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Initial Results from the Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer S PIRIT AT G USEV C RATER S RESEARCH ARTICLE PECIAL Initial Results from the Mini-TES Experiment in S Gusev Crater from the Spirit Rover ECTION P. R. Christensen,1* S. W. Ruff,1 R. L. Fergason,1 A. T. Knudson,1 S. Anwar,1 R. E. Arvidson,2 J. L. Bandfield,1 D. L. Blaney,3 C. Budney,3 W. M. Calvin,4 T. D. Glotch,1 M. P. Golombek,3 N. Gorelick,1 T. G. Graff,1 V. E. Hamilton,5 A. Hayes,6 J. R. Johnson,7 H. Y. McSween Jr.,8 G. L. Mehall,1 L. K. Mehall,1 J. E. Moersch,8 R. V. Morris,9 A. D. Rogers,1 M. D. Smith,10 S. W. Squyres,6 M. J. Wolff,11 M. B. Wyatt1 The Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES) on Spirit has studied Several targets have been observed with the the mineralogy and thermophysical properties at Gusev crater. Undisturbed soil use of 5ϫ spatial oversampling and spatial spectra show evidence for minor carbonates and bound water. Rocks are olivine- deconvolution techniques to improve spec- rich basalts with varying degrees of dust and other coatings. Dark-toned soils tral isolation (8), together with multiple observed on disturbed surfaces may be derived from rocks and have derived RAT brushings to clean larger areas. mineralogy (Ϯ5 to 10%) of 45% pyroxene (20% Ca-rich pyroxene and 25% Undisturbed surficial materials. Un- pigeonite), 40% sodic to intermediate plagioclase, and 15% olivine (forsterite disturbed surfaces in the vicinity of the 45% Ϯ5 to 10). Two spectrally distinct coatings are observed on rocks, a possible station are ϳ5% surface cover of clasts that indicator of the interaction of water, rock, and airfall dust. Diurnal temperature range in size from ϳ1to40cm(6), with data indicate particle sizes from 40 to 80 ␮m in hollows to ϳ0.5 to 3 mm in soils. the remainder composed of finer-grained materials (Ͻ100 ␮m to 3 mm), all coated The Miniature Thermal Emission Spec- ing evidence for convective activity, and with a veneer of bright dust (4, 9, 10). trometer (Mini-TES) has provided remote have determined the seasonal trends in Mini-TES spectra of these surfaces closely measurements of mineralogy, thermo- atmospheric temperature and dust and match Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) TES on October 12, 2015 physical properties, and atmospheric tem- cloud opacity. spectra of the bright fine-grained dust that perature profile and composition of the Mini-TES is a Michelson interferometer blankets low-thermal-inertia regions such scene surrounding the Spirit rover. The that collects infrared spectra from 5 to 29 as Tharsis and Arabia (Fig. 2) (11, 12). By mineralogy of volcanic rocks constrains ␮m (339 to 1997 cmϪ1) at a spectral sam- inference from the analysis of MGS TES the composition, depth, and degree of par- pling of 10.0 cmϪ1 (2). Nominal spatial spectra (11), the Mini-TES spectra of un- tial melting of their source regions (1). resolution is 20 mrad; an actuated field stop disturbed materials contain an 840-cmϪ1 Carbonates, evaporites, and oxides provide can be used to reduce the field of view to 8 (11.9 ␮m) silicate transparency feature that information on the role of water in the mrad. The radiometric precision of the in- is best matched by the framework silicates surface evolution. Oxides, such as crystal- strument is similar to prelaunch precision plagioclase feldspar (11), zeolite (13), or line hematite, provide insight into aqueous (2, 3). Spectra were acquired with 2 to 200 crystalline silica (14). These spectra also www.sciencemag.org weathering processes, as would the occur- spectra summed for a single pointing loca- exhibit the spectral character near 1640 rence of clay minerals and other weathering tion, together with 5 to 100 spectra sum- cmϪ1 (6.1 ␮m) of bound water within a products. The particle size and subsurface ming for the calibration targets, to increase transparent silicate matrix. A third spectral layering provide clues to the origin of the radiometric precision by ͌n. Target component centered near 1480 cmϪ1 (6.75 surficial materials through rock disintegra- temperature was determined by fitting a ␮m) is interpreted as due to minor (Ͻ5% tion, aeolian transport, atmospheric fall- Planck function to the calibrated radiance, by weight) carbonate, although other com- out, or induration. Mini-TES spectra have giving a temperature precision and accura- ponents have also been suggested (15). Downloaded from also been used to determine the temperature cy of Ϯ0.5 K and Ϯ2 K, respectively, for Carbonates produce strong emission when profile in the lower boundary layer, provid- typical nighttime and Ϯ0.1 K and Ϯ0.5 K embedded within a silicate matrix that is for daytime measurements. nearly transparent in this spectral region. Ϫ1 1 A full 360°, 20-mrad Mini-TES mission The 1480 cm absorption corresponds Department of Geological Sciences, Arizona State Ϫ1 University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA. 2Department of success panorama was acquired before well to the 1450- to 1500-cm bands seen Earth and Planetary Sciences, Washington Univer- egress from the Columbia Memorial Sta- in finely particulate anhydrous carbonates sity, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA. 3Jet Propulsion tion (Fig. 1) (4). Mini-TES rasters with (11) and most closely matches that of the Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pas- three by three pointing locations were col- Mg-carbonate magnesite (11). Mini-TES adena, CA 91109, USA. 4Department of Geological Science, University of Nevada Reno, NV 89557, lected regularly along with coregistered 13- spectra contain absorption by atmospheric 5 ␮ USA. Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, Uni- filter Panoramic Camera (Pancam) images CO2 near 15 m(16) that increases rough- versity of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA. 6De- (5) during rover traverses to sample surface ly linearly with target distance; this spectral partment of Astronomy, Space Sciences Building, diversity. Many other rasters of various region is excluded in all surface analyses. 7 Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. U.S. sizes and dwell lengths have been acquired, The relative mineral abundance of the Geological Survey, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA. 8De- partment of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Univer- tailored to the requirements of targeted ob- entire scene from the station to the horizon sity of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA. 9Na- servations. The largest rocks at the Gusev was mapped with the use of a linear least tional Aeronautics and Space Administration crater site are typically Ͻ0.4 m in their squares deconvolution (17–20) of each (NASA) Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058, largest dimension (6), and the hole pro- spectrum acquired in the mission success USA. 10NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Green- belt, MD 20771, USA. 11Space Science Institute, duced by the Rock Abrasion Tool (RAT) is panorama with a 40-component end- Martinez, GA 30907, USA. only 4.5 cm in diameter, or about one-third member library constructed from labora- ϳ *To whom correspondence should be addressed. E- the size of the 12-cm Mini-TES field of tory minerals and MGS TES and Mini- mail: [email protected] view directly in front of the rover (7). TES surface dust spectra (21, 22). Airfall www.sciencemag.org SCIENCE VOL 305 6 AUGUST 2004 837 S PIRIT AT G USEV C RATER ECTION S PECIAL S Fig. 1. Temperature image of a portion of the mission success pan. Each Mini-TES pointing location is shown projected onto the initial navcam panorama. Minimum temperature (blue) is 240 K; maximum temperature (red) is 290 K. dust is ubiquitous at Gusev crater, with Fig. 2. Mini-TES spectra all rocks and undisturbed soils (23) exhib- of the undisturbed soil iting dust spectral features. The 1- to 13- component compared m-diameter hollows only display the spec- with an average atmo- tral features of airfall dust. Variations in sphere-removed bright- region spectrum from undisturbed soil spectra observed through MGS TES (26). The deep sol 90 (24) are primarily because of vari- 840-cmϪ1 feature in able dust content together with differing both spectra is best viewing geometries and target orientations; matched by a transpar- no systematic compositional variations ency band in frame- have been identified. work silicates plagioclase feldspar (11), zeolite Disturbed subsurface soil. Mini-TES (13), or crystalline sili- observed disturbed soils exposed in the ca (14). Bound water rover tracks and trenching operations has a strong emission Ϫ throughout Spirit’s traverse (4, 10). Dis- peak near 1640 cm 1, turbed soil spectra are similar to low- and carbonates produce albedo surface spectra derived from orbit strong emission when embedded within a sili- by MGS TES (25, 26), with only minor cate matrix that match added features consistent with airfall dust. the emission peak centered near 1480 cmϪ1. Both of these features are better defined in the Mini-TES The distinct spectral differences from dust spectra. Mini-TES data are from sol 3, sequence P3004. suggest that dust is a relatively thin veneer and only a minor component of the bulk basalts but within the range of martian or surface transport (4). In this case, the soil. Linear deconvolution of Mini-TES meteorites (1, 31). Mini-TES soil mineralogy is also representa- spectra of rover tracks indicates a basaltic The disturbed soil likely gives the best tive of the rock composition. soil, with a composition, normalized to re- Mini-TES assessment of the bulk mineral- Rocks. The rocks at Gusev can be clas- move the spectral contribution from airfall ogy of Gusev materials. The derived com- sified as light-toned, dark-toned, and two- dust, of ϳ45% pyroxene (25% pigeonite positions of these soils agree with the com- toned (5 ). Mini-TES spectra of rocks and 20% clinopyroxene), ϳ40% sodic to positions of basalts derived from MGS show a variety of characteristics; represen- intermediate plagioclase, and ϳ15% oli- TES, which range from 45 to 50% plagio- tative examples of these spectral types, vine (27) (Fig.
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