Search results for "Regolith"

Disambiguating the soils of Mars

2020

Abstract Anticipated human missions to Mars require a methodical understanding of the unconsolidated bulk sediment that mantles its surface, given its role as an accessible resource for water and as a probable substrate for food production. However, classifying martian sediment as soil has been pursued in an ad hoc fashion, despite emerging evidence from in situ missions for current and paleo-pedological processes. Here we find that in situ sediment at Gusev, Meridiani and Gale are consistent with pedogenesis related to comminuted basalts mixing with older phyllosilicates – perhaps of pluvial origin – and sulfates. Furthermore, a notable presence of hydrated amorphous phases indicates signi…

Philae's first days on the comet

2015

On 12 November 2014, Philae landed on the surface of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (67P), making an almost 30-year dream a reality. The pioneering flybys of 1P/Halley in 1986 revealed that despite being made primarily of ice, it was covered in highly absorbing carbonrich molecules. What is their composition? When did they form, and through which chemical routes? Might they have constituted prebiotic molecules necessary for life? At a larger scale, what can one learn from comets that has relevance to the evolution of the solar system and planets? ![Figure][1] 12 NOVEMBER 2014: PHILAE LANDED ON THE NUCLEUS OF COMET 67P CREDIT: ESA/ROSETTA/MPS FOR OSIRIS TEAM MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/SSO/INTA/UPM/DAS…

Sulfate deposition in subsurface regolith in Gusev crater, Mars

2006

Excavating into the shallow Martian subsurface has the potential to expose stratigraphic layers and mature regolith, which may hold a record of more ancient aqueous interactions than those expected under current Martian surface conditions. During the Spirit rover's exploration of Gusev crater, rover wheels were used to dig three trenches into the subsurface regolith down to 6-11 cm depth: Road Cut, the Big Hole, and The Boroughs. A high oxidation state of Fe and high concentrations of Mg, S, Cl, and Br were found in the subsurface regolith within the two trenches on the plains, between the Bonneville crater and the foot of Columbia Hills. Data analyses on the basis of geochemistry and miner…

Do soils exist outside Earth?

2010

Abstract On Earth, soils form thanks to the combined action of at least five factors: parent rock, climate, topography, biota, and time. However, the necessity of biota as unavoidable soil forming factor is debated, as important parts of our planet experiencing extreme climates host virtually life-free soils with advanced horizonation. Now that space exploration has greatly expanded our understanding of the Solar System, providing consistent evidences that the loose, unconsolidated "skin" of some nearby rocky bodies is lifeless, it is time to establish if the latter can be considered to be soil in a pedological sense. Our feeling is that, since the concept of soil chiefly bases on the occur…

Investigation of surface properties of lunar regolith: Part I

2007

This paper describes an initial investigation of the surface properties of three lunar soil samples from the Apollo 11, 12 and 16 missions, respectively. We report on density measurements using a helium pycnometer, adsorption isotherms of krypton applied for the determination of specific surface area of the samples and gravimetric measurement of the isotherms of water, heptane and octane. Electron-microscopic photographs are described and discussed.

Investigation of surface properties of lunar regolith - Part IV

2008

Water alteration of rocks and soils on Mars at the Spirit rover site in Gusev crater

2005

The cover shows part of the Larry's Lookout panorama, seen from the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Spirit during its drive up Husband Hill: the summit is about 200 metres from the rover. Six papers this week report in detail on the MER mission. An Analysis compares predictions used to select a landing site with the conditions actually encountered. This ‘ground truth’ will be invaluable for interpreting future remote-sensing data. Surface chemistry suggests that the upper layer of soil may contain 1% meteoritic material. MER provides a unique glimpse of solar transits of the moons Phobos and Deimos. Rover Opportunity examined wind-related processes, and spectroscopy indicates a dry origin for …

Mapping fumarolic fields in volcanic areas: A methodological approach based on the case study of La Fossa cone, Vulcano island (Italy)

2016

Abstract Changes in the activity state of a volcano can be inferred by monitoring the steam flux from fumarolic fields, in terms of 4D (x, y, z, time) variations in temperature and extension of the zone. During the last decades, several studies in this field have been conducted worldwide, and at Vulcano island (Italy) in particular. Both direct and remotely sensed measurements have been used for identifying thermally anomalous areas, but the possible role of the hydrothermal alteration of volcanic products, producing a sealing effect that obscures the surface thermal evidence of fumarolic activity, have never been explored. The novelty of the present study, carried out at La Fossa cone (Vul…

La reserva de semillas en una cuenca de "badlands" (Petrer, Alicante)

1992

In order to determine the influence of erosion in the absence of vegetation of badlands slopes, the seed content of the regolith and the seed removal by runoff in five storms were analyzed in an experimental catchment at Petrer (Alicante). Both, seed redistribution and seed loss were detected, but these seem to be insufficient to explain the lack of vegetation. It is hypothesized that besides the erosion process, factors such as pedoclimate, and chemical and physical properties of the regolith should be considered.