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At least 55 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1987

The geology of Pine and Crater Buttes: Two basaltic constructs on the far eastern Snake River Plain

The emplacement history and petrochemical evolution of the volcanics associated with Pine Butte, Crater Butte, and other nearby vents are developed and described. Four major vents were identified in the study area and their associated eruptive products were mapped. All of the vents show a marked physical elongation or linear orientation coincident with the observed rift set. Planetary exploration has revealed the importance of volcanic processes in the genesis and modification of extraterrestrial surfaces. Interpretation of surface features has identified plains-type basaltic volcanism in various mare regions of the Moon and the volcanic provinces of Mars. Identification of these areas with features that appear analogous to those observed in the Pine Butte area suggests similar styles of eruption and mode of emplacement. Such terrestrial analogies serve as a method to interpret the evolution of volcanic planetary surfaces on the inner planets.

Mazierski, Paul F.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Proximal ecological effects of the 1980 eruptions of Mount St. Helens

The diversity of ecosystems and volcanic processes involved in the 1980 eruptions of Mount St. Helens, southwest Washington, provide an excellent setting for examining effects of volcanic events on ecosystems. These eruptions included a lateral blast, debris avalanche, mudflows, pyroclastic flows, and airfall tephra. Affected ecosystems within 30 km of the vent were lakes, streams, upland and riparian forest, and meadows. Ecological disturbances imposed by the Mount St. Helens events were predominantly physical, rather than climatic or chemical which are the dominant classes of disturbances considered in analysis of global catastrophes. Analysis of ecosystem response to disturbance should be based on consideration of composition and structure of the predisturbance system in terms that represent potential survivability of organisms, mechanisms in the primary disturbance, initial survivors, secondary disturbances arising from the primary disturbance and the biological responses to secondary disturbances, invasion of the site by new propagules, interactions among secondary disturbance processes and surviving and invading organisms. Predicting ecosystem response to disturbance is enchanced by considering the mechanisms of disturbance rather than type of disturbance. In the 1980 Mount St. Helens events, the disturbance types, involved primarily the mechanisms of sedimentation, heating, and shear stress. Each disturbance type involved one or more mechanisms. Ecosystem response varied greatly across the landscape. Analysis of ecosystem response to disturbance, regardless of type, should include detailed consideration of the properties of individual species, primary and secondary disturbance mechanisms, and their distributions across landscapes.

Swanson, F. J.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Remote Sensing and Geologic Studies of Mare Australe: The North Australe Region

A key goal of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) mission is to investigate volcanic processes at different temporal and physical scales, with one emphasis being the characterization of ancient (meaning, greater than 3.9 Ga) volcanic units. One such ancient volcanic terrain is Mare Australe, a loosely-circular collection of mare basalts centered at approximately 38.9 deg S, 93 deg E (Fig. 1). Mare Australe is a complex, extensive, and poorly understood volcanic region.

Lawrence, S. J.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Tectonic setting of Martian volcanoes and deep-seated intrusives

More than 50 volcanoes have been mapped on Mars, and recent geologic studies indicate structural evidence of deep seated intrusive bodies. Most volcanoes in the Tharsis region are volcanotectonic features; they have been associated with large scale tectonic and volcanic processes. They occur along complex systems of faults and grabens having a dominant northwest to southwest trend closely coincident with a great circle, which extends along 90 deg of arc from Tempe Patera to probable volcanic mountains near lat. 40 deg S, long. 150 deg. Deep seated intrusive bodies are also concentrated in the Tharsis region and are recognized mostly where faults have been deflected around their cores. The Elysium Mons-Amphitrites Patera volcanic alignment is subparallel to that of Tharsis but is longer, extending through about 120 deg of arc; it transects the dichotomy boundary and is radial to the Hellas basin. Volcanoes in the Tharsis region have the widest age range of all volcanoes on Mars, as determined by the size-frequency distribution of their craters having diameters of 2, 5, and 16 km.

Scott, David H.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Evidence for exclusively inorganic formation of magnetite in Martian meteorite ALH84001

Magnetite crystals produced by terrestrial magnetotactic bacterium MV-1 are elongated on a [111] crystallographic axis, in a so-called truncated hexa-Octahedral shape. This morphology has been proposed to constitute a biomarker (i.e., formed only in biogenic processes). A subpopulation of magnetite crystals associated with carbonate globules in Martian meteorite ALH84001 is reported to have this morphology, and the observation has been taken as evidence for biological activity on Mars. In this study, we present evidence for the exclusively inorganic origin of [111]-elongated magnetite crystals in ALH84001. We report three-dimensional(3-D) morphologies for approx.1000 magnetite crystals extracted from: (1) thermal decomposition products of Fe-rich carbonate produced by inorganic hydrothermal precipitation in laboratory experiments; (2) carbonate globules in Martian meteoriteeALH84001; and (3) cells of magnetotactic bacterial strain MV-1. The 3-D morphologies were derived by fitting 3-D shape models to two-dimensional bright-field transmission-electron microscope (TEAM) images obtained at a series of viewing angles. The view down the {110} axes closest to the [111] elongation axis of magnetite crystals ([111]x{110) not equal to 0) provides a 2-D projection that uniquely discriminates among the three [111]-elongated magnetite morphologies found in these samples: [111]-elongated truncated hexaoctahedron ([111]-THO), [111]-elongated cubo-octahedron ([111]-ECO), and [111]-elongated simple octahedron ([111]-ESO). All [111] -elongated morphologies are present in the three types of sample, but in different proportions. In the ALH84001 Martian meteorite and in our inorganic laboratory products, the most common [111]-elongated magnetite crystal morphology is [111]-ECO. In contrast, the most common morphology for magnetotactic bacterial strain MV-1 is [111]-THO. These results show that: (1) the morphology of [111]-elongated magnetite crystals associated with the carbonate globules in Martian meteorite ALH84001 is replicated by an inorganic process; and (2) the most common crystal morphology for biogenic (MV-1) magnetite is distinctly different from that in both ALH84001 and our inorganic laboratory products. Therefore, [111]-elongated magnetite crystals in ALH84001 do not constitute, as previously claimed, a robust biosignature and, in fact, an exclusively inorganic origin for the magnetite is fully consistent with our results. Furthermore, the inorganic synthesis method, i.e., the thermal decomposition of hydrothermally precipitated Fe-rich carbonate, is a process analogue for formation of the magnetite on Mars. Namely, precipitation of carbonate globules from carbonate-rich hydrothermal solutions followed at some later time by a thermal pulse, perhaps in association with meteoritic impact or volcanic processes on the Martian surface.

Golden, D. C.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Comparison of lunar rocks and meteorites: Implications to histories of the moon and parent meteorite bodies

There are many similarities between lunar samples and stone meteorites. Lunar samples, especially from the highlands, indicate that they have been affected by complex and repeated impact processes. Similar complex and repeated impact processes have also been operative on the achondritic and chondritic meteorites. Similarities between lunar and meteoritic rocks are discussed as follows: (1) Monomict and polymict breccias occur in lunar rocks, as well as in achondritic and chondritic meteorites, having resulted from complex and repeated impact processes; (2) Chondrules are present in lunar meteorites, as well as in a few achondritic and most chondritic meteorites. They apparently crystallized spontaneously from molten highly supercooled droplets which may have formed from impact melts or, perhaps, volcanic processes (as well as from the solar nebula, in the case of meteoritic chondrites); (3) Lithic fragments vary from little modified (relative to the apparent original texture) to partly or completely melted and recrystallized lithic fragments. Their detailed study allows conclusions to be drawn about their parent rock types and their origin, thereby gaining insight into preimpact histories of lunar and meteoritic breccias. There is evidence that cumulate rocks were involved in the early history of both moon and parent meteorite bodies.

Prinz, M.↗
NASA NTRS1975

The geology of Mars - A brief review of some recent results

Some Mariner 9 data on geologic provinces, volcanic processes, geophysical models, Eolian activity, surface water, and atmospheric composition on Mars are presented. Ways in which this data is expected to be augmented by the Viking mission are briefly reviewed. Information given in map form includes permanent ice, layered deposits, etched plains, volcanic constructs (shields, domes, or cones), volcanic plains, moderately cratered plains, cratered plains, hummocky terrain, channel deposit, undivided plains, and grooved terrain.

Mutch, T. A.↗
NASA NTRS1976

The foaming of lavas

Foaming is of great practical and theoretical significance for volcanic processes on the earth, the moon, and perhaps the meteorite parent bodies. The theory of foams agrees with steelmaking experience to indicate that their presence depends on the existence of solutes in the lavas which reduce the surface tension, and are not saturated. These solutes concentrate at the surface, and are called surfactants. The surfactant responsible for the formation of volcanic ash was not identified; it appears to be related to the oxygen partial pressure above the lava. This fact may explain why lunar and meteoritic melts are not observed to foam. Experimental studies are needed to clarify the process.

Okeefe, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Chemistry of Martian Soils from the Mars Exploration Rover APXS Instruments

The martian surface is covered with debris formed by several mechanisms and mobilized by various processes. Volcanism, impact, physical weathering and chemical alteration combine to produce particles of sizes from dust to boulders composed of primary mineral and rock fragments, partially altered primary materials, alteration minerals and shock-modified materials from all of these. Impacts and volcanism produce localized deposits. Winds transport roughly sand-sized material over intermediate distances, while periodic dust storms deposit a global dust layer of the finest fraction. The compositions of clastic sediments can be used to evaluate regional differences in crustal composition and/or weathering processes. Here we examine the growing body of chemical data on soils in Gusev crater and Meridiani Planum returned by the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) instruments on the rovers Spirit (MERA) and Opportunity (MERB), following on earlier results based on smaller data sets [1-4].

Mittlefehldt, D. W.↗
NASA NTRS1984

The 1950 sulfur flow of Mauna Loa: Considerations for Io

Some of the geological relationships observed in the Mauna Loa sulfur flow may apply in considering volcanic processes on Io. Given the presence of sulfur/sulfur compounds in the eruption plumes and on the surface of Io, it is likely that extensive secondary deposits of sulfur exist, some of which may be of fumarolic origin and analogous to the Mauna Loa deposit. Given the likelihood of silicate volcanism of Io based on the inferred material properties of some flows, and the attendant high temperatures for silicate volcanism, it is likely that the secondary surface deposits of sulfur would have been mobilized without being heated to the high viscosity stage. Mobilized sulfur flows on Io may flow long distances as a result of: (1) low viscosities in the melting range; (2) sustained effusion resulting from continued heating source area; (3) continued remobilization within the flow as a consequence of surges from the source; and (4) extension via lava tubes, or similar conduits through which there is little heat loss. Sulfur flows may form a relatively thin veneer over silicate flows and other surface units, given their fluidity and low mobilization temperature. Active splashing and splattering may spread sulfur over a wider area contributing the bright blooms observed in association with some Ionian flows.

Greeley, R.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Impact Crater Deposits in the Martian Highlands

The martian highlands of Noachis Terra (20-30 deg S, 20-50 deg E), Tyrrhena Terra (0-30 deg S, 50- 100 deg E) and Terra Cimmeria (0-60 deg S, 120-170 deg E) preserve long and complex histories of degradation, but the relative effects of such factors as fluvial, eolian, and mass wasting processes have not been well constrained. The effects of this degradation are best observed on large (D greater than 10 km) impact craters that characterize the ancient highlands. Some craters exhibit distinct interior deposits, but precise origins of these deposits are enigmatic; infilling may occur by sedimentary (e.g., fluvial, lacustrine, eolian), mass wasting and (or) volcanic processes.

Mest, S. C.↗
NASA NTRS2012

A Review of Low Frequency Electromagnetic Wave Phenomena Related to Tropospheric-Ionospheric Coupling Mechanisms

Investigation of coupling mechanisms between the troposphere and the ionosphere requires a multidisciplinary approach involving several branches of atmospheric sciences, from meteorology, atmospheric chemistry, and fulminology to aeronomy, plasma physics, and space weather. In this work, we review low frequency electromagnetic wave propagation in the Earth-ionosphere cavity from a troposphere-ionosphere coupling perspective. We discuss electromagnetic wave generation, propagation, and resonance phenomena, considering atmospheric, ionospheric and magnetospheric sources, from lightning and transient luminous events at low altitude to Alfven waves and particle precipitation related to solar and magnetospheric processes. We review in situ ionospheric processes as well as surface and space weather phenomena that drive troposphere-ionosphere dynamics. Effects of aerosols, water vapor distribution, thermodynamic parameters, and cloud charge separation and electrification processes on atmospheric electricity and electromagnetic waves are reviewed. We also briefly revisit ionospheric irregularities such as spread-F and explosive spread-F, sporadic-E, traveling ionospheric disturbances, Trimpi effect, and hiss and plasma turbulence. Regarding the role of the lower boundary of the cavity, we review transient surface phenomena, including seismic activity, earthquakes, volcanic processes and dust electrification. The role of surface and atmospheric gravity waves in ionospheric dynamics is also briefly addressed. We summarize analytical and numerical tools and techniques to model low frequency electromagnetic wave propagation and solving inverse problems and summarize in a final section a few challenging subjects that are important for a better understanding of tropospheric-ionospheric coupling mechanisms.

Simoes, Fernando↗
NASA NTRS1979

Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, 10th, Houston, Tex., March 19-23, 1979, Proceedings. Volume 3 - Planetary interiors and surfaces

The areas covered on the present symposium include geophysical investigations based on laboratory and planetary measurements; impact and volcanic processes; and planetary surface features and processes. The topics discussed include models of an early lunar dynamo, parameterized convection within the moon and the terrestrial planets, the bounds of the heat production rate with the moon, the shock metamorphism of granulated lunar basalt, asymmetric terracing of lunar highland craters, large impact basins on Mercury, impact melting in early lunar history, and evidence for ancient mare volcanism.

Merrill, R. B.↗
NASA NTRS2022

Diffusion in Melts and Magmas

Diffusion results from random motion of particles and entities. Diffusion in melts and magmas is due to thermally excited random motion of atoms, ions, and clusters, and plays a critical role in magmatic and volcanic processes. In melts and magmas, diffusion is one of the two mechanisms of mass transfer; the other being bulk flow (referred to as convection or advection). When both are present, diffusion refers to the dispersive motion relative to the mean bulk flow in a given reference frame (Richter et al. 1998). Diffusion plays critical roles in controlling magma mixing (Watson 1982; Koyaguchi 1985, 1989; Lesher 1994; Huber et al. 2009; Guo and Zhang 2020), mineral growth and dissolution rates in magmas (e.g., Watson 1982; Harrison and Watson 1983; Zhang et al. 1989; Newcombe et al. 2014; Macris et al. 2018), bubble growth and dissolution rate in magmas (Sparks 1978; Proussevitch and Sahagian 1998; Liu and Zhang 2000; Zhang 2013), and elemental and isotope fractionation during mineral 2 growth and dissolution (Jambon 1980; Richter et al. 1999, 2003; Watson and Muller 2009; Chopra et al. 2012; Watkins et al. 2014, 2017; Holycross et al. 2016, 2018). As a result, diffusion also plays an essential role in explosive volcanic eruptions and magma crystallization. Furthermore, diffusion has important applications in geospeedometry (Lasaga 1983, 1998; Zhang 1994, 2008; Trail et al. 2016; Zhang and Xu 2016). Experimental investigation of diffusion in geologically relevant silicate melts began to flourish in the 1970’s when micro-analytical measurements of diffusion profiles became available. In addition to the vast number of papers published since then, numerous books and reviews are available for diffusion in silicate melts. Hofmann et al. (1974) edited a book titled “Geochemical Transport and Kinetics” published by Carnegie Institution of Washington. This was the first landmark book summarizing the field. Lasaga and Kirkpatrick (1981) edited a book “Kinetics of Geochemical Processes” as volume 8 of the Reviews in Mineralogy (later becoming Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry) series. Zhang and Cherniak (2010) edited “Diffusion in Minerals and Melts” as volume 72 of Reviews of Mineralogy and Geochemistry series, in which one chapter focused on diffusion theory, five chapters on diffusion in silicate melts (Behrens 2010; Lesher 2010; Liang 2010; Zhang and Ni 2010; Zhang et al. 2010), and other chapters were on experimental, analytical, and computational methods, and diffusion in minerals. Several textbooks covered the principles and applications of diffusion theories (Kirkaldy and Young 1987; Shewmon 1989; Cussler 1997; Lasaga 1998; Zhang 2008; Vrentas and Vrentas 2016), and two classic books covered the mathematics of diffusion (Carslaw and Jaeger 1959; Crank 1975). In preparing for this review chapter, we thought carefully about what to cover for this vast field, and decided to briefly go through the fundamentals of diffusion (more complete review can be found in Chakraborty 1995; Zhang 2008, 2010) and solutions to often-encountered 3 diffusion problems, and then focus on post-2010 diffusion studies on silicate melts and magmas. Here, melts refer to (mostly natural) silicate liquid, and magmas refer to crystal-bearing and/or bubble-bearing melts in which the continuous phase is the melt. There is a large body of work on diffusion in glasses, especially in the materials science literature, which is not covered in this review.

Youxue Zhang↗
NASA NTRS2001

A Return to Io: Science Goals and Implementation

Io remains one of the most fascinating objects in the solar system: the only place beyond Earth where we can watch hard-rock geology in action. In its high heat flow Io resembles the early Earth, providing a present-day analog to some of the processes that dominated the Earth's geology at the time that life first appeared. Io's usefulness as an early-Earth analog has been underscored recently by the detection of very high eruption temperatures, hotter than terrestrial basaltic lavas. These temperatures are most plausibly interpreted as resulting from ultramafic lava compositions, analagous to the komatiites that were common on Earth in the Precambrian but which have been virtually absent during the Phanerozoic. The large scale of many Io eruptions also provides useful analogs to Phanerozoic terrestrial eruptions, such as flood basalts, which are important for the Earth's geological and biological evolution but which occur too rarely to be witnessed by humans on our own planet. By providing living examples, Io can thus play the same role in understanding large-scale planetary volcanism that volcanically active terrestrial regions have played in understanding the results of smaller-scale volcanic processes seen in the geological record worldwide. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Spencer, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Pyroclastic Deposits on Venus as Indicators of the Youngest Volcanism

While most of the surface of Venus formed by effusive volcanic processes, deposits suggesting eruption styles that distribute airfall debris over large areas, or ground-hugging flows from plume collapse, are not common. Prior work notes radar-bright units with diffuse margins, generally consistent with a plume collapse emplacement model, in Eistla Regio, Dione Regio, and near Sappho Patera. We examine these deposits, and map additional occurrences, using Magellan data and Earth-based polarimetric radar maps from 1988, 2012, and 2015 observations.

Youngest↗
NASA NTRS2004

Experimental Study of Lunar and SNC Magmas

The research described in this progress report involved the study of petrological, geochemical, and volcanic processes that occur on the Moon and the SNC meteorite parent body, generally accepted to be Mars. The link between these studies is that they focus on two terrestrial-type parent bodies somewhat smaller than earth, and the fact that they focus on the types of magmas (magma compositions) present, the role of volatiles in magmatic processes, and on processes of magma evolution on these planets. We are also interested in how these processes and magma types varied over time.In earlier work on the A15 green and A17 orange lunar glasses, we discovered a variety of metal blebs. Some of these Fe-Ni metal blebs occur in the glass; others (in A17) were found in olivine phenocrysts that we find make up about 2 vol 96 of the orange glass magma. The importance of these metal spheres is that they fix the oxidation state of the parent magma during the eruption, and also indicate changes during the eruption . They also yield important information about the composition of the gas phase present, the gas that drove the lunar fire-fountaining. During the tenure of this grant, we have continued to work on the remaining questions regarding the origin and evolution of the gas phase in lunar basaltic magmas, what they indicate about the lunar interior, and how the gas affects volcanic eruptions. Work on Martian magmas petrogenesis questions during the tenure of this grant has resulted in advances in our methods of evaluating magmatic oxidation state variations in Mars and some new insights into the compositional variations that existed in the SNC magmas over time . Additionally, Minitti has continued to work on the problem of possible shock effects on the abundance and distribution of water in Mars minerals.

Rutherford, Malcolm J.↗