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Jurewicz, A. J. G.

Publications and source records attributed to Jurewicz, A. J. G..

At least 19 records

TEM Characterization of Solar Wind Effects on Genesis Mission Silicon Collectors

The Genesis Discovery Mission passively allowed solar wind (SW) to implant into substrates during exposure times up to ~853 days from 2001 to 2004. The spacecraft then returned the SW to Earth for analysis. Substrates included semiconductor wafers (silicon, sapphire, and germanium), as well as a number of thin films supported by either silicon or sapphire wafers. During flight, subsets of the SW collectors were exposed to one of 4 SW regimes: bulk solar wind, coronal hole solar wind (CH, high speed), interstream solar wind (IS, low speed) or coronal mass ejections (CMEs). Each SW regime had a different composition and range of ion speeds and, during their collection, uniquely changed their host SW collector. This study focuses on bulk vs IS SW effects on CZ silicon.

Allums, K. K.↗

Three Proposed Compendia for Genesis Solar Wind Samples: Science Results, Collector Materials Characterization and Cleaning Techniques

Final Paper and not the abstract is attached. Introduction: Planetary material and cosmochemistry research using Genesis solar wind samples (including the development and implementation of cleaning and analytical techniques) has matured sufficiently that compilations on several topics, if made publically accessible, would be beneficial for researchers and reviewers. We propose here three compendia based on content, organization and source of documents (e.g. published peer-reviewed, published, internal memos, archives). For planning purposes, suggestions are solicited from potential users of Genesis solar wind samples for the type of science content and/or organizational style that would be most useful to them. These compendia are proposed as living documents, periodically updated. Similar to the existing compendia described below, the curation compendia are like library or archival finding aids, they are guides to published or archival documents and should not be cited as primary sources.

Allton, J. H.↗

Development of Chemical and Mechanical Cleaning Procedures for Genesis Solar Wind Samples

The Genesis mission was the only mission returning pristine solar material to Earth since the Apollo program. Unfortunately, the return of the spacecraft on September 8, 2004 resulted in a crash landing shattering the solar wind collectors into smaller fragments and exposing them to desert soil and other debris. Thorough surface cleaning is required for almost all fragments to allow for subsequent analysis of solar wind material embedded within. However, each collector fragment calls for an individual cleaning approach, as contamination not only varies by collector material but also by sample itself.

Schmeling, M.↗

Catastrophic Impact of Silicon on Silicon: Unraveling the Genesis Impact Using Sample 61881

The Genesis mission collected solar wind and brought it back to Earth in order to provide precise knowledge of solar isotopic and elemental compositions. The ions in the solar wind were stopped in the collectors at depths on the order of 10 to a few hundred nanometers. This shallow implantation layer is critical for scientific analysis of the composition of the solar wind and must be preserved throughout sample handling, cleaning, processing, distribution, preparation and analysis. The current work is motivated by the need to understand the interaction of the Genesis payload with contamination during the crash in the Utah desert. Silicon contamination has been found to be notoriously difficult to remove from silicon samples despite multiple cleanings with multiple techniques. However, the question has been posed, "Does the silicon really need to be removed for large area analyses?." If the recalcitrant silicon contamination is all pure silicon from fractured collectors, only a very tiny fraction of that bulk material will contain solar wind, which could skew the analyses. This could be complicated if the silicon trapped other materials and/or gases as it impacted the surface.

Kuhlman, K. R.↗

Genesis Solar Wind Sample 61422: Experiment in Variation of Sequence of Cleaning Solvent for Removing Carbon-Bearing Contamination

The recovered Genesis collector fragments are heavily contaminated with crash-derived particulate debris. However, megasonic treatment with ultra-pure-water (UPW; resistivity (is) greater than18 meg-ohm-cm) removes essentially all particulate contamination greater than 5 microns in size [e.g.1] and is thus of considerable importance. Optical imaging of Si sample 60336 revealed the presence of a large C-rich particle after UPW treatment that was not present prior to UPW. Such handling contamination is occasionally observed, but such contaminants are normally easily removed by UPW cleaning. The 60336 particle was exceptional in that, surprisingly, it was not removed by additional UPW or by hot xylene or by aqua regia treatment. It was eventually removed by treatment with NH3-H2O2. Our best interpretation of the origin of the 60336 particle was that it was adhesive from the Post-It notes used to stabilize samples for transport from Utah after the hard landing. It is possible that the insoluble nature of the 60336 particle comes from interaction of the Post-It adhesive with UPW. An occasional bit of Post-It adhesive is not a major concern, but C particulate contamination also occurs from the heat shield of the Sample Return Capsule (SRC) and this is mixed with inorganic contamination from the SRC and the Utah landing site. If UPW exposure also produced an insoluble residue from SRC C, this would be a major problem in chemical treatments to produce clean surfaces for analysis. This paper reports experiments to test whether particulate contamination was removed more easily if UPW treatment was not used.

Allton, J. H.↗

Status of Genesis Mo-Pt Foils

A total of 8,000 sq cm of Mo-coated Pt foils were exposed to solar wind for 884 days by the Genesis mission. Solar wind ions were captured in the surface of the Mo. Our objective is the measurement of long-lived radionuclides, such as Be-10, Al-26, Cl-36, and Mn-53, and short-lived radionuclides, such as Na-22 and Mn-54, in the captured sample of solar wind. The expected flux of these nuclides in the solar wind is 100 atom/sq cm yr or less. The hard landing of the SRC (Sample Return Capsule) at UTTR (Utah Test and Training Range) has resulted in contaminated and crumpled foils. Here we present a status report and revised plan for processing the foils.

Nishiizumi, K.↗

Devolatilized-Allende Partial Melts as an Analog for Primitive Angrite Magmas

We have shown that partial melts of devolatilized Allende chondrite (CV3) have bulk compositions generally similar to those of angrites. Here we show that the recently described D'Orbigny and Sahara 99555 angrites are virtually identical in major-element composition to specific Allende experimental melts from. This observation has petrogenetic significance for the origins of the angrite clan.

Jurewicz, A. J. G.↗

Fiducial Marks for Location of Particles in Aerogel

If an extraterrestrial sample is captured in aerogel as a collection of particles, it is important to be able to consistently locate individual grains when changing instruments or laboratories. We report on a feasibility study for applying fiducial marks to aerogel nondestructively so that the marks can eventually be used with optical, X-ray or other (manual or automated) location techniques.

Jurewicz, A. J. G.↗

Locating Stardust-like Particles in Aerogel Using X-Ray Techniques

Silica aerogel is the material that the spacecraft STARDUST is using to collect interstellar and cometary silicates. Anticipating the return of the samples to earth in January of 2006, MANY individual investigators and, especially, the investigators in NASA's SRLIDAP program are studying means of both in situ analysis of particles, as well as particle extraction. To help individual PI's with extraction of particles from aerogel in their own laboratories, we are exploring the use of standard laboratory x-ray equipment and commercial techniques for precisely locating specific particles in aerogel. We approached the evaluation of commercial x-ray techniques as follows. First, we determined the most appropriate detector for use with aerogel and particulates. Then, we compared and contrasted techniques useful for university laboratories.

Jurewicz, A. J. G.↗

Scientific Benefit of a Mars Dust Sample Capture and Earth Return with SCIM

The Sample Collection for Investigation of Mars (SCIM) mission, presently a finalist for flight as a Mars Scout, proposes to return martian atmospheric dust to Earth for mineralogical, chemical, isotopic, and other studies. The returned sample will consist of least 1000 martian dust particles =10 m in diameter plus millions of smaller particles. Here we discuss the science gained from analyzing such a sample in terrestrial laboratories. An accompanying abstract discusses the SCIM atmosphere sample return science.

Leshin, L. A.↗

Genesis Solar-Wind Sample Return Mission: The Materials

The Genesis spacecraft has two primary instruments which passively collect solar wind. The first is the collector arrays , a set of panels, each of which can deploy separately to sample the different kinds of solar wind (regimes). The second is the concentrator, an electrostatic mirror which will concentrate ions of mass 4 through mass 25 by about a factor of 20 by focusing them onto a 6 cm diameter target. When not deployed, these instruments fit into a compact canister. After a two year exposure time, the deployed instruments can be folded up, sealed into the canister, and returned to earth for laboratory analysis. Both the collector arrays and the concentrator will contain suites of ultra-high purity target materials, each of which is tailored to enable the analysis of a different family of elements. This abstract is meant to give a brief overview of the Genesis mission, insight into what materials were chosen for flight and why, as well as head s up information as to what will be available to planetary scientist for analysis when the solar-wind samples return to Earth in 2003. Earth. The elemental and isotopic abundances of the solar wind will be analyzed in state-of-the-art laboratories, and a portion of the sample will be archived for the use of future generations of planetary scientists. Technical information about the mission can be found at www.gps.caltech.edu/genesis.

Jurewicz, A. J. G.↗

Investigating the Use of Aerogel Collectors for the SCIM Martian-Dust Sample Return

SCIM (sample collection for the investigation of Mars) proposes to return Martian dust and atmospheric samples to Earth. The collection will occur during a high-speed pass of Mars. We discuss the engineering challenges that the Martian atmosphere imposes on this type of experiment, and how we are proceeding to meet them. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Jurewicz, A. J. G.↗

Mars Sample Return without Landing on the Surface

Many in the science community want a Mars sample return in the near future, with the expectation that it will provide in-depth information, significantly beyond what we know from remote sensing, limited in-situ measurements, and work with Martian meteorites. Certainly, return of samples from the Moon resulted in major advances in our understanding of both the geologic history of our planetary satellite, and its relationship to Earth. Similar scientific insights would be expected from analyses of samples returned from Mars. Unfortunately, Mars-lander sample-return missions have been delayed, for the reason that NASA needs more time to review the complexities and risks associated with that type of mission. A traditional sample return entails a complex transfer-chain, including landing, collection, launch, rendezvous, and the return to Earth, as well as an evaluation of potential biological hazards involved with bringing pristine Martian organics to Earth. There are, however, means of returning scientifically-rich samples from Mars without landing on the surface. This paper discusses an approach for returning intact samples of surface dust, based on known instrument technology, without using an actual Martian lander.

Jurewicz, A. J. G.↗

Genesis Solar-Wind Sample Return Mission: The Materials

This abstract is a brief overview of the Genesis mission. Included is an instrument description, what materials were chosen for capturing solar wind and why, and information as to what will be available for analysis when the samples return to Earth in 2003.

Jurewicz, A. J. G.↗