1773 research outputs found
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The Evolution of Habitable Environments on Terrestrial Planets: Insights and Knowledge Gaps from Studying the Geologic Record of Mars
No full textWe endorse the MASWG vision for a rejuvenated Mars Exploration Program in the next decade, based on the compelling assertion that "Mars has a uniquely accessible archive of the long-term evolution of a habitable planet."Coordinating Author: Briony Horgan, Purdue University ; Co-Authors: Janice L. Bishop, SETI Institute; Adrian Brown, NASA Headquarters; Wendy Calvin, University of Nevada - Reno; Christopher Edwards, North. Arizona Univ.; Abigail Fraeman, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology; Tim Goudge, University of Texas at Austin; Linda C. Kah, University of Tennessee; Edwin Kite, University of Chicago; Kennda Lynch, Lunar & Planetary Institute/USRA; Ramses M. Ramirez, Earth-Life Science Institute; Elizabeth Rampe, Johnson Space Center; William Rapin, Sorbonne Universite; Melissa Rice, Western Washington University; Frances Rivera-Hernández, Dartmouth/Georgia Tech; Kathryn Stack, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology; Jesse Tarnas, Brown University; Allan Treiman, Lunar & Planetary Institute/USRA; Christina Viviano, JHU/Applied Physics Laborator
Planetary Geologic Mappers 2020 (LPI Contrib No. 2357)
No full textThe purpose of the annual meeting of planetary geologic mappers is to report progress on NASA-funded geologic mapping projects.Lunar and Planetary Institute, Universities Space Research Association, Planetary Science InstituteConveners, Peter Mouginis-Mark, University of Hawaii, Alex Patthoff, Co-Convener, Planetary Science Institut
Deep Trek: Science of Subsurface Habitability and Life on Mars
No full textOur unparalleled knowledge regarding Mars' crust and its geologic evolution, combined with our enhanced understanding of Earth's deep subsurface biosphere, and sufficient development of technologies required to explore the Martian subsurface, place us in an unprecedented position to investigate the present-day habitability of the Martian subsurface and its potential for extant life.Lead Team: Vlada Stamenković (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology), Kennda Lynch (LPI/USRA), Penelope Boston (NASA Ames), and Jesse Tarnas (Brown University)
Regional Planetary Image Facilities to Planetary Data Utilization Centers
No full textAs the next generation of planetary scientists will rely more heavily on digital data from the PDS and other digital archives and tools to accomplish research, a new generation of Planetary Data Utilization Centers (PDUCs), created from members of the RPIFs, can serve as loci for enabling this research, as well as providing expertise, training, and products that supplement the PDS for the general science community.Lead author: David A. Williams. RPIF Directors and Colleague Coauthors (in alphabetical order): Robert C. Anderson; Shane Byrne; Francois Costard; Alexander Hayes; Ralf Jaumann; Peter Mouginis-Mark; Jan-Peter Muller; Jürgen Oberst; Peter H. Schultz; John G. Spray; Julie Stopar; Sarah Sutton; Thomas R. Watter
Human and robotic operations planning framework for executing Artemis lunar scientific exploration
No full textIt is critical that the next steps in lunar scientific exploration be understood in the terms of the goals and preparations required, including crew skill sets and training. This includes the operational approaches necessary to conduct productive and efficient surface science operations, the hardware and training necessary to acquire the appropriate samples and data, and the experience and training required of those involved, both crewmembers on the Moon and operations personnel on Earth. Each of these elements needs to be integrated into mission design, planning, training and execution of Artemis from the beginning, such that science is an integral part of the operation, not a late-stage add-on.D.B. Eppler, D. C. Barker, E. Bell, C. Evans, J. Head, M. Helper, K.V. Hodges, J. Hurtado, K. Klaus, C. Neal, H. H. Schmitt and B. Tewksbur
The Importance of Measuring Heat Flux Near the Lunar South Pole
No full textOn the Moon, in situ measurements of heat flow were made at the Apollo 15 and 17 landing sites [1-3] and are planned to be made in Mare Crisium on the 2023 Commercial Lunar Payload System (CLPS) mission. Measuring heat flow near the lunar South Pole on Artemis would be an important extension of this data set
Shaded Relief Geological Map of the South Polar Region of the Moon
No full textThis map is based on the geology of Spudis et al. (2008). The map is overlain on data collected by the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). The data are the LOLA hillshade with solar azimuth 45°W and solar elevation 45° derived from a LOLA 20-m elevation product (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center; Smith et al., 2010, 2017). The map encompasses the region around the lunar south pole, which lies on the rim of Shackleton crater, and includes Sverdrup, Slater, de Gerlache, Cabeus, Haworth, Shoemaker, and Faustini craters. The map extends north onto the nearside of the Moon beyond Mons Malapert, also known as the Malapert massif. Spudis et al. (2008) mapped Shackleton crater with a 3.6 Ga Imbrian age, although Wilhelms et al. (1979) previously mapped it with an Eratosthenian age (~1.1 to 3.3 Ga), and, more recently, Zuber et al. (2012) and Tye et al. (2015) reported Imbrian ages of ~3.69 Ga, and 3.51(+0.05,-0.08) Ga, respectively, with the understanding that some surfaces within Shackleton have been modified by younger geologic processes. As mapped by Spudis et al. (2008), Shoemaker and Faustini have Nectarian ages, but Tye et al. (2015) report pre-Nectarian ages like that of Haworth. See the map for bibliographic details.Center for Lunar Science and Explorationis a product of the 2016 Exploration Science Summer Intern Program: E. J. Allender, C. Orgel, N. V. Almeida, J. Cook, J. J. Ende, O. Kamps, S. Mazrouei, T. J. Slezak, A.-J. Soini, and D. A. Krin
Graphite-Based Geothermometry on Almahata Sitta Ureilitic Meteorites
No full textThe thermal history of carbon phases, including graphite and diamond, in the ureilite meteorites has implications for the formation, igneous evolution, and impact disruption of their parent body early in the history of the Solar System. Geothermometry data were obtained by micro-Raman spectroscopy on graphite in Almahata Sitta (AhS) ureilites AhS 72, AhS 209b and AhS A135A from the University of Khartoum collection
New discovery of two seismite horizons challenges the Ries–Steinheim double‑impact theory
Full text linkThe Nördlinger Ries and the Steinheim Basin are widely perceived as a Middle Miocene impact crater doublet. We discovered two independent earthquake-produced seismite horizons in North Alpine Foreland Basin deposits potentially related to both impacts
A steeply-inclined trajectory for the Chicxulub impact
No full textThe environmental severity of large impacts on Earth is influenced by their impact trajectory. Impact direction and angle to the target plane affect the volume and depth of origin of vaporized target, as well as the trajectories of ejected material. The asteroid impact that formed the 66 Ma Chicxulub crater had a profound and catastrophic effect on Earth's environment, but the impact trajectory is debated. Here we show that impact angle and direction can be diagnosed by asymmetries in the subsurface structure of the Chicxulub crater. Comparison of 3D numerical simulations of Chicxulub-scale impacts with geophysical observations suggests that the Chicxulub crater was formed by a steeply-inclined (45–60° to horizontal) impact from the northeast; several lines of evidence rule out a low angle (<30°) impact. A steeply-inclined impact produces a nearly symmetric distribution of ejected rock and releases more climate-changing gases per impactor mass than either a very shallow or near-vertical impact.G. S. Collins, N. Patel, T. M. Davison, A. S. P. Rae, J. V. Morgan, S. P. S. Gulick, IODP-ICDP Expedition 364 Science Party & Third-Party Scientist