0000000000292133
AUTHOR
M. Blumers
Field-portable Mössbauer spectroscopy on Earth, the Moon, Mars, and beyond
ABSTRACT Iron occurs naturally as Fe 2+ , Fe 3+ , and, to a lesser extent, as Fe 0 . Many fundamental (bio)geochemical processes are based on redox cycling between these oxidation states. Mossbauer spectroscopy provides quantitative information about the distribution of Fe among its oxidation states, identification of Fe-bearing phases, and relative distribution of Fe among those phases. Portable, miniaturised Mossbauer spectrometers were developed for NASA9s Mars Exploration Rovers (in operation since 2004) and provide a means for non-destructive, in-situ field investigations. On Mars, these instruments provided evidence for aqueous activity with implications for habitability, were applied…
Mauna Kea, Hawaii, as an Analog Site for Future Planetary Resource Exploration: Results from the 2010 ILSO-ISRU Field-Testing Campaign
Within the framework of the International Lunar Surface Operation - In-Situ Resource Utilization Analogue Test held on January 27 - February 11, 2010 on the Mauna Kea volcano in Hawaii, a number of scientific instrument teams collaborated to characterize the field site and test instrument capabilities outside laboratory environments. In this paper, we provide a geological setting for this new field-test site, a description of the instruments that were tested during the 2010 ILSO-ISRU field campaign, and a short discussion for each instrument about the validity and use of the results obtained during the test. These results will form a catalogue that may serve as reference for future test cam…
Ferro-pedrizite, NaLi2(Fe2+ 2Al2Li)Si8O22(OH)2, a new amphibole-supergroup mineral from the Sutlug pegmatite, Tyva Republic, Russia
Ferro-pedrizite, a new amphibole-supergroup mineral was discovered in the Sutlug pegmatite occurrence situated in the Targi River Basin, Tyva Republic, Eastern Sibera, Russia. The associated minerals are quartz, albite, microcline, spodumene, cassiterite, beryl, columbite-(Mn), fergusonite-β-(Y), fluorapatite, schorl, trilithionite and fluorite. Ferro-pedrizite forms dark grey-blue to violet-blue acicular and long prismatic crystals up to 2 × 5 × 50 mm and their aggregates. D meas = 3.16(1) g/cm3 (by hydrostatic weighing), 3.13(1) g/cm3 (by flotation in heavy liquids); D calc = 3.135 g/cm3. Ferro-pedrizite is optically biaxial (−), α = 1.614(3), β = 1.638(3), γ = 1.653(3), 2 V meas = 75(5)°…
Robotic Exploration of Planetary Surfaces – Rover Technologies Developed for Space Exploration
Mobility is a key feature for any science mission and for space exploration in general. Missions with mobile systems provide a much wider spectrum of outcomes by employing a higher number of samples within an increased area of exploration. The additional degree of freedom of a rover in comparison to a lander or even a robotic arm allows the mission to be flexibly adapted to the landing site as it is encountered.
Comparative studies of ferric green rust and ferrihydrite coated sand: Role of synthesis routes
International audience; A comparative study of ferrihydrite and ferric green rust coated sand prepared by three synthesis routes has been outlined in the present contribution. The two minerals displayed inverse properties in terms of quantity of deposited iron for all three methods investigated. For ferric green rust coating, a newly proposed synthesis route named as dry contact method was efficient for the maximum quantity of iron with almost full coverage area. Considering the similar parameters, the modified wet synthesis method designated as reactive method provides the optimum results for ferrihydrite coated sand. These coatings have been characterised by different surface analysis tec…
Josephson junctions and superconducting field effect transistors based on epitaxial Bi2Sr2Can-1CunO2(n+2) thin films
Abstract Josephson junctions based on thin films of the Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10+δ compound show IcRn products compatible with YBa2Cu3O7−δ samples. Using quasiparticle tunneling experiments we found evidence for a superconductor–insulator–superconductor tunneling process via localized states in the barrier. The Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ compound is investigated regarding possible applications in superconducting field effect devices. We present thin films of four unit cells thickness that are superconducting at 58 K. An inverted metal–insulator–superconductor structure was prepared. From the modulation of the normal state resistance we estimate a carrier density of 7×1019 cm−3 for a superconducting sample. The…
The miniaturised Mössbauer spectrometer MIMOS IIA: Increased sensitivity and new capability for elemental analysis
The Miniaturised Mossbauer Spectrometers MIMOS II on board the two Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) have now been collecting valuable scientific data for more than five years. Mossbauer Spectrometers are part of two future missions: Phobos Grunt (Russian Space Agency) and a joint ESA—NASA Rover in 2018. The new advanced MIMOS IIA instrument described in this paper uses Silicon Drift Detectors (SDD) allowing also X-ray fluorescence chemical analysis (XRF) simultaneously to Mossbauer acquisitions. This paper highlights the features and technological improvements of the new spectrometer MIMOS IIA.
In-situ Mössbauer Spectroscopy with MIMOS II at Rio Tinto, Spain
The Rio Tinto, located in southwest Spain, exhibits a nearly constant, acidic pHvalue along its course. Due to the formation of sulfate minerals, Rio Tinto is considered a potential analogue site for sulfate-rich regions on Mars, in particular at the landing site of the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity, where the ferric sulfate mineral jarosite was identified with Opportunity's Mössbauer spectrometer. Primary and secondary mineralogy was investigated in situ with portable Raman and Mössbauer spectrometers at four different Rio Tinto sampling sites. The two techniques analyse different sample portions due to their specific field of view and sampling depth and provide complementar…
Iron(III) Complexes on a Dendrimeric Basis and Various Amine Core Investigated by Mössbauer Spectroscopy
Dendrimers of various generations were synthesized by the divergent method. Starting from various amine cores (G0a, G0b, G0c) the generations were built by reaction of the amine with acrylnitrile followed by hydrogenation with DIBAL-H. Treatment with salicylaldehyde creates a fivefold coordination sphere for iron in the molecular periphery. The resulting multinuclear coordination compounds are investigated by Mossbauer spectroscopy.
APXS and MIMOS IIA: Planetary and terrestrial applications
Both Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) and the Miniaturized Moessbauer Spectrometer (MIMOS II) have shown their performances in space missions and terrestrial applications. Taking advantage of the challenges of space missions both instruments have become very powerful tools, even small in mass and dimensions.