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At least 163 records · Page 9
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2014

Development of a Linear Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer (LITMS) Investigation for Future Planetary Surface Missions

Future surface missions to Mars and other planetary bodies will benefit from continued advances in miniature sensor and sample handling technologies that enable high-performance chemical analyses of natural samples. Fine-scale (approx.1 mm and below) analyses of rock surfaces and interiors, such as exposed on a drill core, will permit (1) the detection of habitability markers including complex organics in association with their original depositional environment, and (2) the characterization of successive layers and gradients that can reveal the time-evolution of those environments. In particular, if broad-based and highly-sensitive mass spectrometry techniques could be brought to such scales, the resulting planetary science capability would be truly powerful. The Linear Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer (LITMS) investigation is designed to conduct fine-scale organic and inorganic analyses of short (approx.5-10 cm) rock cores such as could be acquired by a planetary lander or rover arm-based drill. LITMS combines both pyrolysis/gas chromatograph mass spectrometry (GCMS) of sub-sampled core fines, and laser desorption mass spectrometry (LDMS) of the intact core surface, using a common mass analyzer, enhanced from the design used in the Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer (MOMA) instrument on the 2018 ExoMars rover. LITMS additionally features developments based on the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) investigation on MSL and recent NASA-funded prototype efforts in laser mass spectrometry, pyrolysis, and precision subsampling. LITMS brings these combined capabilities to achieve its four measurement objectives: (1) Organics: Broad Survey Detect organic molecules over a wide range of molecular weight, volatility, electronegativity, concentration, and host mineralogy. (2) Organic: Molecular Structure Characterize internal molecular structure to identify individual compounds, and reveal functionalization and processing. (3) Inorganic Host Environment Assess the local chemical/mineralogical makeup of organic host phases to help determine deposition and preservation factors. (4) Chemical Stratigraphy Analyze the fine spatial distribution and variation of key species with depth.

Mars↗
NASA NTRS2016

Oxychlorine Detections on Mars: Implications for Cl Cycling

The Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument has detected evolved O2 and HCl indicating the presence of perchlorate and/or chlorate (oxychlorine) in all 11 sediments analyzed to date. The hyperarid martian climate is believed to have allowed accumulation of oxychlorine and assumed chloride contents similar to those in hyperarid terrestrial settings. The linear correlation of oxychlorine and chloride of Gale Crater sediments is low (r (sup 2) equals 0.64). Correlations present in hyperarid Antarctica and the Atacama Desert are attributed to unaltered atmospheric source coupled with minimal redox cycling by biological activity. Terrestrial semi-arid to arid settings have low correlations similar to Gale Crater and are attributed to additional inputs of Cl minus from sea salt, dust, and/or proximal playa settings, and possible reduction of oxychlorine phases during wetter periods. While microbiological processes could contribute to low oxychlorine/chloride correlations on Mars, several abiotic mechanisms are more likely, such as changing oxychlorine production rates with time and/or post-depositional geochemical redox processes that altered the Gale Crater oxychlorine and chloride contents.

Sutter, B.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Bulk Hydrogen Content OF High-Silica Rocks in Gale Crater With the Active Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons Experiment

The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity rover recently traversed over plateaus of mafic aeolian sandstones (the 'Stimson' formation) that overlie mudstones (the 'Murray' formation). Within the Stimson formation we observed many lighter-toned, halo-forming features, that are potentially indicative of fluid alteration (see Fig. 1). These halo features extend for tens of meters laterally and are approx.1 meter wide. The halo features were characterized by Curiosity's geochemical instruments: Alpha Proton X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS), Chemin, Chemcam and Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM). With respect to the host (unaltered) Stimson rocks, fracture halos were significantly enriched in silicon and low in iron [1]. Changes in hydrogen abundance (due to its large neutron scattering cross section) greatly influence the magnitude of the thermal neutron response from the Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) instrument [2]. There are also some elemental species, e.g. chlorine, iron, and nickel, that have significant microscopic neutron absorption cross sections. These elements can be abundant and variable results provide a useful estimate of the lower bound for bulk hydrogen content (assuming a homogeneous distribution).

Gabriel, T. S. J.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Nitrogen on Mars: Insights from Curiosity

Recent detection of nitrate on Mars indicates that nitrogen fixation processes occurred in early martian history. Data collected by the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument on the Curiosity Rover can be integrated with Mars analog work in order to better understand the fixation and mobility of nitrogen on Mars, and thus its availability to putative biology. In particular, the relationship between nitrate and other soluble salts may help reveal the timing of nitrogen fixation and post-depositional behavior of nitrate on Mars. In addition, in situ measurements of nitrogen abundance and isotopic composition may be used to model atmospheric conditions on early Mars.

Stern, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS2016

In Situ Measurement of Atmospheric Krypton and Xenon on Mars with Mars Science Laboratory

Mars Science Laboratorys Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) investigation has measured all of the stable isotopes of the heavy noble gases krypton and xenon in the martian atmosphere, in situ, from the Curiosity Rover at Gale Crater, Mars. Previous knowledge of martian atmospheric krypton and xenon isotope ratios has been based upon a combination of the Viking missions krypton and xenon detections and measurements of noble gas isotope ratios in martian meteorites. However, the meteorite measurements reveal an impure mixture of atmospheric, mantle, and spallation contributions. The xenon and krypton isotopic measurements reported here include the complete set of stable isotopes, unmeasured by Viking. The new results generally agree with Mars meteorite measurements but also provide a unique opportunity to identify various non-atmospheric heavy noble gas components in the meteorites. Kr isotopic measurements define a solar-like atmospheric composition, but deviating from the solar wind pattern at 80Kr and 82Kr in a manner consistent with contributions originating from neutron capture in Br. The Xe measurements suggest an intriguing possibility that isotopes lighter than 132Xe have been enriched to varying degrees by spallation and neutron capture products degassed to the atmosphere from the regolith, and a model is constructed to explore this possibility. Such a spallation component, however, is not apparent in atmospheric Xe trapped in the glassy phases of martian meteorites.

Conrad, P. G.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Reaction of Akaganeite with Mars-Relevant Anions

Akaganeite has been identified by the Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) and Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instruments onboard the Curiosity rover in Yellowknife Bay, Gale Crater, Mars. Akaganeite was also detected by the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) instrument on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) in Robert Sharp Crater and Antoniadi basin. Akaganeite is an iron(III) hydroxide with a hollandite-like tunnel structure with tunnels usually occupied by Cl-. Chloride in tunnels is not immobile and can be replaced by other anions in solution. Identification of tunnel composition with Mars-like instruments can help to characterize composition of ancient aqueous environments where akaganeite is present on Mars.

Pan, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Origin and Speciation of Sulfur Compounds in the Murray Formation, Gale Crater, Mars

The Mars Curiosity rover has traversed nearly 20 km and gained over 350 meters in elevation since landing in Gale crater in August 2012. Through 2250 sols of surface operations, Curiosity has spent approximately 60% of its time investigating the Murray formation, a unit of layered sediments. The occurrence of sulfur compounds in the Murray formation has been established by imaging of light-toned veins by MastCam and MAHLI, chemical compositions measured by the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) and ChemCam, crystalline phase identifications by the CheMin X-ray diffractometer, and evolved gas analyses from the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument.

Yen, A. S.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Partially Chloritized Smectites: Analogues of Smectites at Gale Crater, Mars

Characterizing the structure and composition of phyllosilicates is important for interpreting the aqueous history of Mars and identifying potential habitable environments. Smectites and chlorites are the most dominant clay types on Mars, and there is evidence of the presence of smectite/chlorite intergrades. Smectite has been detected at Gale Crater, Mars, via orbital observations and in-situ measurements, in abundances up to approximately 25 weight percentage of bulk rock. John Klein (JK) and Cumberland (CB) were analyzed by the Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) and Samples Analysis at Mars (SAM) evolved gas analysis experiment (EGA) instruments, onboard Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), Curiosity, to distinguish clay mineralogy. John Klein has a collapsed 2:1 smectite with a d-spacing of 10 Angstroms, whereas Cumberland smectite did not fully collapse and has a d-spacing of approximately 13.2 Angstroms. It has been suggested that partial chloritization or ‘pillaring’ could be responsible for the expanded Cumberland smectite because pillaring inhibits the collapse of smectites down to 10 Angstrom, even under the desiccating conditions on the martian surface. Clay minerals have been detected in ancient fluvio-lacustrine rocks throughout Curiosity’s traverse and catalog the changes of the lake water chemistry and diagenetic conditions at Gale Crater, Mars. Investigating clay minerals is important for identifying them on the Martian surface, in particular as Curiosity proceeds into the upcoming Clay-bearing Unit.

Tu, V. M.↗
NASA NTRS2019

JSC-Rocknest: a Large-Scale Mojave Mars Simulant (MMS) Based Soil Simulant for In-Situ Resource Utilization Water-Extraction Studies

The Johnson Space Center Rocknest (JSC-RN) simulant was developed in response to a need by NASA's Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) project for a simulant to be used in component and system testing for water extraction from Mars regolith. JSC-RN was de-signed to be chemically and mineralogically similar to material from the aeolian sand shadow named Rocknest in Gale Crater, particularly the 1-3 weight percentage water release as measured by the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument. Rocknest material is a proxy for average martian soils, which are unconsolidated and could be easily scooped by rovers or landers in order to extract water. One way in which water can be extracted from aeolian material is through heating, where adsorbed and structural water is thermally removed from minerals. The water can then be condensed and used as drinking water or split and used as propellant for spacecraft or as a source of breathable O2. As such, it was essential that JSC-RN contained evolved gas profiles, especially low temperature water (less than 400 degrees Centigrade), that mimicked what is observed in martian soils. Because many of these ISRU tests require hundreds of kilograms of Mars soil simulant, it was essential that JSC-RN be cost-effective and based on com-ponents that could be purchased commercially (i.e., not synthesized in the lab). Here, we describe the JSC-RN martian soil simulant, which is ideal for large-scale production and use in ISRU water extraction studies.

Hogancamp, J. V.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Seasonal Variations in Atmospheric Composition as Measured in Gale Crater, Mars

The Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument onboard the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover measures the chemical composition of major atmospheric species (CO2, N2, 40Ar,O2, and CO) through a dedicated atmospheric inlet. We report here measurements of volume mixing ratios in Gale Crater using the SAM quadrupole mass spectrometer, obtained over a period of nearly 5 years (3 Mars years) from landing. The observation period spans the northern summer of MY31 and solar longitude (L(sub S)) of 175° through spring of MY 34, L(sub S) = 12°. This work expands upon prior reports of the mixing ratios measured by SAM QMS in the first 105 sols of the mission. The SAM QMS atmospheric measurements were taken periodically, with a cumulative coverage of four or five experiments per season on Mars. Major observations include the seasonal cycle of CO2, N2, and Ar, which lags approximately 20–40° of L(sub S) behind the pressure cycle driven by CO2 condensation and sublimation from the winter poles. This seasonal cycle indicates that transport occurs on faster timescales than mixing. The mixing ratio of O2 shows significant seasonal and interannual variability, suggesting an unknown atmospheric or surface process at work. The O2 measurements are compared to several parameters, including dust optical depth and trace CH4 measurements by Curiosity. We derive annual mean volume mixing ratios for the atmosphere in Gale Crater: CO2 = 0.951 (±0.003), N2 = 0.0259 (±0.0006), 40Ar = 0.0194 (±0.0004), O2 = 1.61 (±0.09) x 10(exp ‐3), and CO = 5.8 (±0.8) x 10(exp ‐4).

Gale Crater↗
NASA NTRS2020

High-temperature Hydrogen Chloride Releases from Mixtures of Sodium Chloride with Sulfates: Implications for the Chlorine-Mineralogy as Determined by the Sample Analysis at Mars Instrument on the Curiosity Rover in Gale Crater, Mars

Hydrogen chloride releases above 500 °C occurred in several samples analyzed by the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) evolved gas analyzer on the Curiosity rover in Gale crater. These have been attributed to reactions between chlorides (original or from oxychlorine decomposition) and water. Some of these HCl releases that peaked below the melting temperature of common chlorides did not co-evolve with oxygen or water, and were not explained by laboratory analog work (Figure 1). Therefore, these HCl releases were not caused by MgCl2 or soley due to reactions between water and melting chlorides. The goal of this work was to explain the HCl releases that did not co-evolve with oxygen or water and occurred below the melting point of common chlorides, which have not been explained by previous laboratory analog work. This work specifically evaluates the role of evolved SO2 in the production of HCl.

Clark, J.V.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Role of the Tenax® Adsorbent in the Interpretation of the EGA and GC‐MS Analyses Performed With the Sample Analysis at Mars in Gale Crater

The Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) experiment on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Curiosity rover seeks evidence of organic compounds on the surface of Mars. Since the beginning of the mission, various organic molecules have been detected and identified. While several have been demonstrated to be indigenous to the Martian soil and rocks analyzed, others appear to have been produced from sources internal to the experiment. The objective of this study is to build an exhaustive molecular database to support the interpretation of SAM results by identifying all the chemical species produced from Tenax® adsorbents, by determining (1) the thermal degradation by‐products of Tenax®, (2) the effect of Tenax® conditioning on the formation of Tenax® by‐products, (3) the impact of MTBSTFA or a mixture of MTBSTFA and DMF on Tenax® decomposition, and (4) the reaction between Tenax® and calcium perchlorate. Our results indicate that the by‐products of the SAM trap are due to the impact of trap heating, the impact of the derivatization reagent (MTBSTFA) and the presence of perchlorate in Martian soil. Some of these by‐products are observed in the SAM gas chromatograph mass spectrometer data from Mars.

Buch, A.↗
NASA NTRS2020

Aqueous Processes and Microbial Habitability of Gale Crater Sediments from the Blunts Point to the Glenn Torridon Clay Unit

A driving factor for sending the Mars Science Laboratory, Curiosity rover to Gale Crater was the orbital detection of clay minerals in the Glen Torridon (GT) clay unit. Clay mineral detections in GT suggested a past aqueous environment that was habitable, and could contain organic evidence of past microbiology. The mission of the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument onboard Curiosity was to detect organic evidence of past microbiology and to detect volatile bearing mineralogy that can inform on whether past geochemical conditions would have supported microbiological activity. The objective of this work was to 1) evaluate the depositional/alteration conditions of Blunt’s Point (BP) to GT sediments 2) search for evidence of organics, and 3) evaluate microbial habitability in the BP, Vera Rubin Ridge (VRR), and GT sedimentary rock.

Sutter, Brad↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Mineralogical Trends Over the Clay-Sulfate Transition in Gale Crater from the Mars Science Laboratory CheMin Instrument

The Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover landed in Gale crater in 2012 to explore a sedimentary sequence in lower Aeolis Mons (informally known as Mount Sharp)that shows changes in mineralogy from orbital visible/near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy[1]. Sedimentary layers with spectral signatures of hydrated Mg sulfate overly layers with signatures of Fe/Mg smectite, a mineralogical stratigraphy that is seen in other ancient sedimentary rocks across Mars[e.g., 2-4]. Curiosity recently completed its campaign in a valley with a strong orbital signature of smectite, named Glen Torridon. Mineralogical measurements by the CheMin X-ray diffractometer(XRD), complemented by evolved gas analyses by the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument suite, allowed the identification of abundant Fe3+-bearing dioctahedral smectite (i.e., nontronite) in Glen Torridon [5-6]. Curiosity left Glen Torridon in February 2021 and began traversing through a “clay-sulfate transition” zone on the way to the pediment and the sulfate unit[e.g., 7]. This clay-sulfate transition is defined in orbital reflectance spectroscopy as having a weak signature of hydrated Mg sulfate. Curiosity has drilled five outcrops over the traverse through the clay-sulfate transition and delivered the rock powders to CheMin for mineralogical analysis. Here, we report on the mineral assemblages of those five targets derived from CheMin XRD patterns and discuss mineralogical trends as the rover approaches the sulfate unit.

Mars↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Carbon Limited Soils of Iceland: Analogs for Identifying Carbon-Mineral Interactions in Gale Crater, Mars Surface Materials

The Mars Science Laboratory’s Curiosity rover mission to Gale Crater, Mars has a goal to search for organic carbon and corresponding evidence of ancient microbiology preserved in clay mineral-rich sedimentary deposits [1]. No clear correlation of clay mineral (smectite) abundances with the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) carbon detections (up to 2000 ppm C) [2] has been established, suggesting other phases may preserve organic C in martian sediments. Terrestrial volcanic glass soils can accumulate C due to the C-complexing abilities of poorly crystalline Al- and Fe-oxyhydroxides [3]. The Xray amorphous component (20 to 73 wt. %) in Gale Crater materials [4,5] has received little consideration regarding organic C preservation in Gale Crater. The objectives of this work are to 1) Evaluate C content and level of soil development of basaltic glass-bearing Icelandic soils to determine the role that poorly crystalline phases have in complexing organic C in carbon limited soils and 2) Determine if evolved gas analysis (EGA) of well-characterized Mars analog basaltic materials from Iceland can be used to interpret SAM data to understand the nature of organic-C mineral/geochemical associations in Gale materials.

B. Sutter↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Evidence for Partially Chloritized Smectite in Gale Crater, Mars, and Implications for Diagenesis

Phyllosilicates are an important mineral group found in ancient (~3.5-4.1 Gyr old) martian terrains because they are a marker of water-rock interactions and can help constrain aqueous conditions (e.g., pH, salinity, temperature) and, thus, identify habitable environments. Orbital visible/short-wave infrared (VSWIR) data demonstrate that smectite is the most abundant type of phyllosilicate on Mars, followed by chlorite [e.g., 1]. The geologic settings in which phyllosilicates are found provide important clues into their formation. Smectite has been identified in abundances of up to ~30 wt.% in early Hesperian-aged fluvial-lacustrine sedimentary rocks in Gale crater using the CheMin X-ray diffractometer on the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover [e.g., 2-6]. CheMin XRD patterns and evolved water measured by the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument suite show the structure of smectite changes from trioctahedral Fe(II)-bearing smectite at the base of the section to dioctahedral nontronite and montmorillonite ~400 m up section in the Glen Torridon valley where orbital VSWIR show evidence of Fe/Mg smectite. Most of the smectite identified by CheMin is collapsed (i.e., lacking substantial interlayer H2O) based on basal spacings at 10 Å. Fe(II) saponite found in two drill targets at the base of the section in Yellowknife Bay, however, suggest the smectite is expanded. The XRD pattern of the “Cumberland” drill target has a peak at 13.5 Å, whereas the “John Klein” drill target has a peak at 10 Å and a shoulder extending to higher d-spacings (Fig. 1) [2]. A possible explanation for this expanded structure is partial chloritization of the interlayer site caused by the precipitation of small domains of brucite-like sheets [e.g., 7,8]. Here, we synthesize smectite with different degrees of chloritization and analyze the products via XRD, evolved gas analysis (EGA), and VSWIR to determine whether chloritized smectite on Mars can be recognized with these techniques.

E B Rampe↗
NASA NTRS2011

Calibration of the Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer of the Sample Analysis at Mars Instrument Suite

The SAM suite of instruments on the "Curiosity" Rover of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) is designed to provide chemical and isotopic analysis of organic and inorganic volatiles for both atmospheric and solid samples. The mission of the MSL investigations is to advance beyond the successful search for aqueous transformation in surface environments at Mars toward a quantitative assessment of habitability and preservation through a series of chemical and geological measurements. The SAM suite was delivered in December 2010 (Figure 1) to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for integration into the Curiosity Rover. We previously outlined the range of SAM solid and gas calibrations implemented or planned and here we discuss a specific set of calibration experiments to establish the response of the SAM Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer (QMS) to the four most abundant gases in the Martian atmosphere CO2, N2, Ar, and O2, A full SAM instrument description and calibration report is presently in preparation.

Mahaffy, P. R.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Sub-Diurnal Methane Variations on Mars Driven by Barometric Pumping and Planetary Boundary Layer Evolution

In recent years, the Tunable Laser Spectrometer within the Sample Analysis at Mars (TLS-SAM) instrument on board the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity rover has detected methane variations in the atmosphere at Gale crater. Methane concentrations appear to fluctuate seasonally as well as sub-diurnally, which is difficult to reconcile with an as-yet-unknown transport mechanism delivering the gas from underground to the atmosphere. To potentially explain the fluctuations, we consider barometrically induced transport of methane from an underground source to the surface, modulated by temperature-dependent adsorption. The subsurface fractured-rock seepage model is coupled to a simplified 1-D atmospheric mixing model to provide insights on the pattern of atmospheric methane concentrations in response to transient surface methane emissions, as well as to predict sub-diurnal variation in methane abundance for the northern summer period, which is a candidate time frame for a MSL Curiosity sampling campaign. Our analysis suggests that there is a lower limit to the subsurface fracture density that can produce the observed methane patterns, below which the atmospheric methane variations would be out of phase with the observations. The best-performing model scenarios indicate a significant, short-lived methane pulse just prior to sunrise, the detection of which by TLS-SAM would be a potential indicator of the contribution of barometric pumping to Mars' atmospheric methane variations.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗