Search results for "Mars"

In situ and experimental evidence for acidic weathering of rocks and soils on Mars

2006

Experimental data for alteration of synthetic Martian basalts at pH=0-1 indicate that chemical fractionations at low pH are vastly different from those observed during terrestrial weathering. Rock analyses from Gusev crater are well described by the relationships apparent from low pH experimental alteration data. A model for rock surface alteration is developed which indicates that a leached alteration zone is present on rock surfaces at Gusev. This zone is not chemically fractionated to a large degree from the underlying rock interior, indicating that the rock surface alteration process has occurred at low fluid-to-rock ratio. The geochemistry of natural rock surfaces analyzed by APXS is c…

Mössbauer mineralogy of rock, soil, and dust at Gusev crater, Mars: Spirit's journey through weakly altered olivine basalt on the plains and pervasiv…

2006

The Moessbauer spectrometer on Spirit measured the oxidation state of Fe, identified Fe-bearing phases, and measured relative abundances of Fe among those phases for surface materials on the plains and in the Columbia Hills of Gusev crater. Eight Fe-bearing phases were identified: olivine, pyroxene, ilmenite, magnetite, nanophase ferric oxide (npOx), hematite, goethite, and a Fe(3+)-sulfate. Adirondack basaltic rocks on the plains are nearly unaltered (Fe(3+)/Fe(sub T) Px), and minor npOx and magnetite. Columbia Hills basaltic rocks are nearly unaltered (Peace and Backstay), moderately altered (WoolyPatch, Wishstone, and Keystone), and pervasively altered (e.g., Clovis, Uchben, Watchtower, …

Depth selective Mössbauer spectroscopy: Analysis and simulation of 6.4 keV and 14.4 keV spectra obtained from rocks at Gusev Crater, Mars, and layere…

2008

[1] The miniaturized Mossbauer spectrometer (MIMOS) II Mossbauer spectrometers on the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) simultaneously obtained 6.4 keV and 14.4 keV Mossbauer spectra from rock and soil targets. Because photons with lower energy have a shallower penetration depth, 6.4 keV spectra contain more mineralogical information about the near-surface region of a sample than do 14.4 keV spectra. The influence of surface layers of varying composition and thickness on Mossbauer spectra was investigated by Monte Carlo simulation and by measurement using a copy of the MER MIMOS II instrument and samples with one or two layers of known thicknesses. Thin sections of minerals or metallic Fe foil …

Geochemical properties of rocks and soils in Gusev Crater, Mars: Results of the Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer from Cumberland Ridge to Home Plate

2008

Geochemical diversity of rocks and soils has been discovered by the Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) during Spirit’s journey over Husband Hill and down into the Inner Basin from sol 470 to 1368. The APXS continues to operate nominally with no changes in calibration or spectral degradation over the course of the mission. Germanium has been added to the Spirit APXS data set with the confirmation that it occurs at elevated levels in many rocks and soils around Home Plate. Twelve new rock classes and two new soil classes have been identified at the Spirit landing site since sol 470 on the basis of the diversity in APXS geochemistry. The new rock classes are Irvine (alkaline basalt…

Overview of the magnetic properties experiments on the Mars Explorations Rovers

2009

[1] The Mars Exploration Rovers have accumulated airborne dust on different types of permanent magnets. Images of these magnets document the dynamics of dust capture and removal over time. The strongly magnetic subset of airborne dust appears dark brown to black in Panoramic Camera (Pancam) images, while the weakly magnetic one is bright red. Images returned by the Microscopic Imager reveal the formation of magnetic chains diagnostic of magnetite-rich grains with substantial magnetization (>8 Am2 kg−1). On the basis of Mossbauer spectra the dust contains magnetite, olivine, pyroxene, and nanophase oxides in varying proportions, depending on wind regime and landing site. The dust contains a …

Mineralogy of volcanic rocks in Gusev Crater, Mars: Reconciling Mössbauer, Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer, and Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrom…

2008

Complete sets of mineral abundances for relatively unaltered volcanic or volcaniclastic rocks in Gusev Crater have been determined by modeling Mössbauer subspectral areas as mineral weight percentages, and combining those percentages with the proportions of iron-free minerals not detected by Mössbauer (normative plagioclase, apatite, and chromite, as calculated from Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) chemical analyses). Comparisons of synthetic thermal emission spectra calculated for these mineral modes with measured Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES) spectra for the same rock classes show either good agreements or discrepancies that we attribute to sodic pla…

Spirit Mars Rover Mission to the Columbia Hills, Gusev Crater: Mission overview and selected results from the Cumberland Ridge to Home Plate

2008

This paper summarizes the Spirit rover operations in the Columbia Hills of Gusev Crater from sols 513 to 1476 and provides an overview of selected findings that focus on synergistic use of the Athena Payload and comparisons to orbital data. Results include discovery of outcrops (Voltaire) on Husband Hill that are interpreted to be altered impact melt deposits that incorporated local materials during emplacement. Evidence for extensive volcanic activity and aqueous alteration in the Inner Basin is also detailed, including discovery and characterization of accretionary lapilli and formation of sulfate, silica, and hematite-rich deposits. Use of Spirit's data to understand the range of spectra…

Using hypothetical knowledge for driving inductive synthesis

1998

Zvaigžņotā Debess: 2010/11, Ziema (210)

2010

Contents: “ZVAIGŅOTĀ DEBESS” FORTY YEARS AGO: Bursting Stars. J. Francman (abridged). Geodesists Help Renew the Spire of St. Peter’s Church. J. Klētnieks (abridged). DEVELOPMENTS in SCIENCE: The Solar Neutrino Problem. O. Smirnova. NEWS: At Last the Planet at the Star β Pictoris Is Imaged. A. Alksnis, Z. Alksne. SPACE RESEARCH and EXPLORATION: The Trail of an Asteroid Reveals a Recent Collision. A. Alksnis. INTERNATIONAL YEAR of ASTRONOMY 2009: International Year of Astronomy 2009 in Philately. The Rest of the World except Series EUROPA (concluded). J. Limansky. ACADEMIC STAFF of the UNIVERSITY of LATVIA: Assistant Professor in Physics Ojārs Šmits (24.04.1930.-14.03.1993.) of the Latvian Un…

<i>Limonium carvalhoi (Plumbaginaceae)</i>, a new endemic species from the Balearic Islands

1998

ROSSELLO, J.A., L. SAEZ & A.C. CARVALHO (1998). Limonium carvalhoi (Plumbaginaceae), a new endemic species from the Balearic Islands. Anales Jard. Bot. Madrid 56(1): 23-31. Limonium carvalhoi Rossello & L. Saez is described from a single salt marsh locality in southwest Majorca. Morphologically, L. carvalhoi is ciose to L. inexpectans, L. migjornense and L. magallufianum , all Balearic endemics. The new species has an apomictic breeding system and shows a single pollen/stigma combination (B/papillate type). Chromosome number ranges from 2n = 24 to 2n = 26. Based on the occurrence of a long metacentric chromosome in all cells examined, it is suggested that the original chromosome complement …