SOUTHERN EDGE OF MERIDIANI PLANUM Workshop Abstract #1057

J. CLARKE1, D. WILLSON1, 2 & H. SMITH2

1 Mars Society Australia 2 NASA Ames Research Center Exploration Zone Map

1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars LZ & staon 100 km from Landing site Science & resource ROIs 5°30'2.46"W 3° 5'4.84"S Hesperian evaporites -1574 m 1 8 Icy Ramparts 3 Noachian Bedrock 5 2 9 13 4 12 19 10 20 11 14 15 16 17 6 18

Fluvial & Inverted channels 7 Hesperian coastal sediments Recurring Slope Linea Rampart deposits (ice)

Hesperian Landing site

Noachian (bedrock) Thermophysical surface classification – Low Dust 1 EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars

Opportunity Landing site

Endeavour 100 km radius EZ Iazu Bopolu Central Crater Landing site RSLs

South West Crater

(TES Thermal inertial mapping, Provided by Eriita Jones University of South Australia, [email protected] ) ROI Landing Site low dust, few boulders, hard stand Flat, st 1 EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars Landing site Location (at center) 5°30'2.46”W, 3° 5'4.84”S, -1574 m

Landing site

Central

8 km Crater 14 km

Natural hard stands Landing Site Characteristics for landing rockets. Key Features Slope/area Reasonably Flat & level West - East elevation: approx -1588m to -1517m North - South elevation: approx -1533m to 1550m Areas of flat Hard rock for heavy spacecraft to land on. Approx size 8 km x 14 km Science ROI Groups 1, 2 & 3 Hesperian Evapor tes ti st 1 EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars ROI Locations (at ellipse center) 1 (1): West Meridiani Planum, 6°04’39.24"W, 2°07’00.56"S,-1433m (2): Central Meridiani Planum, 5°31’02.87"W, 2°42’05.60"S,-1561m 3 (3): East Meridiani Planum, 4°19’12.55”W, 2°34’07.83"S,-1340 m

2 Bedded evaporites, Endurance crater

SROI 1, 2 & 3 Characteristics Key Features Astrobiology Atmospheric science Geoscience Engineering/Planetary protection Science -Hesperian Past life: Preservation of: Sedimentology of Schiaparelli lander in SROI 1: evaporites, Biomarker 1) Atmospheric gases in impact glasses; Hesperian saline - Equipment longevity study preservation 2) fluids in inclusions; environments resource. -Schiaparelli lander in evaporites 3) temperatures, pressures, hydrology - Planetary protection review of in SROI 1 from mineral stability, isotopes, facies Earth biology survivability on spacecraft Science ROI Groups 4, 5, & 6 Ice Ramparts 1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars 4 ROI Locations (at ellipse center) 5 (4): Bopolu crater, 6°17’12.81"W, 2° 57’24.07"S, -1424 m (5): Iazu crater, 5°10’03.55"W, 2°39’49.25"S, -1464 m (6): South crater, 5°06’08.09"W, 3°58’57.08"S, -1286 m Left : Icy Rampart (Google Mars) Ā 1) Balme M.R., Gallager C. 2009. An equatorial periglacial landscape on Mars. Planetary 6 Science Letters 285 2) Reiss D. et al 2005. Small rampart craters in an equatorial region on Mars: Implications for near-surface water or ice Geophysical Research Letters, Vol 32 L10202 SROI 4, 5 & 6 Characteristics Key Features Astrobiology Atmospheric science Geoscience

-Ice in ramparts, Present life: In ice - In Ice: Isotopes indicating temperatures, In Ice: Variation between ices of -Noachian bedrock in dormant spores, cells & different craters may have different ages, different ages may point to geological crater, organics. possible climate cycles cycles if stratified evolution. -possible RSLs, Past life: Biomarkers, In bedrock: Preservation of atmospheric gases Evolution of Noachian crust, sediments -possible aquifers. microfossils in impact- in impact glasses; preservation of fluids in (if present), also magmatism, driven hydrothermal inclusions. metamorphism, metasomatism, & veins. weathering Science ROI Groups 7, 8, 9, 10, 14 15 & 16 Noachian Bedrock

1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars ROI Locations (at ellipse center) (7): South West Crater, 8 6°37’06.98"W, 4°19’19.55"S,-906 m (8): Endeavour Crater, 2°18’56.27"W, 2°12’20.63"S,-1431 m 9 (9): Central Crater, 5 °01’33.27"W, 2°58’25.95"S,-1433 m 150 km (10) East Crater, 14 10 15 4°11’13.63"W, 3°26’38.86"S,-1927 m 16 (14) Clay Hills, 4°59’51.24"W, 3°30’37.74"S, -1375 m (15): West Miyamoto crater rim, 7 7°54’41.80"W, 3°32’29.58"S, -1563 m (16): East Miyamoto crater rim, SROI 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15 & 16 Characteristics 6°00’14.01"W, 3°33’40.55"S, -1690 m Key Features Astrobiology Atmospheric science Geoscience Engineering/Planetary protection Science -Noachian Past life: Preservation of Evolution of Noachian crust, -Opportunity Rover in SROI 8: bedrock Biomarkers, atmospheric gases in sediments (if present), also Equipment longevity study resource. microfossils in -Opportunity impact glasses; Noachian-Hesperian - Planetary protection review of Ea impact-driven Rover (currently) preservation of fluids magmatism, metamorphism, rth biology survivability on spacecraft hydrothermal veins. in SROI 8. in inclusions metasomatism, & weathering Science ROI Groups 11, 12 & 13 Hesperian Coastal Sediments 1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars ROI Locations (at ellipse center) (11): Coastal Meridiani Planium West, 13 6°40’48.36"W, 3°32’37.96"S, -1125 m (12): Coastal Meridiani Planium Central, 12 5°25’57.61"W, 3°14’18.10"S, -1544 m 11 (13): Coastal Meridiani Planium East, 4°33’17.94"W, 3°08’01.27"S, -1679 m

SROI 11, 12 & 13 Characteristics Key Features Astrobiology Atmospheric science Geoscience

Hesperian coastal Past life: Microfossils in Preservation of atmospheric gases in impact Sedimentology of Hesperian coastal sediments of habitable coastal glasses & fluids in inclusions; temperatures, environments Meridiani basin environments, pressures, from mineral stability & isotopes, biomarker preservation environmental indicators in sediments Science ROI Groups 17, 18 & 19 Sedimentology Fluvial Geomorphology 1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars ROI Locations (at ellipse center) (17): West incised valley, 5°27’49.27"W, 3°35’49.27"S, -1503m (18): East incised valley, 19 4°02’41.66"W, 3°50’24.27"S, -1740m 17 (19): Inverted Channels, 7°44’35.76"W, 3°26’08.09"S, -1635m

18 West incised valley

Left B&C: Inverted channel features (Newsom H.E. eta al. 2010. Inverted channel deposits on the floor of Miyamoto crater, SROI 17, 18 & 19 Mars. Icarus 205,64-72) Characteristics Key Features Astrobiology Atmospheric Geoscience science 1) SROI 17, 18 Fluvial Possible microfossils in Palaeohydrology 1) Sedimentology and fluvial geomorphology of Hesperian rivers, channels inverted channel landscape evolution. 2) SROI 19, Inverted bedrock 2) Evolution of Martian crust - Noachian, Hesperian & Amazonian Channel: sediments (if present). Chanel deposits from distant locations. Science ROI Group 20 Recurring Sloping Lineae 1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars MYĀ32ĀLsĀ268.7ROI Locations (at ellipse center) MYĀ32ĀLsĀ207.5 110 km (20): RSLs 356.248° E, 3.507° S, -1707 m

20

RSL faded RSL

Above Left & Right: SROI 20: RSLs – (Provided by David.E. Stillman Southwest Research Institute Boulder, [email protected] ) SROI 19 & 20 Characteristics Key Features Astrobiology Atmospheric science Geoscience SROI 20, Recurring Extant or extinct Release of volatiles/gasses Salt and mineral deposits from Martian Slope Linea (RSLs) biology subsurface. Resource ROI Groups 1, 2 & 3 Water extraction & metals 1st EZ Workshop for Hum an Missions to Mars ROI Locations (at ellipse center) (1): West Meridiani Planum, 1 6°04'39.24"W, 2°07'00.56"S, -1433m (2): Central Meridiani Planum, 3 5°31'02.87"W, 2°42'05.60"S, -1561m (3): East Meridiani Planum, 2 4°19'12.55"w, 2°34'07.83"S, -1340m Dark basaltc hematite sand over light polyhydrated Mg-sulfates, Meridiani Planum RROI 1, 2 & 3 Characteristics Key Features Water Regolith materials Metals/silicon

Hesperian evaporites: Water extraction - Gypsum for "Plaster of Paris" - Electrolysis of Mg metal from - Flat terrain from - Loose sandy regolith for civil Mg-sulphate (note that - Trafficable polyhydrated works currently Mg supplied from - Dunes sulphates - Sand for aggregate electrolysis of MgCl2) - Hematite (blueberries) for Fe Resource ROI Groups 4, 5, & 6 Water ice 1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars ROI Locations (at ellipse center) 4 5 (4): Bopolu crater, 6°17’12.81"W, 2°57’24.07"S, -1424 m (5): Iazu crater, 5°10’03.55"W, 2°39’49.25"S, -1464 m (6): South crater, 5°06’08.09"W, 3°58’57.08"S, -1286 m

Fluidised ejecta of Bopolu Crater rampart. (Google 6 6 Earth image)

RROI 4, 5 & 6 Characteristics Key Features Water Regolith materials Metals/silicon

Ice: Water ice, possible ancient Surficial materials - Crater Ramparts, terraced craters indicating possible aquifers abundant subsurface ice. - Possible easy terrain on edge of crater ramparts for mining machinery. More difficult at crater rim Resource ROI Groups 7, 8, 9 & 10

Metals and Clay st 1 EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars ROI Locations (at ellipse center) 8 (7): South West Crater, 6°37’06.98"W, 4°19’19.55"S,-906 m (8): Endeavour Crater, 2°18’56.27"W, 2°12’20.63"S,-1431 m (9): Central Crater, 5°01’33.27"W, 2°58’25.95"S,-1433 m (10) East Crater, 4°11’13.63"W, 3°26’38.86"S,-1927 m 9 Noachian bedrock of Endeavour crater rim 10

7

RROI 7, 8, 9 & 10 Characteristics Key Features Water Regolith materials Metals/silicon

Noachian bedrock: - Gypsum for Plaster of Paris from hydrothermal Hydrothermal deposits of Cu, Pb, Zn, - Possible Metal deposits from alteration, clays from weathering and/or As, Au, Ag etc. (indication of vein ancient hyper-thermal vents hydrothermal alteration, enrichment in crust at Endeavour) - Possible fresh basalt in some locations Resource ROI Groups 14, 15 & 16

Metals st 1 EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars ROI Locations (at ellipse center) (14) Clay Hills, 4°59’51.24"W, 3°30’37.74"S,-1375 m (15): West Miyamoto crater rim, 7°54’41.80"W, 3°32’29.58"S, -1563 m ( 16): East Miyamoto crater rim, 6°00’14.01"W, 3°33’40.55"S, -1690 m

150 km Clay alteration 14 of Noachian be 15 16 drock

RROI 14, 15 & 16 Characteristics Arvidson et al. 2008 Key Features Water Regolith materials Metals/silicon

Noachian Bedrock: - Hydrothermal deposits of Cu, Pb, Zn, As, Au, Sag - RROI 14 is the most trafficable etc. (indication of vein enrichment in crust at for mining machinery Endeavour) - Clays Resource ROI Groups 11, 12 & 13

Construction materialsst 1 EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars ROI Locations (at ellipse center) (11): Coastal Meridiani Planium West, 13 6°40’48.36"W, 3°32’37.96"S, -1125 m (12): Coastal Meridiani Planium Central, 12 5°25’57.61"W, 3°14’18.10"S, -1544 m 11 (13): Coastal Meridiani Planium East, 4°33’17.94"W, 3°08’01.27"S, -1679 m

Fluvial valley

Estuary Basin Arvidson et al. 2008 RROI 11, 12 & 13 Characteristics Key Features Water Regolith materials Metals/silicon

Hesperian (coastal) sediments: - Sand (basalt) Hematite in sand - Potential for abundant civil - Gravel engineering regolith - Possible Gypsum - Trafficable for mining machinery Resource ROI Group 20

Water & Brine st 1 EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars ROI Locations (at ellipse center) (20): RSLs MYĀ32ĀLsĀ268.7 19 MYĀ32ĀLsĀ207.5 110 km 356.248° W, 3.507° S, -1707 m 20

RSL faded RSL

Above Left & Right: SROI 20: RSLs – (Provided by David.E. Stillman Southwest Research Institute Boulder, [email protected])

RROI 20 Characteristics Key Features Water Regolith materials Metals/silicon

Recurring Slope Lineae (RSLs): Brines Salt deposits, regolith - Trafficable to base of slope materials - Steep slope Science ROI(s) Rubric

1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars

Site Factors ROI 1 ROI 4 ROI 5 ROI 6 ROI 7 ROI 8 ROI 9 ROI 10 ROI 11 ROI 12 ROI 13 ROI 14 ROI 15 ROI 16 ROI 17 ROI 18 ROI 19 ROI 20 RROI 2 RROI 3 EZ SUM

Potential for past habitability ○ ○ ○ ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 17 Threshold Potential for present habitability/refugia AND/OR ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 8

Astrobio Potential for organic matter, w/ surface Qualifying exposure ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 15

Noachian/Hesperian rocks w/ trapped Threshold atmospheric gases ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ○ ○ ○ ○ ● ● ● ● ● 15

Meteorological diversity in space and time ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ (19) High likelihood of surface-atmosphere exchange ○ ○ ○ ● ● ● ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ● 4 Qualifying Amazonian subsurface or high-latitude ice or sediment ○ ○ ○ (3)

Atmospheric Science Atmospheric High likelihood of active trace gas sources ● ● ● ● 4 Range of martian geologic time; datable surfaces ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 18 Threshold Evidence of aqueous processes ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 18

Potential for interpreting relative ages ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 19 Key Igneous Rocks tied to 1+ provinces or different times ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ (6) ● Yes Science Site Criteria Near-surface ice, glacial or permafrost ● ● ● 3 Partial Support ○ or Debated Noachian or pre-Noachian bedrock units ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 12 No Geoscience Qualifying Outcrops with remnant magnetization ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 9 ? Indeterminate Primary, secondary, and basin-forming impact deposits ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 7 Structural features with regional or global context ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 10 Diversity of aeolian sediments and/or landforms ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 7 Resource ROI(s) Rubric

0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Site Factors ROI 1 ROI 2 ROI 3 ROI 4 ROI 5 ROI 6 ROI 7 ROI 8 ROI 9 ROI 1 ROI 1 ROI 1 ROI 1 ROI 1 ROI 1 ROI 1 ROI 17 ROI 18 ROI 19 ROI 20 EZ SUM Meets First Order Criteria (Latitude, Elevation, Thermal Engineering Inertia) Potential for ice or ice/regolith mix ? ? ? ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 14 1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars Potential for hydrated minerals AND/OR ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ? 10 Quantity for substantial production ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ○ ○ ○ ○ ? 10 Threshold Potential to be minable by highly automated systems ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ? 14 Located less than 3 km from processing equipment site ? ○ ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Located no more than 3 meters below the surface ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 11 Accessible by automated systems ● ● ● ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ? 3

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

Evidence of abundant cobble sized or smaller rocks and bulk, ? Indeterminate Qualifying loose regolith ● ● ● ● ● ● ○ ○ ○ ○ 6 Civil Engineering Utilitarian terrain features ● ● ● ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ● ● ● 6 Low latitude ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 19 No local terrain feature(s) that could shadow light collection 10 Qualifying facilities ● ● ● ● ● ● ○ ○ ○ ○ ● ● ● ● ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Food Food Access to water ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 13 Production Access to dark, minimally altered basaltic sands ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 7 Potential for metal/silicon ISRU and Civil Engineering Criteria ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 15 Potential to be minable by highly automated systems ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 10 Threshold Located less than 3 km from processing equipment site ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Located no more than 3 meters below the surface ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 10 Accessible by automated systems ● ● ● ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ 3 Potential for multiple sources of metals/silicon ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 15 Qualifying Distance to resource location can be >5 km ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 15 Metal/Silicon Resource Metal/Silicon Resource Route to resource location must be (plausibly) traversable ● ● ● ● ● ● ○ ○ ○ ○ ● ● ● ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ 9 Highest Priority EZ Data Needs

1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars

– More HiRISE imagery to detail the ROIs & look for RSLs in craters – Check for ice in Iazu, Bopolu craters and South crater with SHARAD – Trafficability mapping across area to dete rmine best routes and likely traverse times

Replace With: EZ Location Name 20 Prioritization List of EZ Data Needs

1st EZ Workshop for Human Missions to Mars

• Provide a prioritized list of orbiter/rover data to be collected to assess the science potential of the EZ. – More complete HiRISE coverage of ROIs – Search for more RSLs • Provide a prioritized list of orbiter/rover data to be collected to assess the resource potential of the EZ. – SHARAD coverage of Iazu, Bopolu and South craters • Provide a prioritized list of orbiter/rover data to be collected to assess the engineering aspects of the EZ. – Rover mission to Noachian uplands to ground truth trafficability mapping (wish!)

Replace With: EZ Location Name 21 BACKUP SLIDES

Replace With: EZ Location Name 22