible lake sediments (Newsom et al. 2003), with potenal for habitability

Sinus Meridiani—Miyamoto 15 Science ROI 1B -- stragraphy

1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars

Stragraphic relaonships between (contd.) — • Units of the Sinus Meridiani sediment suite, especially the hemate margin • Hemate Ph unit potenal for habitability • Meridiani suite and underlying “MCT” (Mantled Cratered Terrain) • current imaging available— CTX, HiRISE complete

Sinus Meridiani—Miyamoto coverage 16 Science ROI 2 – Burns Fm & hemate 1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars

Image of SROI 2 Burns Fm context —

• Field access to sites along Opportunity’s Traverse Path

• Extend perspecves gained from Opportunity’s operaons (small ellipse) far to the west (large ellipse) – mineralogy – sedimentology – Stragraphy

• current imaging available— CTX, HiRISE complete coverage

Sinus Meridiani—Miyamoto 17 Science ROI 3 – Miyamoto crater -- plains stragraphy 1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars

Image of SROI 2 Miyamoto Crater stragraphic relaonships where the following formaons meet — • Meridiani suite to the east (probably externally derived ) • Intracrater-derived sediments to the west • current imaging available— CTX, HiRISE complete coverage

Sinus Meridiani—Miyamoto 18 Science ROI 4 – ﬂuvial features

1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars

SW Miyamoto Crater ﬂuvial features Image of SROI 2 —

• Access to well documented inverted ﬂuvial channel, and other smaller Miyamoto channels

• Inverted channel appears to be a precise analog for widespread intercrater ridged terrain of the Crater Meridiani units (“ridge-forming unit”) to the northeast

• CRISM response — evidence for rim phyllosilicates, plus water, plus hemate upslope → ideal terrestrial condions for microbial acvity

• current imaging available—CTX, HiRISE complete coverage

Sinus Meridiani—Miyamoto 19 Science ROI 4 – ﬂuvial features

1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars

Image of SROI 2 Miyamoto Crater ﬂuvial features —

• 3D DEM

• CRISM response

Evidence for phyllosilicates, plus water, plus hematite upslope → ideal conditions for microbialSinus Meridiani activity—Miyamoto 20 Large Fluvial Meridiani units — Fan hypothesis

“ … any hypothesis to explain their origin must be consistent with :

1. coherent deposition over at least the hundred kilometer scale P 2. exposures of these units over hundreds P of thousands of square kilometers 3. generally planar strata P 4. developed conformally to the (likely) preexisting shallow regional slope P 5. formation beginning toward the end of the Noachian epoch and continuing into P the Hesperian 6. geographical association with both older and younger valley networks P ? 7. lack of evidence that deposition took N/A place in closed basins 8. signiﬁcant physical compositional

differences between layers P

— Hynek and Phillips 2008

From: Wilkinson MJ, 2010, Fluvial Sediment Accommodation and Mesoscale Architecture — Some Neglected Perspectives, First Mars Sedimentology Conf., El Paso, TX, April 18-21, 2010. Science Rubric Total

1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars

Site Factors SROI 2 2 SROI 3 SROI 4 SROI RROI 1 RROI 2 EZ SUM EZ SROI 1B 1B SROI SROI 1A 1A SROI RROI(n)

Potential for past habitability (7,0) Threshold ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Potential for present habitability/refugia AND/OR ? ? ? ? ? ? ? (0,0) Astrobio Qualifying Potential for organic matter, w/ surface exposure ● ● ● ● ● ● ● (7,0) Threshold Noachian/Hesperian rocks w/ trapped atmospheric gases ? ? ? ? ? ? ? (0,0)

Meteorological diversity in space and time (0,0)

High likelihood of surface-atmosphere exchange (0,0) Qualifying Amazonian subsurface or high-latitude ice or sediment (0,0)

High likelihood of active trace gas sources Atmospheric Science Science Atmospheric (0,0) Range of martian geologic time; datable surfaces ● ● ● ● (4,0) Threshold Evidence of aqueous processes ● ● ● ● ● ● ● (7,0) Potential for interpreting relative ages ● ● ● ● ● ● ● (7,0) Igneous Rocks tied to 1+ provinces or different times ? (0,0) Science Criteria Site Near-surface ice, glacial or permafrost (0,0) Noachian or pre-Noachian bedrock units ● ● (2,0) Key Geoscience Geoscience Qualifying Outcrops with remnant magnetization (0,0) ● Yes

Primary, secondary, and basin-forming impact deposits Partial Support ● ● (2,0) ○ or Debated Structural features with regional or global context (5,0) ● ● ● ● ● No Diversity of aeolian sediments and/or landforms ● ● ● ● ● ● (6,0) ? Indeterminate ﬂuvial sediments/structures ● Resource ROI 1

1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars

Image of RROI 1 Hemate resource — • Widespread, near- surface availability in friable host rock • current imaging available—CTX and HiRISE

Sinus Meridiani—Miyamoto 23 1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars

Resource: hematite

Adapted from Wiseman et al., 2008, LPSC XXXIX, Abstract 1806 Resource ROI 2

1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars Possible Water Image of RROI 2 resource — • in lowest areas of Miyamoto and “trench” between S Highlands and Meridiani sediments • idenﬁed as possible lake basins by Newsom et al. (2003) — may contain near-surface water • this RROI overlaps with mapped Ph hemate unit’s southwest margin (see RROI 1) • current imaging available—CTX and HiRISE Sinus Meridiani—Miyamoto 25 Resource Rubric Total

1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars

Site Factors SROI 2 2 SROI 3 SROI 4 SROI RROI 1 RROI 2 EZ SUM EZ SROI 1B 1B SROI SROI 1A 1A SROI RROI(n)

Engineering Meets First Order Criteria (Latitude, Elevation, Thermal Inertia) ● ● ● (4,0) ● ● ● ● Potential for ice or ice/regolith mix ○ ○ (0,2) OR ● AND/ Potential for hydrated minerals ● (2,0)

Quantity for substantial production ? ? (0,0) Threshold Potential to be minable by highly automated systems ? ? (0,0)

Located less than 3 km from processing equipment site ? ? (0,0) Located no more than 3 meters below the surface ? ? (0,0) Accessible by automated systems ? ? (0,0)

Potential for multiple sources of ice, ice/regolith mix and hydrated minerals ● ● (2,0) Water Resource Resource Water Qualifying Distance to resource location can be >5 km (0,0) Key Route to resource location must be (plausibly) traversable (0,0) ~50 sq km region of flat and stable terrain with sparse rock distribution ● ● ● ● ● ● ● (7,0) ● Yes Threshold 1–10 km length scale: <10° (7,0) ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Partial Support ○ or Debated Located within 5 km of landing site location ● ● ● (2,0) Located in the northern hemisphere (0,0) No Qualifying Evidence of abundant cobble sized or smaller rocks and bulk, loose regolith ● ● (2,0)

Utilitarian terrain features (2,0) Civil Engineering ● ? ● ? ? Indeterminate Low latitude ● ● ● ● ● ● ● (7,0) No local terrain feature(s) that could shadow light collection facilities (7,0) Qualifying ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ○ Food Food Access to water ○ ? ○ ○ ? ○ (0,5)

Production Production Access to dark, minimally altered basaltic sands ● ● ● ● ● ● ● (7,0)

Potential for metal/silicon ● ● ● ● ● ● ● (7,0)

Potential to be minable by highly automated systems ● ● ● ● ● ● ● (7,0) ● ● ● ISRU and Civil Engineering ISRUand Civil Criteria Threshold Located less than 3 km from processing equipment site ● ● ● ● (7,0) Located no more than 3 meters below the surface ● ● ● ● ● ● ● (7,0) Accessible by automated systems ● ● ● ● ● ● ● (7,0)

Resource Resource Potential for multiple sources of metals/silicon ● ● ● ● ● ● ● (7,0) Metal/Silicon Qualifying Distance to resource location can be >5 km ● ● ● ● ● ● ● (7,0) Route to resource location must be (plausibly) traversable ● ● ● ● ● ● ● (7,0) Highest Priority EZ Data Needs

1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars

• Widen the exisng CRISM dataset in targeted mode within the proposed EZ • Gamma ray spectrometer and neutron detecon instrument (e.g., FREND on TGO) for characterizaon of water signatures in the proposed EZ – more complete coverage at the greatest possible resoluon (to explore correlaons between neutron signatures and geologic features)

Sinus Meridiani—Miyamoto 27

BACKUP SLIDES

Sinus Meridiani—Miyamoto 28 Science ROI 1A Rubric

1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars

Site Factors SROI 2 2 SROI 3 SROI 4 SROI RROI 1 RROI 2 EZ SUM EZ SROI 1B 1B SROI SROI 1A 1A SROI RROI(n)

Potential for past habitability Threshold ● Potential for present habitability/refugia AND/OR ? Astrobio Qualifying Potential for organic matter, w/ surface exposure ● Threshold Noachian/Hesperian rocks w/ trapped atmospheric gases

Meteorological diversity in space and time

High likelihood of surface-atmosphere exchange Qualifying Amazonian subsurface or high-latitude ice or sediment

High likelihood of active trace gas sources Atmospheric Science Science Atmospheric

Range of martian geologic time; datable surfaces ● Threshold Evidence of aqueous processes ● Potential for interpreting relative ages ● Igneous Rocks tied to 1+ provinces or different times Science Criteria Site Near-surface ice, glacial or permafrost Key Noachian or pre-Noachian bedrock units ● ● Yes Geoscience Geoscience Partial Support Qualifying Outcrops with remnant magnetization ? ○ or Debated

Primary, secondary, and basin-forming impact deposits ● No Structural features with regional or global context ● ? Indeterminate Diversity of aeolian sediments and/or landforms ● Science ROI 1B -- stragraphy

1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars

Site Factors SROI 2 2 SROI 3 SROI 4 SROI RROI 1 RROI 2 EZ SUM EZ SROI 1B 1B SROI SROI 1A 1A SROI RROI(n)

Potential for past habitability Threshold ● Potential for present habitability/refugia AND/OR ○

Astrobio Qualifying Potential for organic matter, w/ surface exposure ● Threshold Noachian/Hesperian rocks w/ trapped atmospheric gases

Meteorological diversity in space and time

High likelihood of surface-atmosphere exchange Qualifying Amazonian subsurface or high-latitude ice or sediment

High likelihood of active trace gas sources Atmospheric Science Science Atmospheric

Range of martian geologic time; datable surfaces ● Threshold Evidence of aqueous processes ● Potential for interpreting relative ages ●

Igneous Rocks tied to 1+ provinces or different times Science Criteria Site Near-surface ice, glacial or permafrost Key Noachian or pre-Noachian bedrock units ● ● Yes Geoscience Geoscience Partial Support Qualifying Outcrops with remnant magnetization ? ○ or Debated

Primary, secondary, and basin-forming impact deposits ● No Structural features with regional or global context ? Indeterminate Diversity of aeolian sediments and/or landforms ? Science ROI 2 Rubric

1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars

Site Factors SROI 2 2 SROI 3 SROI 4 SROI RROI 1 RROI 2 EZ SUM EZ SROI 1B 1B SROI SROI 1A 1A SROI RROI(n)

Potential for past habitability Threshold ● Potential for present habitability/refugia AND/OR ○

Astrobio Qualifying Potential for organic matter, w/ surface exposure ● Threshold Noachian/Hesperian rocks w/ trapped atmospheric gases

Meteorological diversity in space and time

High likelihood of surface-atmosphere exchange Qualifying Amazonian subsurface or high-latitude ice or sediment

High likelihood of active trace gas sources Atmospheric Science Science Atmospheric

Range of martian geologic time; datable surfaces

Threshold Evidence of aqueous processes ● Potential for interpreting relative ages ●

Igneous Rocks tied to 1+ provinces or different times Science Criteria Site Near-surface ice, glacial or permafrost Key Noachian or pre-Noachian bedrock units ● Yes Geoscience Geoscience Partial Support Qualifying Outcrops with remnant magnetization ○ or Debated

Primary, secondary, and basin-forming impact deposits No Structural features with regional or global context ● ? Indeterminate Diversity of aeolian sediments and/or landforms ● Science ROI 3 Rubric

1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars

Site Factors SROI 2 2 SROI 3 SROI 4 SROI RROI 1 RROI 2 EZ SUM EZ SROI 1B 1B SROI SROI 1A 1A SROI RROI(n)

Potential for past habitability Threshold ● Potential for present habitability/refugia AND/OR ○

Astrobio Qualifying Potential for organic matter, w/ surface exposure ● Threshold Noachian/Hesperian rocks w/ trapped atmospheric gases

Meteorological diversity in space and time

High likelihood of surface-atmosphere exchange Qualifying Amazonian subsurface or high-latitude ice or sediment

High likelihood of active trace gas sources Atmospheric Science Science Atmospheric

Range of martian geologic time; datable surfaces

Threshold Evidence of aqueous processes ● Potential for interpreting relative ages ●

1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars

Site Factors SROI 2 2 SROI 3 SROI 4 SROI RROI 1 RROI 2 EZ SUM EZ SROI 1B 1B SROI SROI 1A 1A SROI RROI(n)

Potential for past habitability Threshold ● Potential for present habitability/refugia AND/OR ○

Astrobio Qualifying Potential for organic matter, w/ surface exposure ● Threshold Noachian/Hesperian rocks w/ trapped atmospheric gases

Meteorological diversity in space and time

High likelihood of surface-atmosphere exchange Qualifying Amazonian subsurface or high-latitude ice or sediment

High likelihood of active trace gas sources Atmospheric Science Science Atmospheric

Range of martian geologic time; datable surfaces

Threshold Evidence of aqueous processes ● Potential for interpreting relative ages ● Igneous Rocks tied to 1+ provinces or different times ? Science Criteria Site Near-surface ice, glacial or permafrost Noachian or pre-Noachian bedrock units Key Geoscience Geoscience Qualifying Outcrops with remnant magnetization ● Yes

Primary, secondary, and basin-forming impact deposits Partial Support ○ or Debated Structural features with regional or global context No Diversity of aeolian sediments and/or landforms ● ? Indeterminate ﬂuvial sediments/structures ● Resource ROI 1 Rubric

1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars

Site Factors SROI 2 2 SROI 3 SROI 4 SROI RROI 1 RROI 2 EZ SUM EZ SROI 1B 1B SROI SROI 1A 1A SROI RROI(n)

Meets First Order Criteria (Latitude, Elevation, Thermal Inertia) Engineering ● Potential for ice or ice/regolith mix OR AND/ Potential for hydrated minerals

Quantity for substantial production

Threshold Potential to be minable by highly automated systems

Located less than 3 km from processing equipment site

Located no more than 3 meters below the surface

Accessible by automated systems

Water Resource Resource Water Potential for multiple sources of ice, ice/regolith mix and hydrated minerals Key Qualifying Distance to resource location can be >5 km Route to resource location must be (plausibly) traversable ● Yes ~50 sq km region of flat and stable terrain with sparse rock distribution ● Partial Support Threshold 1–10 km length scale: <10° ● ○ or Debated Located within 5 km of landing site location ● No Located in the northern hemisphere Qualifying Evidence of abundant cobble sized or smaller rocks and bulk, loose regolith ● ? Indeterminate Utilitarian terrain features Civil Engineering ● Low latitude ● No local terrain feature(s) that could shadow light collection facilities Qualifying ●

Food Food Access to water ?

Production Production Access to dark, minimally altered basaltic sands ● Potential for metal/silicon ●

Potential to be minable by highly automated systems ●

ISRU and Civil Engineering ISRUand Civil Criteria Threshold Located less than 3 km from processing equipment site ● Located no more than 3 meters below the surface ● Accessible by automated systems ●

Resource Resource Potential for multiple sources of metals/silicon ● Metal/Silicon Qualifying Distance to resource location can be >5 km ● Route to resource location must be (plausibly) traversable ● Resource ROI 2 Rubric

1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars

Site Factors SROI 2 2 SROI 3 SROI 4 SROI RROI 1 RROI 2 EZ SUM EZ SROI 1B 1B SROI SROI 1A 1A SROI RROI(n)

Meets First Order Criteria (Latitude, Elevation, Thermal Inertia) Engineering ● Potential for ice or ice/regolith mix ○ OR ● AND/ Potential for hydrated minerals

Quantity for substantial production ? Threshold Potential to be minable by highly automated systems ?

Located less than 3 km from processing equipment site Located no more than 3 meters below the surface Accessible by automated systems

Potential for multiple sources of ice, ice/regolith mix and hydrated minerals ● Water Resource Resource Water Qualifying Distance to resource location can be >5 km Key Route to resource location must be (plausibly) traversable ~50 sq km region of flat and stable terrain with sparse rock distribution ● ● Yes

Threshold 1–10 km length scale: <10° ● Partial Support Located within 5 km of landing site location ○ or Debated Located in the northern hemisphere No Qualifying Evidence of abundant cobble sized or smaller rocks and bulk, loose regolith Utilitarian terrain features Civil Engineering ? ? Indeterminate Low latitude ● No local terrain feature(s) that could shadow light collection facilities Qualifying ●

Food Food Access to water ○

Production Production Access to dark, minimally altered basaltic sands ● Potential for metal/silicon ●

Potential to be minable by highly automated systems ● Threshold Located less than 3 km from processing equipment site ●

ISRU and Civil Engineering ISRUand Civil Criteria

Located no more than 3 meters below the surface ●

Accessible by automated systems ●

Resource Resource Potential for multiple sources of metals/silicon ● Metal/Silicon Qualifying Distance to resource location can be >5 km ●

Route to resource location must be (plausibly) traversable ● Priorizaon List of EZ Data Needs

1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars

• Rover examinaon of exposed stragraphic sequences — as in SROIs 1A, 1B and 3

• Provide a priorized list of orbiter/rover data to be collected to assess the resource potenal of the EZ.

Sinus Meridiani—Miyamoto 36 Exploraon Zone Map

1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars

Sinus Meridiani—Miyamoto 37