NASAs Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover explores the Gale Crater. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
Researchers will compare thermophysical homes from rover to orbital data and analog measurements collected on Earth to understand rock record.
Released in 2011, NASAs Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity Rover got here on Mars in 2012 to check out the Gale Crater, getting rock, soil and air samples to assist scientists characterize the geology of Mars and comprehend what the worlds crust is made from.
Part of NASAs long-lasting effort to check out the Red Planet utilizing robots, Curiosity was designed to discover whether Mars ever had the best ecological conditions to support microbial life kinds. Early in its mission, Curiosity found proof of past habitable environments on Mars, so scientists continue to check out the rock record using the innovative instruments on board the rover.
Utilizing orbital visible and near infrared spectroscopy, I hope to identify diverse volcanic rocks in the most ancient terrains of Mars, consisting of silica-rich rocks and feldspar-rich terrains like those examined in Gale Crater.
” I utilize drone information combined with weather condition station information to study the daily temperature level cycle of a variety of different types of rocks and sediments that are also present on Mars,” Koeppel said. “We hope this work will produce a model that will permit us to accurately make geologic analyses utilizing temperature information from Mars satellites and rovers to shed insight into things like water abundance, ice abundance and past habitability.” My role on the MSL team is to gather data from the rover as it drives across the surface of the Greenheugh pediment, an excellent example of paleobedforms on Mars,” Weintraub said.” Although my work in this stage is only one little element of a much larger photo, it still assists fit into the story of life on Mars and the development of planetary surfaces.
Even prior to he signed up with NAUs Department of Astronomy and Planetary Science in 2016, Christopher Edwards was already a getting involved researcher on the MSL group, moneyed through a grant of $470,000. In addition to moneying his research study, the grant allowed him to build the Mars Rover Operations and Analysis Laboratory on NAUs Flagstaff campus, where faculty researchers and trainees use advanced devices to assist command the daily activities of the rover.
Now, after associate teacher Edwards has actually spent more than five years producing successful results on MSL, NASA has reselected him as a participating scientist, granting him $325,000 for the next three years. He and his team, all part of the Planetary Instrumentation eXperimentation and Exploration Laboratory (PIXEL), will use this chance to continue working on rover operations while broadening their geological research.
NASA Curiosity Mars rover selfie. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
” Im very delighted that were able to continue to be associated with this NASA flagship mission,” Edwards stated. “Its a great chance for our group to stay engaged with Curiositys amazing science. I expect this work will allow us to bring in additional funding for related research study in the future, and when that occurs, we can provide more opportunities to our trainees.”
The teams original goal was to examine the geologic history of the sedimentary rocks of Gale Crater utilizing ground-based imaging and thermal infrared measurements collected by the rover. As they studied this information, they came across various types of sediment, from sand dunes to strong rock. They are all typical on Mars, identifying their geologic origin and history stays a significant obstacle.
For the second of the project, the team will link information from the rover, consisting of high-resolution images, thermal infrared information as well as ground temperature level sensing units, to orbital data gathered by the Mars Odyssey Orbiter spacecraft, to much better comprehend how various types of rock on Mars were formed. They will also compare information to measurements gathered here in the world, at websites that function as analogs to Mars.
” Basically, were trying to understand how well we might link the orbital information that covers nearly the whole planet of Mars with the images and thermal infrared information on the ground,” Edwards said.
Using really high-resolution, globally available imagery– in which one pixel represents an area the size of a football field– they are studying specific grains of sand to demonstrate how well these microscopic images match the rover-based thermal information and after that, eventually, the orbital data.
” Were proposing in this second job to take what we learnt more about our capability to reliably ground reality these information and extend it to more complex surface areas,” Edwards said. “Ultimately, we will connect the depositional and geological history of these thermal imaging units to orbital datasets, enhancing our understanding of past depositional conditions throughout Mars.”
Edwards team concentrated on three locations of research study
Postdoctoral scholar Valerie Payre is concentrated on the geochemistry of rocks in Gale crater and performing operations– running the Rover and deciding where it will go.
” Im taking a look at the structure and mineralogy of both sedimentary and volcanic rocks in Gale Crater,” Payre said. “My total objective is to comprehend the provenance of volcanic minerals and rocks and constrain how they might have formed. Utilizing orbital visible and near infrared spectroscopy, I wish to detect varied volcanic rocks in the most ancient surfaces of Mars, consisting of silica-rich rocks and feldspar-rich surfaces like those evaluated in Gale Crater.
” I am really excited to continue the experience on the MSL group to even more understand geological procedures that formed and formed sedimentary rocks as we go up into Mount Sharp. I cant wait to see how far we can use volcanic minerals contained within sedimentary rocks to constrain magmatic processes that occurred in the area of Gale Crater, especially as we are lastly reaching the sulfate-bearing unit!”
Ph.D. prospect Ari Koeppels research is concentrated on the surface-related elements of the project. He uses analog sites in the world, for example, at Sunset Crater, to improve how surface temperature levels on Mars are interpreted.
” I utilize drone data matched with weather station data to study the day-to-day temperature cycle of a variety of different types of rocks and sediments that are also present on Mars,” Koeppel said. “We hope this work will produce a design that will allow us to accurately make geologic analyses using temperature information from Mars satellites and rovers to shed insight into things like water abundance, ice abundance and past habitability.
Ph.D. candidate Aaron Weintraub is studying paleobedforms and is concentrated on the orbital side of the project. Although they appear like sand dunes, paleobedforms have a few of the exact same functions as strong rock.
” My role on the MSL group is to gather data from the rover as it drives across the surface area of the Greenheugh pediment, a terrific example of paleobedforms on Mars,” Weintraub stated. “The information will enable me to perform what we call a ground truth, where the exceptionally high-resolution rover instruments will be able to inspect the accuracy of our outcomes from orbiting spacecrafts. This ground truth will assist constrain and enhance the orbital methodology we use to study these strange functions all over Mars. I will use these in situ rover observations to identify the thermophysical and mineralogical homes of these bedforms, and my hope is to figure out if this website is an actual paleobedform.
” Although my work in this phase is just one small element of a much larger photo, it still helps suit the story of life on Mars and the development of planetary surface areas. By understanding how these special functions form and remain maintained, we can understand the environmental conditions present over their life time. This is essential since it will help us to understand whether the conditions necessary to support life were long lived, nonexistent or short-term. Im excited to be part of such an impactful mission, and I hope my contributions assist advance our understanding of the Red Planet.”