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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2020

Gully Formation at the Haughton Impact Structure (Arctic Canada) Through the Melting of Snow and Ground Ice, with Implications for Gully Formation on Mars

The formation of gullies on Mars has been the topic of active debate and scientific study since their first discovery by Malin and Edgett in 2000. Several mechanisms have been proposed to account for gully formation on Mars, from “dry” mass movement processes, release of water or brine from subsurface aquifers, and the melting of near-surface ground ice or snowpacks. In their global documentation of martian gullies, report that gullies are confined to ~27–83°S and ~28–72°N latitudes and span all longitudes. Gullies on Mars have been documented on impact crater walls and central uplifts, isolated massifs, and on canyon walls, with crater walls being the most common situation. In order to better understand gully formation on Mars, we have been conducting field studies in the Canadian High Arctic over the past several summers, most recently in summer 2018 and 2019 under the auspices of the Canadian Space Agency-funded Icy Mars Analogue Program. It is notable that the majority of previous studies in the Arctic and Antarctica, including our recent work on Devon Island, have focused on gullies formed on slopes generated by regular endogenic geological processes and in “regular” bedrock. How-ever, as noted above, meteorite impact craters are the most dominant setting for gullies on Mars. Impact craters provide an environment with diverse lithologies – including impact-generated and impact-modified rocks – and slope angle, and thus greatly variable hill slope processes could occur within a localized area. Here, we investigate the formation of gullies within the Haughton impact structure and compare them to gullies formed in unimpacted target rock in the nearby Thomas Lee Inlet

Osinski, G. R.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Selecting Approaches for Enabling Enterprise Data Search: NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Catalog

NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) is working to build an open-source science infrastructure to accelerate open, collaborative and interdisciplinary science. One key component in the open-source science infrastructure is the SMD data catalog. In this paper, we present our process for selecting a technical approach to building a NASA SMD enterprise-wide integrated search capability for science users across multiple science disciplines to support discovery and access to complex scientific data.

Kaylin Bugbee↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

2024 NASA Balloon Program Overview

Enable discovery through conduct of frequent scientific balloon flight opportunities for NASA scientific, technology development, and educational investigations.

Balloon↗
NASA NTRS1994

(abstract) A Low-Cost Mission to 2060 Chiron Based on the Pluto Fast Flyby

The Pluto Fast Flyby-based mission to Chiron described in this paper is a low cost, scientifically rewarding, focused mission in the outer solar system. The proposed mission will make a flyby of 2060 Chiron, an active 'comet' with over 10(sup 4) times the mass of Halley, and an eccentric, Saturn-crossing orbit which ranges from 8.5 to 19 AU. This mission concept achieves the flyby 4.2 years after launch on a direct trajectory from Earth, is independent of Jupiter launch windows, and fits within Discovery cost guidelines. This mission offers the scientific opportunity to examine a class of object left unsampled by the trail-blazing Mariners, Pioneers, Voyagers, and missions to Halley. Spacecraft reconnaissance of Chiron addresses unique objectives relating to cometary science, other small bodies, the structure of quasi-bound atmospheres on modest-sized bodies, and the origin of primitive bodies and the giant planets. Owing to Chiron's large size (180<D<370 km), unique nature, and unusual orbit, this mission is likely to draw significant public interest. As described by COMPLEX, the SSEC, and later the SSES, flybys are the appropriate scale missions for initial reconnaissance missions. Carrying three sophisticated instruments, the proposed flyby will return critical data about Chiron's size, shape, polar obliquity, atmosphere, surface morphology, surface composition, internal structure, surface activity (including the nature of Chiron's outbursts), and origin. Engineering analysis indicates that the spacecraft is capable of navigating to and encountering Chiron at close approach distances of less than 5 000 km, well inside the 50 000 to 150 000 km coma, and perhaps within the collisional chemistry zone of the coma. The low cost of the proposed Chiron mission is based on the opportunity to use the planned Pluto Flyby spare spacecraft and a Proton Expendable Launch Vehicle (ELV) (the pluto spacecraft is being designed to be compatible with a Proton launch). Backup launch opportunities on Delta II and Atlas ELVs are available. The Pluto Fast Flyby mission plans to develop a low cost ($150M), lightweight (<150 kg) outer planet spacecraft which is well suited to flyby reconnaissance in the outer solar system. This Chiron flyby mission is designed to leverage SSED's Pluto spacecraft investment into a scientifically valuable successor mission within the Discovery cost cap. Taking advantage of the spare spacecraft, we estimate the Discovery Chiron intercept mission can be launched for less than $100 M. We believe this makes a highly attractive proposal, which maintains US presence and leadership in the study of the outer solar system, and enables the first-time exploration of a wholly new class of planetary target, an outer solar system planetesimal.

2060 Chiron planetesimal flyby Pluto Fast Flyby sp↗
NASA NTRS1994

The Compton Gamma Ray Observatory

The Arthur Holly Compton Gamma Ray Observatory Compton) is the second in NASA's series of great Observatories. Launched on 1991 April 5, Compton represents a dramatic increase in capability over previous gamma-ray missions. The spacecraft and scientific instruments are all in good health, and many significant discoveries have already been made. We describe the capabilities of the four scientific instruments, and the observing program of the first 2 years of the mission. Examples of early discoveries by Compton are enumerated, including the discovery that gamma-ray bursts are isotropic but spatially inhomogeneous in their distribution; the discovery of a new class of high-energy extragalacatic gamma-ray sources, the gamma-ray AGNs; the discovery of emission from SN 1987A in the nuclear line of Co-57; and the mapping of emission from Al-26 in the interstellar medium (ISM) near the Galactic center. Future observations will include deep surveys of selected regions of the sky, long-tem studies of individual objects, correlative studies of objects at gamma-ray and other energies, a Galactic plane survey at intermediate gamma-ray energies, and improved statistics on gamma-ray bursts to search for small anisotropies. After completion of the all-sky survey, a Guest Investigator program is in progress with guest observers' time share increasing from 30% upward for the late mission phases.

Gehrels, N.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Spacewatch discovery of near-Earth asteroids

Our overall scientific goal is to survey the solar system to completion - that is, to find the various populations and to study their statistics, interrelations, and origins. The practical benefit to SERC is that we are finding Earth-approaching asteroids that are accessible for mining. Our system can detect Earth-approachers in the 1-km size range even when they are far away, and can detect smaller objects when they are moving rapidly past Earth. Until Spacewatch, the size range of 6-300 meters in diameter for the near-Earth asteroids was unexplored. This important region represents the transition between the meteorites and the larger observed near-Earth asteroids. One of our Spacewatch discoveries, 1991 VG, may be representative of a new orbital class of object. If it is really a natural object, and not man-made, its orbital parameters are closer to those of the Earth than we have seen before; its delta V is the lowest of all objects known thus far. We may expect new discoveries as we continue our surveying, with fine-tuning of the techniques.

Gehrels, Tom↗
DOE OSTI2022

Tevatron greatest hits

The Tevatron collider led the World energy frontier program in particle physics during the late 20th and early 21st centuries. During this exciting period the standard model of particle physics was in its final stages of development and the search for physics beyond the standard model became one of the main research topics. In this review article we summarize the design and performance of the Tevatron collider and its two detectors, CDF and D0, as well as their evolution. Here, highlights of the Tevatron scientific results are provided, including the discovery of the top quark and measurements of its properties, studies and discoveries of the particles containing heavy quarks, precision studies of the strong and electroweak forces, searches for beyond the standard model particles and interactions, as well as the hunt for the Higgs boson.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
NASA NTRS1998

Natural thermoluminescence of Antarctic meteorites and related studies

The natural thermoluminescence (TL) laboratory's primary purpose is to provide data on newly recovered Antarctic meteorites that can be included in discovery announcements and to investigate the scientific implications of the data. Natural TL levels of meteorites are indicators of recent thermal history and terrestrial history, and the data can be used to study the orbital/radiation history of groups of meteorites (e.g., H chondrites) or to study the processes leading to the concentration of meteorites at certain sites in Antarctica. An important application of these data is the identification of fragments, or "pairs" of meteorites produced during atmospheric passage or during terrestrial weathering. Thermoluminescence data are particularly useful for pairing within the most common meteorite classes, which typically exhibit very limited petrographic and chemical diversity. Although not originally part of the laboratory's objectives, TL data are also useful in the identification and classification of petrographically or mineralogically unusual meteorites, including unequilibrated ordinary chondrites and some basaltic achondrites. In support of its primary mission, the laboratory also engages in TL studies of modern falls, finds from hot deserts, and terrestrial analogs and conducts detailed studies of the TL properties of certain classes of meteorites. These studies include the measurement of TL profiles in meteorites, the determination of TL levels of finds from the Sahara and the Nullarbor region of Australia, and comparison of TL data to other indicators of irradiation or terrestrial history, such as cosmogenic noble gas and radionuclide abundances. Our current work can be divided into five subcategories, (a) TL survey of Antarctic meteorites, (b) pairing and field relations of Antarctic meteorites, (c) characterization of TL systematics of meteorites, (d) comparison of natural TL and other terrestrial age indicators for Antarctic meteorites, and for meteorites from hot deserts, and (e) characterization of the TL properties of fusion crust of meteorites.

Benoit, Paul H.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Hummingbird Comet Nucleus Analysis Mission

Hummingbird is a highly focused scientific mission, proposed to NASA s Discovery Program, designed to address the highest priority questions in cometary science-that of the chemical composition of the cometary nucleus. After rendezvous with the comet, Hummingbird would first methodically image and map the comet, then collect and analyze dust, ice and gases from the cometary atmosphere to enrich characterization of the comet and support landing site selection. Then, like its namesake, Hummingbird would carefully descend to a pre-selected surface site obtaining a high-resolution image, gather a surface material sample, acquire surface temperature and then immediately return to orbit for detailed chemical and elemental analyses followed by a high resolution post-sampling image of the site. Hummingbird s analytical laboratory contains instrumentation for a comprehensive molecular and elemental analysis of the cometary nucleus as well as an innovative surface sample acquisition device.

Kojiro, Daniel↗
NASA NTRS2011

Inter-Hemispheric Coupling During Recent North Polar Summer Periods as Predicted by MaCWAVE/MIDAS Rocket Data and Traced by TIMED/SABER Measurements

In July, 2002, the MaCWAVE-MIDAS Rocket Program was launched from And0ya Rocket Range (ARR) in Norway. Data from these flights demonstrated that the polar summer mesosphere during this period was unusual, at least above ARR. Theoretical studies have since been published that imply that the abnormal characteristics of this polar summer were generated by dynamical processes occurring in the southern polar winter hemisphere. We have used data from the SABER instrument aboard the NASA TIMED Satellite to study these characteristics and compare them with the features observed in the ensuing eight years. For background, the TIMED Satellite was launched on December 7, 2001 to study the dynamics and energy of the mesosphere and lower thermosphere. The SABER instrument is a limb scanning infrared radiometer designed to measure temperature of the region as well as a large number of minor constituents. In this study, we review the MaCWAVE rocket results. Next, we investigate the temperature characteristics of the polar mesosphere as a function of spatial and temporal considerations. We have used the most recent SABER dataset (1.07). Weekly averages are used to make comparisons between the winter and summer hemispheres. Furthermore, the data analysis agrees with recent theoretical studies showing that this behavior is a result of anomalous dynamical events in the southern hemisphere. The findings discussed here clearly show the value of scientific rocket flights used in a discovery mode.

Goldberg, Richard A.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Jet Propulsion Laboratory: Annual Report 2007

Many milestones are celebrated in the business of space exploration, but one of them that arrived this year has particular meaning for us. Half a century ago, on January 31, 1958, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory was responsible for creating America's first satellite, Explorer 1, and joined with the Army to launch it into orbit. That makes 2007 the 50th year we have been sending robotic craft from Earth to explore space. No other event before or since has had such a profound effect on JPL's basic identity, setting it on the path to become the world's leader in robotic solar system exploration. It is not lost on historians that Explorer 1, besides being America's first satellite, was also the first spacecraft from any country to deliver scientific results in its case, the discovery of the Van Allen Radiation Belts that surround Earth. Science, of course, has been the prime motivator for all the dozens of missions that we have lofted into space in the half-century since then. JPL has sent spacecraft to every planet in the solar system from Mercury to Neptune, some of them very sophisticated machines. But in one way or another, they all owe their heritage to the 31-pound bullet-shaped probe JPL shot into space in 1958. Although we have ranged far and wide across the solar system, we have a very strong contingent of satellites and instruments dedicated, like Explorer, to the environment of our home planet. JPL missions have been providing much of the data to establish the facts of global warming - most especially, the melting of ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica. During the past year, JPL and our parent organization, the California Institute of Technology, have created a task force to focus the special capabilities of the Laboratory and campus on ways to better understand the physics of global change. While Earth is a chaotic and dynamic system capable of large natural variations, evidence is mounting that human activities are playing an increasingly important role. A central piece of this effort is a search for novel energy sources to replace fossil fuels, the combustion of which adds carbon dioxide to our atmosphere. All of this is supported by our worldwide Deep Space Network, which provides the communication link between spacecraft and the ground. In addition, missions are infused with technologies developed by researchers working on projects for non-NASA sponsors as well as on pure research.

Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)↗
NASA NTRS2011

Inter-Hemispheric Coupling During Recent North Polar Summer Periods as Predicted by MaCWAVE/MIDAS Rocket Data and Traced by TIMED/SABER Measurements

In July, 2002, the MaCWAVE-MIDAS Rocket Program was launched from Andoya Rocket Range (ARR) in Norway. Data from these flights demonstrated that the polar summer mesosphere during this period was unusual, at least above ARR. Theoretical studies have since been published that imply that the abnormal characteristics of this polar summer were generated by dynamical processes occurring in the southern polar winter hemisphere. We have used data from the SABER instrument aboard the NASA Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED) Satellite to study these characteristics and compare them with the features observed in the ensuing eight years. For background, the TIMED Satellite was launched on December 7,2001 to study the dynamics and energy of the mesosphere and lower thermosphere. The SABER instrument is a limb scanning infrared radiometer designed to measure temperature of the region as well as a large number of minor constituents. In this study, we review the MaCWAVE rocket results. Next, we investigate the temperature characteristics of the polar mesosphere as a function of spatial and temporal considerations. We have used the most recent SABER dataset (1.07). Weekly averages are used to make comparisons between the winter and summer hemispheres. Furthermore, the data analysis agrees with recent theoretical studies showing that this behavior is a result of anomalous dynamical events in the southern hemisphere. The findings discussed here clearly show the value of scientific rocket flights used in a discovery mode.

Goldberg, Richard A.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Nondestructive Analysis of Apollo Samples by Micro-CT and Micro-XRF Analysis: A PET Style Examination

An integral part of any sample return mission is the initial description and classification of returned samples by the preliminary examination team (PET). The goal of a PET is to characterize and classify the returned samples, making this information available to the general research community who can then conduct more in-depth studies on the samples. A PET strives to minimize the impact their work has on the sample suite, which often limits the PET work to largely visual measurements and observations like optical microscopy. More modern techniques can also be utilized by future PET to nondestructively characterize astromaterials in a more rigorous way. Here we present our recent analyses of Apollo samples 14321 and 14305 by micro-CT and micro-XRF (respectively), assess the potential for discovery of "new" Apollo samples for scientific study, and evaluate the usefulness of these techniques in future PET efforts.

Zeigler, Ryan A.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Advanced Visualization for Scientific Data Analysis and Insight [Slides]

This talk will explore how we have used advanced visualization technologies to support analytical reasoning and knowledge discovery. Specifically, we will present several examples detailing some recent scientific successes using state-of-the-art immersive and high-resolution visualization at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Computational Science Center. On multiple occasions, we have observed scientists and engineers discover features in their data using advanced visualization technologies that they had not seen in prior investigations of their data on traditional desktop displays. We have embedded more information into our analytics tools, allowing engineers to explore complex multivariate spaces. We have observed how interactions seem to catalyze understanding.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
NASA NTRS2008

Earth Observations from Space: The First 50 Years of Scientific Achievements

Observing Earth from space over the past 50 years has fundamentally transformed the way people view our home planet. The image of the "blue marble" is taken for granted now, but it was revolutionary when taken in 1972 by the crew on Apollo 17. Since then the capability to look at Earth from space has grown increasingly sophisticated and has evolved from simple photographs to quantitative measurements of Earth properties such as temperature, concentrations of atmospheric trace gases, and the exact elevation of land and ocean. Imaging Earth from space has resulted in major scientific accomplishments; these observations have led to new discoveries, transformed the Earth sciences, opened new avenues of research, and provided important societal benefits by improving the predictability of Earth system processes. This report highlights the scientific achievements made possible by the first five decades of Earth satellite observations by space-faring nations. It follows on a recent report from the National Research Council (NRC) entitled Earth Science and Applications from Space: National Imperatives for the Next Decade and Beyond, also referred to as the "decadal survey." Recognizing the increasing need for space observations, the decadal survey identifies future directions and priorities for Earth observations from space. This companion report was requested by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to highlight, through selected examples, important past contributions of Earth observations from space to our current understanding of the planet.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1984

The Lear Jet Observatory: Fifteen Years of Discovery and Rebirth

Some of the highlights of far-infrared spectroscopy are outlined. The scientific discussion is supplemented with a few asides into technology developments. A personal look at the discovery of a particular spectral line in Orion from the Lear jet observatory is given. The rebirth of the Lear facility in time for the 1985 to 1986 apparition of Halley's comet is summarized.

Russell, R. W.↗