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NASA NTRS1986

Petrology, chemistry, and origin of Apollo 15 regolith breccias

Variations in modal petrology, mineral compositions, and bulk compositions were determined for ten Apollo 15 regolith breccias for comparison with local soils and assessment of the intrasite petrologic variability of the Apollo 15 regolith. Based on the above criteria the breccias are of local origin and mimic the soils from the corresponding sampling stations, with the exception of station 2 breccia 15205. This sample formed from an anomalous regolith, and although not considered exotic to the site is not representative of the soil at the site. KREEP basalt and green glass components vary from trace amounts to dominant in the breccias, evidence that these materials entered the regolith prior to formation of the breccias. Breccias from the edge of Hadley Rille are modally richer in highland fragments than the soils, whereas at the base of Hadley Delta the reverse is true. This is explained by the loss of material into the Rille to be replaced by basalt-derived material, making the soils more basalt-rich. At the base of Hadley Delta highland material is accumulating and the soils are becoming more highland-rich. Over billions of years these processes have developed differences between the present day, evolving soils, and 'fossil' nonevolving soils represented by the regolith breccias. This shows that there has been little change in the geology and the morphology of the Apollo 15 site, probably since the eruption of mare basalts at the site (about 3.3 b.y.).

Simon, S. B.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Infrared optical properties of Mars soil analog materials: Palagonites

The globally distributed bright soils on Mars represent products of chemical alteration of primary igneous materials. As such, understanding the chemistry and mineralogy of these soils provides clues about the nature of the parent materials and the type, duration, and extent of the chemical weathering environments on Mars. Such clues are key in developing an understanding of the interior and surficial processes that have operated throughout Mars' history to yield the surface as it is currently observed. The generally homogeneous nature of these soils is illustrated by a variety of observational data. These data include (1) direct determination of elemental abundances by the X-ray fluorescence instruments on both Viking Landers, (2) Earth-based telescopic observations, and (3) space-based observations. Based on their spectral properties in the visible and near-infrared, terrestrial palagonitic soils have been suggested as analogs for the bright regions on Mars. Palagonites represent the weathering products of basaltic glass and as such are composed of a variety of minerals/materials. In order to gain an understanding regarding the chemical, mineralogical, and spectral properties of a broad suite of palagonites, several samples were collected from the eastern and central regions of the island of Hawaii.

Roush, Ted L.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Electrical and Seismic Response of Saline Permafrost Soil during Freeze - Thaw Transition: Supporting Data

These data were collected during a repeat freeze-thaw cycle on a saline permafrost portion of a core to understand mechanical and geophysical property changes over time. The core used for the experiment was collected from the NGEE-Arctic Site 0 transect site located in the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) in Barrow, Alaska. This region features polygonal ground, and the core was collected in the center of a flat centered polygon. The saline permafrost portion of the core was at the bottom 260-280 cm below ground surface. Data files (*.csv) include: Electrical signal change during freeze-thaw-refreeze cycle at 1 Hz; Spectral data - Complex resistivity data during Freeze-thaw of the saline permafrost core; Seismic data; and CT cross sections (*.jpg) of the core sample from approximately the same location: (A, D) before the test (thawed), (B, E) after the test (frozen), and (C, F) after deep freeze (frozen).The Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments: Arctic (NGEE Arctic), was a research effort to reduce uncertainty in Earth System Models by developing a predictive understanding of carbon-rich Arctic ecosystems and feedbacks to climate. NGEE Arctic was supported by the Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research. The NGEE Arctic project had two field research sites: 1) located within the Arctic polygonal tundra coastal region on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) and the North Slope near Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska and 2) multiple areas on the discontinuous permafrost region of the Seward Peninsula north of Nome, Alaska. Through observations, experiments, and synthesis with existing datasets, NGEE Arctic provided an enhanced knowledge base for multi-scale modeling and contributed to improved process representation at global pan-Arctic scales within the Department of Energy's Earth system Model (the Energy Exascale Earth System Model, or E3SM), and specifically within the E3SM Land Model component (ELM).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1999

Strategies and Technologies for In Situ Mineralogical Investigations on Mars

Surface landers on Mars (Viking and Pathfinder) have not revealed satisfying answers to the mineralogy and lithology of the planet's surface. In part, this results from their prime directives: Viking focused on exobiology, Pathfinder focused on technology demonstration. The analytical instruments on board the landers made admirable attempts to extract the mineralogy and geology of Mars, as did countless modeling efforts after the missions. Here we suggest a framework for elucidating martian, or any other planetary geology, through an approach that defines (a) type of information required, (b) explorational strategy harmonious with acquisition of these data, (c) interpretation approach to the data, (d) compatible mission architecture, (e) instrumentation for interrogating rocks and soil. (a) Data required: The composition of a planet is ordered at scales ranging from molecules to minerals to rocks, and from geological units to provinces to planetary-scale systems. The largest ordering that in situ compositional instruments can attempt to interrogate is rock type "aggregate" information. This is what the geologist attempts to identify first. From this, mineralogy can be either directly seen or inferred. From mineralogy can be determined elemental abundances and perhaps the state of the compounds as being crystalline or amorphous. Knowledge of rock type and mineralogy is critical for elucidating geologic process. Mars landers acquired extremely valuable elemental data, but attempted to move from elements to aggregates, but this can only be done by making many assumptions and sometimes giant leaps of faith. Data we believe essential are elements, minerals, degree of ordering of compounds, and the aggregate or rock type that these materials compose. (b) Explorational strategy: A lander should function as a surrogate geologist. Of the total landscape, a geologist sees much, but gives detailed attention to an infinitesimally small amount of what is seen. To acquire samples worth detailed scrutiny, as many samples as possible need examining at a cursory or reconnaissance level. A representative, statistically-meaningful sample number cannot be overemphasized. This maxim still applies to geological exploration of our own planet of which we have abundant knowledge. Analysis of many samples mandates low-power consumption per sample. (c) Data interpretation: No single instrument can analyze the full spectrum of the x-axis. An instrument is optimized for detecting certain material characteristics and must therefore affix itself to some point on the x-axis. Any conclusions drawn about data to the left or right of the instrument's position on this axis must necessarily be derived by inference. Hence, it seems logical to include on a mission, instruments that are not closely spaced in their x-axis-position, and if only two analytical methods are used, as shown, they should start at opposite ends of the axis and work towards the center. As examples, we depict a high-resolution camera to evaluate rock type ("aggregate" state) and mineralogy, and an x-ray diffractometer-fluorescence spectrometer (XRD-XRF) to determine elements, minerals, and the degree of order of materials. (d) Mission architecture: No instrument or suite of instruments can be relied upon to always give truly unequivocal analyses. The suite of instruments should therefore permit conclusions of one instrument to be checked against those of another through closed analytical loops. These "loops" can be structured by a combination of orbital imagery, descent imagery, broad-band site viewing/analysis, and data that cover both x and y axes. For example, the detection of a basaltic-looking rock with a microscope should be checked against the elements detected, the appearance of the rock as a lava flow from descent imagery, and so forth. (e) Instrumentation: To satisfy the above criteria, it is necessary to: (i) See the rock or soil with high resolution + magnification, (ii) Examine many samples, (iii) Consume little power per analysis, (iv) Determine elemental species, (v) Determine mineralogy directly (not inferentially) and the degree of ordering of compounds, (vi) Start analyzing from both ends of the x-axis. Every geologist wants to see the hand sample first, and apply a hand lens to its surface. This has not been the starting point for missions to Mars. Thus, our technology satisfies all these criteria . This XRD-XRF-Optical instrument currently being developed, analyses rock or soil surfaces without the need for sample acquisition or preparation; this satisfies the power criterion, and enables many analyses. The device acquires direct mineralogy and determines elemental species. The embedded endoscopic camera satisfies the critical criterion of close inspection of samples; the fiber optic cable can also be used for IR, LTV, or laser sample analysis. Additional information is contained in the original (Figures).

Marshall, J. R.↗
DOE OSTI2018

In Backyards and Bedrooms: Challenges and Successes in Gaining Access to Homes for Radiological Testing - 18204

The Port Hope Area Initiative (PHAI) is a federal environmental clean-up program. Its mandate is the remediation and local, long-term, safe management of approximately 1.7 million cubic metres of historic low-level radioactive waste in the adjacent communities of Port Hope and Port Granby in Southern Ontario, Canada. The PHAI is being undertaken by Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), on behalf of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, a federal Crown corporation. It is currently one of the largest environmental remediation projects in Canada The safety of workers, the public and the environment while delivering the PHAI on time and within budget is CNL's number one priority. The PHAI is being carried out as two projects - the Port Hope Project and the Port Granby Project. The Port Hope Project is the larger of the two and includes the cleanup of approximately 1.2 million cubic metres of historic waste from various locations within the community. The Port Hope Project includes a unique and important component - the Property Radiological Survey. This survey involves the interior and exterior investigation of approximately 4,800 small-scale properties - primarily residential - in the Municipality of Port Hope for the presence or absence of historic low-level radioactive waste. The Property Radiological Survey began in 2012 and is being conducted in five campaigns with between 450 and 1,250 properties in each campaign. The survey begins with radon monitoring, followed by interior and exterior gamma radiation tests, and concludes with exterior borehole drilling/soil sampling. The full suite of tests take approximately 18 - 24 months to complete at each property. This paper will describe the communications strategy implemented to obtain consent from thousands of property owners for CNL's contractor to conduct radiological testing in private living spaces such as bathrooms, bedrooms and closets, as well as front yards, backyards and outbuildings. This strategy incorporates tactics used to secure consent from residents who are reluctant to participate in the survey for reasons including privacy issues, family situations, life events and misapprehensions about the survey and/or the PHAI in general. The paper will include information about how residents' concerns are addressed, the stepped approach to securing access from owners who do not respond to repeated attempts at contact, and the importance of close coordination with the contractor to ensure that all components of the investigations are aligned so that work is conducted in a safe, timely and systematic manner. The authors will also describe the process for keeping the regulator and the municipality informed of survey outreach efforts, challenges and successes, and will outline the process for notifying the approximately 800 owners of properties on which historic low-level radioactive waste is expected to be identified and transitioning those owners from the survey to the remediation phase. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2019

Lipid Mini-On: mining and ontology tool for enrichment analysis of lipidomic data

Abstract Summary Here we introduce Lipid Mini-On, an open-source tool that performs lipid enrichment analyses and visualizations of lipidomics data. Lipid Mini-On uses a text-mining process to bin individual lipid names into multiple lipid ontology groups based on the classification (e.g. LipidMaps) and other characteristics, such as chain length. Lipid Mini-On provides users with the capability to conduct enrichment analysis of the lipid ontology terms using a Shiny app with options of five statistical approaches. Lipid classes can be added to customize the user’s database and remain updated as new lipid classes are discovered. Visualization of results is available for all classification options (e.g. lipid subclass and individual fatty acid chains). Results are also visualized through an editable network of relationships between the individual lipids and their associated lipid ontology terms. The utility of the tool is demonstrated using biological (e.g. human lung endothelial cells) and environmental (e.g. peat soil) samples. Availability and implementation Rodin (R package: https://github.com/PNNL-Comp-Mass-Spec/Rodin), Lipid Mini-On Shiny app (https://github.com/PNNL-Comp-Mass-Spec/LipidMiniOn) and Lipid Mini-On online tool (https://omicstools.pnnl.gov/shiny/lipid-mini-on/). Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Making an s1G Self-Preserving Environmental DNA (eDNA) Filter from Sustainable Materials

Environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling of aquatic environments is a powerful new tool for resource managers to use in detecting the presence of rare and endangered species. The use of eDNA for species detection is quickly becoming an industry-standard methodology in environmental science, and the technology sector is moving quickly to create purpose-built tools for eDNA sampling. Smith-Root, Inc. pioneered the new technology of self-preserving eDNA filters that automatically preserve the DNA captured on filters by desiccating the internal filter membrane. This capability saves the sampling technician significant time in the field and drastically reduces the potential for sample contamination. One main constraint of this new technology, however, is the necessity of single-use plastics for eDNA sampling. Single-use designs are employed because sampling equipment must be devoid of potential contaminating DNA, and the time required to sterilize equipment is often not cost-effective for practitioners. Thus, this technology is creating a significant new source of plastic waste—something that eDNA practitioners, and society, would like to avoid. This project explores the use of alternative bio based polymers and composites as replacements for incumbent industrial standards for eDNA filtration systems, with an emphasis on ease of processing and biodegradable options. 8 candidate materials, 3 for the top filter housing and 5 for the bottom filter housing, were investigated to replace incumbent housing materials. Of the 8 candidates, 2 materials were identified for future investigation which met performance requirements, were bio-based and could potentially offer better disposal options like soil degradation or composting, features sought by the customers of these products. The top housing candidate, material 1, has comparable performance to the incumbent material and equally manufacturable. The bottom housing candidate, material 6, improved desiccation performance by 81% after 1 hour in comparison to the incumbent material, is 100% bio-based, compostable and can be sourced domestically throughout the U.S.A.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2004

Developing Glassy Magnets from Simulated Composition of Martian Soil for Exploration Applications

The long-term exploration goals of NASA include developing human habitation on Mars and conducting scientific investigations on Mars and other planetary bodies. In situ resource processing is a key objective in this area We focus OR the possibility of making magnetic glasses in situ for potential applications development. The paper will focus on ongoing work at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center on making magnetic glass h m Mars soil simulants and its characterization. Analysis of the glass morphology, strength, chemistry and resulting magnetic properties will provide a fi.mdamenta1 understanding ofthe synthesized materiai that can be used for pomtiai appiications cieveiopment. In an effort to characterize the magnetic properbes of the Mars glasses, a series of tests were performed at NASA MSFC. Preliminary tests indicated that the glasses were attracted to a magnet and also had a small amount of residual magnetism. They were opaque (almost black in color). As the first step, a sample of Mars 1 glass (-lm x lmm x 5 mm length) was machined, weighed and its hysteresis curve was measured using a Vibration Sample Magnetometer 0. Next, a small furnace was designed and built and the sample was baked in a graphite (reducing agent) crucible at 800 C in an Argon atmosphere for 3 hours in the presence of a uniform, transverse (transverse to the 5mm length of the sample) magnetic field of 0.37 Tesla. The treated sample showed reddening on the outside and showed substantially increased residual magnetism. This sample was again analyzed in the VSM. The data clearly showed that some chemical change occurred during the heat treatment (color change) and that both the glasses have useful magnetic properties. Although no orientation effects of the magnetic field were considered, the data showed the following: 1. Both glass samples are primarily soft magnets and display ferromagnetic behavior (hysteresis, saturation, etc.) 2. The treated glass has improved saturation magnetism (order of magnitude increase), retentivity (factor of 6 increase) and susceptibility (order of magnitude increase) compared to the untreated glass 3. The untreated sample has higher coercivity (-50% that of Nickel) than the treated sample

Ramachandran, Narayanan↗
DOE OSTI2019

Trans-Himalayan transport of organochlorine compounds: Three- year observations and model-based flux estimation

Due to their low temperature and high precipitation, high mountains can trap semi-volatile chemicals, such as persistent organic pollutants (POPs), and hinder their dispersion. However, deep convection occurring at high elevation facilitates the upward transport of POPs, and mountain valleys provide channels for regional transport of POPs. The concerted impact of these processes on the transport of contaminants across a mountain range has not been investigated before. In this study, we conducted a three-year passive air sampling campaign along a south-north altitudinal transect (100-5200m) across the central Himalayas, the highest mountain range on Earth. A multi-compartment contaminant fate model was developed to simulate the fate and transport of POPs along this transect and an adjacent mountain valley. The results show that driven by the strong Indian monsoon, POPs emitted in the lowlands at the foot of the Himalayas can be transported northward to high altitudes and further to the inner part of the Tibetan Plateau. Modeling suggests that more than 90% of POPs are trapped along the way due to gaseous deposition to soil and foliage and rainfall scavenging; we estimate that in spite of this removal, 2×10-3 to 1×10-1 Giga-grams of POPs are transported across the Himalayas every year. This indicates that despite their height the Himalayas are not a perfect barrier to the North-bound transport of POPs. We further compared the contributions that valleys and high altitudes make to the transport of POPs. The transport flux along valleys is 2-3 times higher than that across the mountain ridge. However, due to the limited spatial coverage of mountain valleys, the amount of POPs transported through valleys only accounts for a small part of the total transport, demonstrating that high altitude transport across the mountain ridge is the dominant transport pathway. This study shows that POPs can overcome the blocking effect of the Himalayas and the transport does not depend on the ability to pass through lower-lying mountain passes.

Gong, Ping↗
NASA NTRS2001

Spaceborne Microwave Instrument for High Resolution Remote Sensing of the Earth's Surface Using a Large-Aperture Mesh Antenna

This report describes a two-year study of a large-aperture, lightweight, deployable mesh antenna system for radiometer and radar remote sensing of the Earth from space. The study focused specifically on an instrument to measure ocean salinity and Soil moisture. Measurements of ocean salinity and soil moisture are of critical . importance in improving knowledge and prediction of key ocean and land surface processes, but are not currently obtainable from space. A mission using this instrument would be the first demonstration of deployable mesh antenna technology for remote sensing and could lead to potential applications in other remote sensing disciplines that require high spatial resolution measurements. The study concept features a rotating 6-m-diameter deployable mesh antenna, with radiometer and radar sensors, to measure microwave emission and backscatter from the Earth's surface. The sensors operate at L and S bands, with multiple polarizations and a constant look angle, scanning across a wide swath. The study included detailed analyses of science requirements, reflector and feedhorn design and performance, microwave emissivity measurements of mesh samples, design and test of lightweight radar electronic~., launch vehicle accommodations, rotational dynamics simulations, and an analysis of attitude control issues associated with the antenna and spacecraft, The goal of the study was to advance the technology readiness of the overall concept to a level appropriate for an Earth science emission.

Njoku, E.↗
DOE OSTI2023

How does uncertainty of soil organic carbon stock affect the calculation of carbon budgets and soil carbon credits for croplands in the U.S. Midwest?

Cropland carbon budget depicts the amount of carbon flowing in and out of agroecosystems and the changes in carbon stocks of soil and living biomass during the same period. Soil carbon credit is the additional change in soil carbon stock under certain farming practices compared with the business-as-usual practices. Accurately calculating cropland carbon budget and soil carbon credit is critical to assessing climate change mitigation potential in agroecosystems. The calculation of cropland carbon budget and soil carbon credit is sensitive to local soil and climatic conditions, especially initial soil organic carbon (SOC) stock, which is determined by both SOC concentration (SOC%) and bulk density (Bulk_Density). SOC stock data are either from soil sampling or gridded public survey data. In agroecosystem models, SOC stock data are a key model input for quantifying cropland carbon budget and soil carbon credit. However, various types and degrees of uncertainties exist in SOC stock datasets, which propagate to the quantification of SOC stock change. In particular, a large discrepancy is found in two widely used SOC stock datasets — Rapid Carbon Assessment dataset (RaCA) and Gridded Soil Survey Geographic Database (gSSURGO) — in the U.S. Midwest, with a relative difference (quantified using Normalized Root Mean Square Error, NRMSE) of 48.0% for 0–30 cm SOC stock between the two datasets. It remains largely unclear how uncertainty in SOC stocks affects the calculation of cropland carbon budget and soil carbon credit. To address this question, we used a well-validated process-based agroecosystem model, ecosys, to assess the impacts of SOC stock uncertainty on carbon budget and soil carbon credit calculation in the U.S. Midwestern corn-soybean rotation systems. Our results reveal the following findings: (1) A sizable discrepancy exists in simulated cropland carbon budget between using gSSURGO and using RaCA for their SOC% and Bulk_Density as model inputs, with a Pearson correlation coefficient (r) of only 0.4 for simulated change of SOC stock (ΔSOC) using these two different soil datasets. (2) Simulated cropland carbon budget components were more sensitive to initial SOC% than to Bulk_Density. For example, the upper and lower quartiles of multi-year averaged ΔSOC were –29.8 and 4.8 gC/m 2 /year for the selected counties respectively, with an uncertainty of 13.7 and 0.7 gC/m 2 /year induced by uncertainties in initial SOC% and Bulk_Density, respectively. (3) Both simulated ΔSOC and its uncertainty were negatively correlated with initial SOC%, whereas ΔSOC was negatively correlated with air temperature, and ΔSOC uncertainty was positively correlated with air temperature. (4) The uncertainty of calculated soil carbon credits was much smaller compared with the uncertainty of calculated absolute carbon budgets assuming the same SOC stock uncertainty level in the inputs. Specifically, in our assessment comparing planting cover crops vs no cover crop, the uncertainty of calculated soil carbon credits induced by initial SOC% uncertainty was less than 4% (relative to the quantified value of the soil carbon credits) for 90% of the cases. Our analysis highlights that high accuracy measurement of SOC% as inputs is needed for the calculation of cropland carbon budgets; however, soil carbon credit quantification is much less sensitive to the initial SOC% inputs, and the current publicly available soil datasets (e.g., gSSURGO) are largely suitable for the calculation of soil

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

SPRUCE Anaerobic oxidation of methane mitigates net methane production and responds to long-term experimental warming in a northern bog: Supporting data

This data set contains measurements of anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM), net methane (CH4) production, carbon dioxide (CO2) production, and gross CH4 production measurements from the SPRUCE experiment (Hanson et al. 2017). CH4 is greenhouse gas with 45 times the sustained global warming potential of CO2 over 100 years, which may have significant implications on global climate change. The process of AOM plays a large role in the extent of CH4 emissions from wetland environments like those at the SPRUCE experiment site. This study conducted two on different dates. In experiment 1, net CH4 and CO2 production were measured with a gas chromatograph through the peat profile at in situ temperatures of the SPRUCE plots four times from May to October, 2016 (2016-05 to 2016-10). Two treatments were examined, a Porewater Treatment that was a 1:1 volumetric peat:porewater slurry and a No Porewater Treatment that was field-moist peat with no porewater added. Additionally, net CH4 production were measured at frequent intervals (from 4 hr to 9 d) in peat from selected SPRUCE plots from soil collected on October 16, 2016 (2016-10-16). Samples were collected from the SPRUCE plots, immediately made anaerobic, and transported to the University of Oregon for rate measurements within several days of collection. In experiment 2, AOM, net CH4 production, CO2 production, and gross CH4 production were measured through the peat profile at in situ field temperatures once from samples collected in July, 2021 (2021-07). The same two porewater treatments were examined. AOM was measured with a 13CH4 tracer method using a Picarro G2201-i analyzer for isotopic CO2/CH4 quantification with a small stable isotope module attached. This data set contains three data files in comma separate (*.csv) format. This data set is associated with the following publication: Barney, M, AM Hopple, LL Gregory, JK Keller, and SD Bridgham. 2024. Anaerobic oxidation of methane mitigates net methane production and responds to long-term experimental warming in a northern bog. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 190, 109316. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2024.109316.

SPRUCE Experiment, Marcell Experimental Forest, Me↗
NASA NTRS2013

Human and Robotic Mission to Small Bodies: Mapping, Planning and Exploration

This study investigates the requirements, performs a gap analysis and makes a set of recommendations for mapping products and exploration tools required to support operations and scientific discovery for near- term and future NASA missions to small bodies. The mapping products and their requirements are based on the analysis of current mission scenarios (rendezvous, docking, and sample return) and recommendations made by the NEA Users Team (NUT) in the framework of human exploration. The mapping products that sat- isfy operational, scienti c, and public outreach goals include topography, images, albedo, gravity, mass, density, subsurface radar, mineralogical and thermal maps. The gap analysis points to a need for incremental generation of mapping products from low (flyby) to high-resolution data needed for anchoring and docking, real-time spatial data processing for hazard avoidance and astronaut or robot localization in low gravity, high dynamic environments, and motivates a standard for coordinate reference systems capable of describing irregular body shapes. Another aspect investigated in this study is the set of requirements and the gap analysis for exploration tools that support visualization and simulation of operational conditions including soil interactions, environment dynamics, and communications coverage. Building robust, usable data sets and visualisation/simulation tools is the best way for mission designers and simulators to make correct decisions for future missions. In the near term, it is the most useful way to begin building capabilities for small body exploration without needing to commit to specific mission architectures.

Neffian, Ara V.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Data and scripts associated with “Riverine dissolved organic matter transformations increase with watershed area, water residence time, and Damköhler numbers in nested watersheds” (v2)

This data package is associated with the publication “Riverine dissolved organic matter transformations increase with watershed area, water residence time, and Damköhler numbers in nested watersheds” submitted to Biogeochemistry by Ryan et al., 2024 (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-024-01169-5). This study aims to investigate fundamental and transferable drivers of dissolved organic matter (DOM) diversity across five nested watersheds within the contiguous United States. DOM diversity was explored using ultrahigh-resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS). The samples and the unprocessed FTICR-MS data used in this study are publicly available on the Environmental System Science Data Infrastructure for a Virtual Ecosystem (ESS-DIVE) data repository (see DOIs below). The data for the Willamette, Gunnison, Connecticut, and Deschutes basins were collected as part of a collaboration between the Watershed Rules of Life (WROL) project and Worldwide Hydrobiogeochemistry Observation Network for Dynamic River Systems (WHONDRS). The data for the Yakima River basin (YRB) was collected by the PNNL River Corridor SFA. The raw, unprocessed FTICR-MS data with additional (meta)data can be found at doi:10.15485/1895159 for WROL samples and doi:10.15485/1898912 for YRB samples. This data package contains the processed data used in the associated manuscript. This package also contains ancillary geospatial, hydrological, and geochemical information that supports the interpretation of the FTICR-MS data within Ryan et al., 2024. This data package is associated with the GitHub repository found at https://github.com/WHONDRS-Hub/rcsfa-RC4-WROL-YRB_DOM_Diversity. This data package was originally published August 2024. It was updated January 2025 (modified files). See the change history in the readme more details. At the directory level, the data package is comprised of three folders: (1) data, (2) output, and (3) src; and five additional files including the data dictionary (file ending in "_dd.csv”) and file-level metadata (file ending in “_flmd.csv”). The “src” folder contains the scripts used to process the FTICR data, conduct the analyses, and produce the manuscript figures. The inputs for these scripts are in the “data” folder and the returned outputs in the “output” folder. Inputs include temporal and spatial metadata associated with the sampling efforts, processed FTICR data, and total and normalized putative biochemical transformations per sample. Outputs include cleaned and combined data presented as tables, descriptive statistics, and plots. The file-level metadata file lists all files contained in this data package and descriptions for each. The data dictionary describes the units and definitions for each tabular data column or row header.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1994

Vapor Deposits in the Lunar Regolith

Since the Apollo missions, we have emphasized the following points, which are based on theoretical calculations and on laboratory studies of the properties of evaporated silicate deposits and of lunar samples. The mass of vapor generated by impacts on the lunar surface is comparable in magnitude to the mass of impact melt glasses; the physics of impact into a porous regolith requires that much of this vapor be retained in the soil rather than lost to space (as is widely believed); experimental coatings made from vaporized or sputtered lunar basalt contain abundant inclusions of submicroscopic, super paramagnetic metallic Fe; and this Fe may explain the magnetic signature, low albedo, reddened spectrum, and subdued absorption bands of lunar regolith. Our conclusions have been generally rejected by the lunar geochemical community for two reasons: there seemed to be no direct evidence for vapor deposits in Apollo samples, and it seemed that the lunar optical properties could be explained by the presence of impact melt glasses alone. However, advances in our understanding of the optical properties of glasses and of light scattering by planetary regoliths, and now the direct detection of vapor deposits, show that these objections are not valid. Vapor phase transport is a major process on the lunar surface, and unless its effects are taken into account, the chemical, magnetic, and optical properties of the regolith cannot be understood.

Hapke, Bruce↗
NASA NTRS2016

Rescue and Preservation of Sample Data from the Apollo Missions to the Moon

Six Apollo missions landed on the Moon from 1969-72, returning to Earth 382 kg of lunar rock, soil, and core samples. These samples are among the best documented and preserved samples on Earth that have supported a robust research program for 45 years. From mission planning through sample collection, preliminary examination, and subsequent research, strict protocols and procedures are followed for handling and allocating Apollo subsamples, resulting in the production of vast amounts of documentation. Even today, hundreds of samples are allocated for research each year, building on the science foundation laid down by the early Apollo sample studies and combining new data from today's instrumentation, lunar remote sensing missions and lunar meteorites. Much sample information is available to researchers at curator.jsc.nasa.gov. Decades of analyses on lunar samples are published in LPSC proceedings volumes and other peer-reviewed journals, and tabulated in lunar sample compendia entries. However, for much of the 1969-1995 period, the processing documentation, individual and consortia analyses, and unpublished results exist only in analog forms or primitive digital formats that are either inaccessible or at risk of being lost forever because critical data from early investigators remain unpublished.

Todd, Nancy S.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Space Weathering Maps of (101955) Bennu Using a Radiative Transfer Model

Space weathering is an important process that affects the surfaces of airless bodies, such as (101955) Bennu. The consequences of this process include physical and chemical changes to materials on the surface, which in turn change spectral characteristics, especially in the visible to near infrared wavelengths. These spectral changes are not the same across airless bodies because the changes are dependent on the composition and mineralogy of the surface and even location within the Solar System. The main space weathering products responsible for these spectral changes are submicroscopic particles, which consist of two types, nanophase and microphase particles, and affect visible to near-infrared reflectance spectra differently. Nanophase particles are particles <33 nm in size and occur in agglutinates and within glassy patinas around regolith particles. In contrast, microphase particles are >33 nm in size and are present only within agglutinates. These spectral differences are best illustrated by lunar samples. In lunar soils, the nanophase and microphase particles consist of metallic iron. With increasing abundance of nanophase iron particles in a regolith, its spectrum exhibits a lower overall reflectance in the visible to near infrared, weakened absorption bands, and a reddened continuum slope. In contrast, an increasing abundance of microphase iron only causes decreases in reflectance and not reddening. Because of the spectral differences introduced by these two types of particles, it is possible to model the nanophase and microphase particle abundances of a surface through the radiative transfer technique. Beyond the Moon, the composition of the nanophase and microphase particles can include other phases because the mineralogy of the surfaces of other planetary bodies is different. For example, the nanophase and microphase particles may consist of amorphous carbon (Mercury) and sulfides (Itokawa). The mineralogy of Bennu is consistent with carbonaceous chondrites. From a number of space weathering experiments on CM chondrites, the likely nanophase and microphase mineral phases on Bennu includes iron, magnetite, and sulfides (i.e., pentlandite and troilite). The goal of this work is to input the predicted nanophase and microphase compositions for Bennu into the radiative transfer technique. Next, we use this technique to model the OSIRIS-REx Visible Infrared Spectrometer (OVIRS) so that we can model the nanophase and microphase particle abundances across the surface. This will result in space weathering maps of the surface of Bennu, which are useful for understanding the degree of space weathering across the surface and its relationship to various regions and geological features.

Trang, D.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Subsidence Measurements at the Teller 27 Field Site, Seward Peninsula, Alaska, 2021

In September 2021, differential GPS (dGPS) points were collected in areas of visual subsidence in the Teller watershed near mile marker 27 of the Bob Blodgett Nome-Teller Memorial Highway on the Seward Peninsula of Alaska. This study aimed to understand how structural permafrost loss is affecting meter-scale ground elevation. As ice thaws, heaving and slumping of the landscape creates new microtopographical features on the landscape that may alter surface hydrology and soil moisture and thus plant community composition and biogeochemical cycling. The Teller 27 field site is underlain with discontinuous permafrost, so the landscape features a variety of permafrost features. We collected ground elevations from eight subsidence areas in two forms: 1) Transects were sampled laterally through areas of ground subsidence to capture the high edges and low spots where the earth slumped. 2) The circumference of the subsidence area was sampled in order to measure the ground area affected by subsidence. These data were collected with an Emlid Reach RS2 dGPS and a base station. This dataset includes one *.csv of dGPS locations of the eight subsidence locations and one *.kml of measurement locations.The Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments: Arctic (NGEE Arctic) was a 15-year research effort (2012-2027) to reduce uncertainty in Earth System Models by developing a predictive understanding of carbon-rich Arctic ecosystems and feedbacks to climate. NGEE Arctic was supported by the Department of Energy’s Office of Biological and Environmental Research.The NGEE Arctic project had two field research sites: 1) located within the Arctic polygonal tundra coastal region on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) and the North Slope near Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska and 2) multiple areas on the discontinuous permafrost region of the Seward Peninsula north of Nome, Alaska.Through observations, experiments, and synthesis with existing datasets, NGEE Arctic provided an enhanced knowledge base for multi-scale modeling and contributed to improved process representation at global pan-Arctic scales within the Department of Energy’s Earth system Model (the Energy Exascale Earth System Model, or E3SM), and specifically within the E3SM Land Model component (ELM).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗