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Morris, R. V.

Publications and source records attributed to Morris, R. V..

At least 271 records · Page 15
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1992

Mars surface weathering products and spectral analogs: Palagonites and synthetic iron minerals

There are several hypotheses regarding the formation of Martian surface fines. These surface fines are thought to be products of weathering processes occurring on Mars. Four major weathering environments of igneous rocks on Mars have been proposed; (1) impact induced hydrothermal alterations; (2) subpermafrost igneous intrusion; (3) solid-gas surface reactions; and (4) subaerial igneous intrusion over permafrost. Although one or more of these processes may be important on the Martian surface, one factor in common for all these processes is the reaction of solid or molten basalt with water (solid, liquid, or gas). These proposed processes, with the exception of solid-gas surface reactions, are transient processes. The most likely product of transient hydrothermal processes are layer silicates, zeolites, hydrous iron oxides and palagonites. The long-term instability of hydrous clay minerals under present Martian conditions has been predicted; however, the persistence of such minerals due to slow kinetics of dehydration, or entrapment in permafrost, where the activity of water is high, can not be excluded. Anhydrous oxides of iron (e.g., hematite and maghemite) are thought to be stable under present Martian surface conditions. Oxidative weathering of sulfide minerals associated with Martian basalts has been proposed. Weathering of sulfide minerals leads to a potentially acidic permafrost and the formation of Fe(3) oxides and sulfates. Weathering of basalts under acidic conditions may lead to the formation of kaolinite through metastable halloysite and metahalloysite. Kaolinite, if present, is thought to be a thermodynamically stable phase at the Martian surface. Fine materials on Mars are important in that they influence the surface spectral properties; these fines are globally distributed on Mars by the dust storms and this fraction will have the highest surface area which should act as a sink for most of the absorbed volatiles near the surface of Mars. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to: (1) examine the fine fraction mineralogy of several palagonitic materials from Hawaii; and (2) compare spectral properties of palagonites and submicron sized synthetic iron oxides with the spectral properties of the Martian surface.

Golden, D. C.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Moessbauer Spectroscopy for Lunar Resource Assessment: Measurement of Mineralogy and Soil Maturity

First-order assessment of lunar soil as a resource includes measurement of its mineralogy and maturity. Soils in which the mineral ilmenite is present in high concentrations are desirable feedstock for the production of oxygen at a lunar base. The maturity of lunar soils is a measure of their relative residence time in the upper 1 mm of the lunar surface. Increasing maturity implies increasing load of solar wind species (e.g., N, H, and He-3), decreasing mean grain size, and increasing glass content. All these physicochemical properties that vary in a regular way with maturity are important parameters for assessing lunar soil as a resource. For example, He-3 can be extracted and potentially used for nuclear fusion. A commonly used index for lunar soil maturity is I(sub s)/FeO, which is the concentration of fine-grained metal determined by ferromagnetic resonance (I(sub s)) normalized to the total iron content (as FeO). I(sub s)/FeO has been measured for virtually every soil returned by the Apollo and Luna missions to the Moon. Because the technique is sensitive to both oxidation state and mineralogy, iron Moessbauer spectroscopy (FeMS) is a viable technique for in situ lunar resource assessment. Its utility for mineralogy is apparent from examination of published FeMS data for lunar samples. From the data published, it can be inferred that FeMS data can also be used to determine soil maturity. The use of FeMS to determine mineralogy and maturity and progress on development of a FeMS instrument for lunar surface use are discussed.

Morris, R. V.↗
NASA NTRS1992

A Backscatter Moessbauer Spectrometer (BaMS) for use on Mars

The use of Moessbauer spectroscopy for in situ analysis on the surface of Mars was proposed and the design and implementation of a backscatter Moessbauer spectrometer (BaMS) instrument suitable for planetary missions to the surfaces of Mars (MESUR), the Moon (Artemis and lunar outpost), asteroids, or other solid solar system objects is discussed. The BaMS instrument is designed to be capable of analysis of a sample for the mineralogy of its iron-bearing phases without any sample preparation. A requirement of lander missions to Mars is instrumentation for in situ mineralogical analyses. Such analyses provide data needed for primary characterization as to the type of surface materials present and by inference the processes that formed and subsequently modified them. For purposes of providing diagnostic information about naturally occurring materials, the element iron is particularly important because it is abundant and multivalent (primarily 0, +2, and +3 oxidation states). Knowledge of the oxidation state of iron and its distribution among iron-bearing mineralogies tightly constrains the types of materials present. The pivotal role of iron was already recognized in 1978 by COMPLEX, who recommended development of flight instruments that would identify mineralogy and the oxidation state of iron in planetary surface materials. The near-term U.S. strategy for the exploration of Mars is the MESUR (Mars Environmental SURvey) program, which entails emplacement of a network of small, long-lived surface landers. For the Moon, BaMS was recommended as part of a three-instrument landed payload for the Artemis missions, targeted for 1997. BaMS would prospect for ilmenite, an oxygen resource material, and provide data to assess the maturity of lunar soil. Because instrumental characteristics are low mass, low volume, and low power consumption, BaMS is suitable for implementation on even small landers and rovers, as are being envisioned in MESUR and Artemis concepts. In addition to providing highly diagnostic data, a BaMS analyzer is inherently simple and, as is highly desirable for remote operation, no sample preparation is required.

Agresti, D. G.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Combined Backscatter Moessbauer Spectrometer and X Ray Fluorescence analyzer (BaMS/XRF) for planetary surface materials

A backscatter Moessbauer spectrometer (BaMS) with included x ray fluorescence (XRF) capability for the Mars Environment Survey (MESUR) Mission, which has been proposed by NASA for 1998, is being developed. The instrument will also be suitable for other planetary missions such as those to the Moon, asteroids, and other solid solar-system objects. The BaMS would be unique for MESUR in providing information about iron mineralogy in rocks, clays, and other surface materials, including relative proportions of iron-bearing minerals. It requires no sample preparation and can identify all the normal oxidation states of iron (3+, 2+, 0). Thus, BaMS is diagnostic for weathering and other soil-forming processes. Backscatter design allows the addition of XRF elemental analysis with little or no modification. The BaMS/XRF instrument complements the thermal analyzer with evolved gas analyzer (TA-EGA) and the alpha-proton x-ray spectrometer (APXS) proposed (along with BaMS) for geochemical analysis on MESUR.

Agresti, D. G.↗
NASA NTRS1991

UV, visible, and near-IR reflectivity data for magnetic soils/rocks from Brazil

The objective is to obtain UV, visible, and near-IR reflectivity spectra for several magnetic Brazilian soils/rocks and compare them to corresponding data for Mars to see if these materials satisfy both magnetic and spectral constraints for Mars. Selected physical properties of the magnetic Brazilian soils/rocks are presented. In general, the spectral features resulting from ferric crystal-field transitions are much better defined in the spectra of the magnetic Brazilian soils/rocks than in Martian spectral data. Presumably, this results from a relatively higher proportion of crystalline ferric oxides for the former. The apparent masking of the spectral signature of maghemite by hematite or goethite for the Brazilian samples implies the magnetic and spectral constraints for Mars can be decoupled. That is, maghemite may be present in magnetically-significant but optically-insignificant amounts compared to crystalline hematite.

Vempati, R. K.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Synthesis and properties of Ti-substituted goethites and hematites

The objective was to synthesize Ti-substituted goethites and hematites and to characterize them using x-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, coulimetry, optical and Mossbauer spectroscopies, and magnetic data in order to determine the evidence of Ti substitution for Martian spectral data. Evidence is provided that up to 4 mole percent can be incorporated into the goethite structure during the low temperature synthesis. Because the spectral data in the visible and near-IR are not sensitive to the degree of Ti-substitution in goethites and hematites, such data cannot be used to infer the presence or absence of Ti substitution in Martian hematites and goethites.

Vempati, R. K.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Apollo 15 regolith breccias - Window to a KREEP regolith

The characteristics of 28 regolith breccias returned from the Apollo 15 site have been compared with those of Apollo 15 soils, Apollo 15 rock types, and Apollo 16 regolith breccias. The results suggest that KREEP basalts are not exotic to the site, and that the site is underlain by KREEP basalts which were converted to a KREEP-rich regolith full of small KREEP basalt fragments and KREEP composition glass. A possible implication of the present model is that agglutinate production was not significant in the time interval from 3.9-3.3 Gy.

Mckay, D. S.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Maturity and geochemistry of the Van Serg core (79001/2) with implications for micrometeorite composition

The soil maturity and the concentration of Fe metal and 18 major and trace elements were determined along the length of the 79001/2 double drive tube collected near the Van Serg crater at the Apollo 17 station 9. Samples from the top 8.5 cm of the core are found to be very mature and to be enriched in Fe metal and siderophile elements compared to soil lower in the core. It is suggested that this enrichment may have resulted from a significant exposure at some time in the past. A soil component of metallic Fe may be related to micrometeorite impact.

Morris, R. V.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Apollo 16 regolith breccias - Characterization and evidence for early formation in mega-regolith

The Apollo 16 regolith breccias were characterized in terms of petrography, grain-size distribution, porosity, major and trace element composition, noble gas contents, and ferromagnetic resonance properties. Significant variation was found with respect to density and porosity; the more dense breccias displayed substantial shock damage. The breccias resembled the soils in grain-size distribution and in petrological components, though many were found to be compositionally different from the Apollo 16 soils in that a mafic component was lacking. Nearly all breccias showed evidence of irradiation at the lunar surface, and analyses of disaggregated breccias indicated that this irradiation occurred before compaction. The concentration of surface irradiation parameters were far less than those of lunar soils or breccias of other Apollo missions. Observations with respect to the argon isotope ratio and Xe presence have led to the possibility that breccia-surface irradiation occurred as early as four billion years ago, and that most Apollo 16 regolith breccias were not formed from any known Apollo 16 soil.

Mckay, D. S.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Requirements Analysis for Information-Intensive Systems

Report discusses role of requirements analysis in development of information-intensive systems. System examined from variety of human viewpoints during design, development, and implementation. Such examination, called requirements analysis, ensures system simultaneously meets number of distinct but interacting needs. Viewpoints defined and integrated to help attain objectives.

Callender, E. D.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Spectral and other physicochemical properties of submicron powders of hematite (alpha-Fe2O3), maghemite (gamma-Fe2O3), magnetite (Fe3O4), goethite (alpha-FeOOH), and lepidocrocite (gamma-FeOOH)

The spectral properties (0.35-2.20 microns) of submicron powders of hematite, maghemite, magnetite, goethite, and lepidocrocite are determined. Other physicochemical data are obtained for the powders in order to determine if deviations from stoichiometry occur due to their small particle size, to determine their state of chemical and phase purity, and to determine the physical characteristics of the individual powders. The physicochemical data obtained include mean particle diameter, discrete particle shape, chemical composition, crystallographic phase, magnetic parameters, and Moessbauer parameters. The positions of the spectral features for the hematite, maghemite, and magnetite powders are independent of temperature over the interval between about +20 and -110 C. For the goethite and lepidocrocite powders, a small shift of about 0.02 micron to shorter wavelengths is observed for some of the features after cooling to about -110 C. The spectral properties of the iron oxides and oxyhydroxides are important not only for understanding the basic physics and chemistry of the compounds but also for applications such as the remote sensing of the earth and Mars.

Morris, R. V.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Techni-kits and Techni-kit Building Systems

Techni-kits consists of theories, methods, standards and computer based tools that assist in design of information-intensive systems. Techni-kit "building system" is techni-kit that builds techni-kits.

Callender, E. D.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Stratigraphy and geochemistry of the Stone mountain core (64001/2)

Ferromagnetic resonance and magnetic data measured on both sections of the double drive tube cord 64001/2 collected on Stone mountain, station four, Apollo 16 are reported, along with instrumental neutron activation analysis data measured on the lower section. These data provide insight into the depositional and irradiational history and the geochemical provenances of the core.

Korotev, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Ferromagnetic resonance and magnetic properties of ALHA 81005

Seven chips of primarily matrix material from the Antarctic meteorite ALHA 81005 were analyzed by ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) and magnetic hysteresis techniques. The FMR spectra of two chips have a resonance at g of about 2.1 that resembles the g of about 2.1 resonance that is characteristic of lunar soils. Thus the FMR spectra are consistent with the lunar regolith being a progenitor for the matrix material. For the two chips, the FMR surface exposure (maturity) index was about 5 units, which is equivalent to a value for an immature lunar soil. The total concentration of metallic iron is on the order of 0.11 equivalent wt. pct, which is within the observed range for Apollo 16 rocks and soils.

Morris, R. V.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Effect of aluminum substitution on the reflectance spectra of hematite

Hematite and aluminous hematite were synthesized and the diffuse reflectance spectra were recorded for the region between 0.35 and 1.20 microns. Results show that the near-IR based minimum for the aluminous hematite is shifted longward by about 0.02 microns and is much more shallow. Also, the aluminous specimen is considerably more reflective shortward of approximately 0.55 microns where the ferritic specimen is strongly absorbing. This is noteworthy since the visible slope and the red shoulder are often used in the construction of false color and band ratio images.

Morris, R. V.↗
NASA NTRS1982

On the location of acid-hydrolysable carbon in lunar soil fines

Soil fines exposed on the lunar surface accumulate small metallic iron particles and solar wind-derived carbon. In previous work, it has been suggested that an intimate association exists between one particular carbon phase, hydrolysable carbon, and very fine iron droplets, where the carbon is in solid solution in the iron. The earlier hypothesis of a constant carbon in iron concentration across a broad range of droplet sizes is testable by combining hydrolysable carbon determinations with a variety of magnetic measurements sensitive to different droplet diameters. New measurements of ferromagnetic resonance response on density and magnetic separates from size fractions of soil 12023 are interpreted as evidence that hydrolysable carbon is preferentially associated with the larger, magnetically stable single-domain iron particles rather than with the smaller superparamagnetic droplets. For the former, there is a quite uniform ratio of iron to carbon both within a series of separates from a single soil, and among soils of widely varying FeO content.

Fallick, A. E.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Application of Kubelka-Munk theory of diffuse reflectance to geologic problems - The role of scattering

An understanding of the reflectance spectra of scattering media is vital for the appropriate interpretation of the reflectance spectra of planetary surfaces. When the absorption coefficient (k) and the mean size of the scattering centers are small, the Kubelka-Munk (K-M) theory of diffuse reflectance is valid. Since small values of k are characteristic of a wide variety of geologically important materials over a significant range of wavelength, the K-M theory should be applicable to appropriate portions of the reflectance spectra of these media if the dimensions of the scattering centers are sufficiently small. To test the utility of the K-M theory, a comparison is conducted of a set of theoretically generated spectra with a set of independently measured experimental spectra. The similarities found in the behavior of the two sets of spectra demonstrate the applicability of the K-M theory to the understanding of physical phenomena. Aspects of wavelength-dependent scattering are investigated.

Morris, R. V.↗