Publications
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Geomorphological evidence of near-surface ice at candidate landing sites in northern Amazonis Planitia, Mars
This work presents geomorphological analyses of an area at the boundary between Arcadia Planitia and northern Amazonis Planitia, situated in the northern mid-latitudes of Mars. Recent studies have indicated the presence of substantial volumes of near-surface excess ice in Arcadia Planitia, making this region a promising candidate for future human and robotic exploration. This study...
Authors
Erica Luzzi, Jennifer L. Heldmann, Kaj E. Williams, Giacomo Nodjoumi, Ariel Deutsch, Alexander Sehlke
U.S. Geological Survey 2024 Rocky Mountain Region Science Exchange—Showcasing cutting-edge science to adapt to extreme weather events and stakeholder needs
IntroductionThe Rocky Mountains and the Colorado River Basin in the Western United States are complex, interconnected systems that sustain a large variety of species, including tens of millions of humans. These regions face risks from drought, wildfires, invasive plant and animal species, and habitat reduction. Working with many stakeholders, scientists can help to characterize these...
Authors
William J. Andrews, Timothy N. Titus, Lauren Ellissa Eng, Kristine L. Zellman, Patrick J. Anderson, Jeremy C Havens
From hydrated silica to quartz: Potential hydrothermal precipitates found in Jezero crater, Mars
On Earth, silica-rich phases from opal to quartz are important indicators and tracers of geological processes. Hydrated silica, such as opal, is a particularly good matrix for the preservation of molecular and macroscopic biosignatures. Cherts, a type of silica-dominated rocks, provide a unique archive of ancient terrestrial life while quartz is the emblematic mineral of the Earth's...
Authors
P.S.A. Beck, Olivier Beyssac, Erwin Dehouck, S. Bernard, M. Pineau, Lucia Mandon, C. Royer, Elise Clave, S. Schroder, O. Forni, R. Francis, N. Mangold, C.C. Bedford, A.P. Broz, E.A. Cloutis, J.R. Johnson, F. Poulet, Thierry Fouchet, Cathy Quantin-Nataf, C. Pilorget, William Rapin, P.-Y. Meslin, Travis S.J. Gabriel, Gorka Arana, J.M. Madariaga, A. J. Brown, S. Maurice, S. M. Clegg, Olivier Gasnault, Agnès Cousin, R.C. Wiens, The SuperCam Team
Characterizing Meteor Crater impact melts through geochemistry and textural analysis
The U.S. Geological Survey Astrogeology Science Center houses the Meteor Crater sample collection, an assemblage of over 2,500 meters of cuttings from 161 drill holes into Meteor Crater’s rim, flanks, and ejecta blanket. We have utilized this unique collection to study the composition and spatial distribution of impact-generated materials from within the ejecta blanket. Meteor Crater has...
Authors
Amber L. Gullikson, Tenielle A. Gaither, Justin J. Hagerty
Pediment formation and subsequent erosion in Gale crater: Clues to the climate history of Mars
Evidence of paleo-rivers, fans, deltas, lakes, and channel networks across Mars has prompted much debate about what climate conditions would permit the formation of these surface water derived features. Pediments, gently sloping erosional surfaces of low relief developed in bedrock, have also been identified on Mars. On Earth, these erosional landforms, often thought to be created by...
Authors
A.B. Bryk, W.E. Dietrich, Kristen A. Bennett, V.K. Fox, C.M. Fedo, MP Lamb, E.S. Kite, L.M. Thompson, S.G. Banham, J. Schieber, J.A. Grant, A.R. Vasavada, A.A. Fraeman, Lauren A. Edgar, P. J. Gasda, R.C. Wiens, JP Grotzinger, K. Stack-Morgan, Raymond E. Arvidson, Olivier Gasnault, S. Le Mouelic, S. Gupta, R.M.E. Williams, R.Y. Sheppard, K.W. Lewis, D.M. Rubin, William Rapin, M.N. Hughes, M. Turner, S.A. Wilson, J.M. Davis, R.E. Kronyak, L. Le Deit, L.C. Kah, Jens Frydenvang, R.J. Sullivan, C.C. Bedford, Erwin Dehouck, H.E. Newsom, M.C. Malin
No magmatic driving force for Europan sea-floor volcanism
The internal ocean of Jupiter’s moon Europa is thought to be a prime candidate for hosting extraterrestrial life. Europa’s silicate interior may contribute to habitability via the generation of reactants through hydrothermal activity, serpentinization, or other geological processes occurring on or just below Europa’s seafloor. However, silicate melting is thought to occur at >100 km...
Authors
A.P. Green, Catherine Elder, Michael Thomas Bland, Paul Tackley, Paul K. Byrne
Ageing of organic materials at the surface of Mars: A Raman study aboard Perseverance
The Perseverance rover is exploring Jezero crater on Mars, one of its goals being to collect samples to be returned to Earth to search for organic remains of ancient Martian life. However, the organic content of these rocks has likely suffered from the radiation environment on the surface of Mars to an extent yet to be quantified. For the first time, a 1000 sols long ageing experiment...
Authors
S. Bernard, Olivier Beyssac, J.A. Manrique, G. Lopez Reyes, A. Ollila, S. Le Mouelic, P.S.A. Beck, Paolo Pilleri, O. Forni, S. Julve-Gonzales, M. Veneranda, I. Reyes Rodriguez, J.M. Madariaga Mota, J. Aramenda, K. Castro, Elise Clave, C. Royer, T. Fornaro, B. Bousquet, S.K. Sharma, J.R. Johnson, E. Cloutis, Travis S.J. Gabriel, P.Y. Meslin, Olivier Gasnault, Agnès Cousin, R.C. Wiens, S. Maurice
Lunar grid systems, coordinate systems, and map projections for the Artemis missions and lunar surface navigation
ForewardThis document contains design specifications of a navigational standard for the Moon, including a Lunar Transverse Mercator system, a Lunar Polar Stereographic system, a Lunar Grid Reference System, and a unique coordinate structure, Artemis Condensed Coordinates, for Artemis mission navigation and lunar surface science.The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)...
Authors
Mark T McClernan, Michael L. Dennis, Ike H. Theriot, Trent M. Hare, Brent A. Archinal, Lillian R. Ostrach, Marc A. Hunter, Matthew J. Miller, Ross A. Beyer, Andrew M. Annex, Samuel J. Lawrence
Crater detection dependence on resolution, incidence angle, emission angle, and phase angle
Impact crater population detection and measurement is critical to understanding solar system bodies and dynamics. However, the ability to detect all possible craters under different lighting and camera geometries has not been systematically studied except in a few limited cases. This work presents the first systematic study examining crater detection based on resolution, incidence angle...
Authors
Stuart J. Robbins, Michelle R. Kirchoff, Lillian R. Ostrach
Refined mapping of subsurface water ice on Mars to support future missions
Mars has an extensive yet poorly understood cryosphere. Nevertheless, both direct and indirect evidence indicates extensive buried ice across the midlatitudes, including locations where it is presently unstable. While much progress has been made in exploring the processes responsible for ice deposition and preservation during recent climatic fluctuations, a global assessment of the...
Authors
Gareth A. Morgan, Nathaniel E. Putzig, David W. Baker, Asmin E. Pathare, Colin M. Dundas, Megan Russell, Matthew Perry, Matthew Chojnacki, Hanna G. Sizemore, Ali M. Bramson, Eric I. Petersen, Stefano Nerozzi, Rachel H. Hoover, Zachary M. Bain
Wave ripples formed in ancient, ice-free lakes in Gale crater, Mars
Symmetrical wave ripples identified with NASA’s Curiosity rover in ancient lake deposits at Gale crater provide a key paleoclimate constraint for early Mars: At the time of ripple formation, climate conditions must have supported ice-free liquid water on the surface of Mars. These features are the most definitive examples of wave ripples on another planet. The ripples occur in two...
Authors
C.A. Mondro, C.M. Fedo, JP Grotzinger, Michael P. Lamb, S. Gupta, W.E. Dietrich, S.G. Banham, C.M. Weitz, P. Gasda, Lauren A. Edgar, D. M. Rubin, A.B. Bryk, E.S. Kite, Gwenael Caravaca, J. Schieber, A.R. Vasavada
Thicknesses of lava flows in satellite images: Comparison of layered mare units with terrestrial analogs
Recent advances in satellite imaging technology have greatly improved our observations of planetary surfaces. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) records images with resolutions on average of 0.5 m per pixel, resolving meter scale features on the surface of the Moon. NAC images have revealed layered deposits, interpreted to be sequences of mare basalt flows...
Authors
M. Elise Rumpf, Heidi Needham, Sarah A. Fagents