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Chen F, Ly C, Mikellides I, Bernard D, Cooper M. Mars 2020 Mission Biological Return Sample Contamination Control Approach and Verification. ASTROBIOLOGY 2023; 23:862-879. [PMID: 37584747 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2022.0048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
The Mars 2020 Perseverance rover is equipped with a Sample Caching System (SCS) designed to collect and cache martian core and regolith samples for potential return to Earth. To ensure the integrity of these samples, the mission requirements for each encapsulated sample for return is less than one Earth-sourced viable organism (VO) and more than a 99.9% probability of being free of any Earth-sourced VO. To satisfy the stringent biological contamination requirements in support of return sample science investigations, special bioburden mitigation and reduction approaches were developed and implemented for SCS hardware that would directly contact or be in close proximity to the martian samples. In this study, we describe the implemented approaches for microbiological contamination reduction and mitigation, detail the processes of the SCS aseptic assembly, and report the estimated VO for each returned sample. We found that our conservative estimate of the computed probability of a single VO in the returned sample is more than one order of magnitude lower than the biological contamination requirement while the best estimate exceeds two orders of magnitude.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Chen
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Cynthia Ly
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Ioannis Mikellides
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Douglas Bernard
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Moogega Cooper
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
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2
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Nikitczuk MP, Bebout GE, Geiger CA, Ota T, Kunihiro T, Mustard JF, Halldórsson SA, Nakamura E. Nitrogen Incorporation in Potassic and Micro- and Meso-Porous Minerals: Potential Biogeochemical Records and Targets for Mars Sampling. ASTROBIOLOGY 2022; 22:1293-1309. [PMID: 36074082 PMCID: PMC9618379 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2021.0158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
We measured the N concentrations and isotopic compositions of 44 samples of terrestrial potassic and micro- and meso-porous minerals and a small number of whole-rocks to determine the extent to which N is incorporated and stored during weathering and low-temperature hydrothermal alteration in Mars surface/near-surface environments. The selection of these minerals and other materials was partly guided by the study of altered volcanic glass from Antarctica and Iceland, in which the incorporation of N as NH4+ in phyllosilicates is indicated by correlated concentrations of N and the LILEs (i.e., K, Ba, Rb, Cs), with scatter likely related to the presence of exchanged, occluded/trapped, or encapsulated organic/inorganic N occurring within structural cavities (e.g., in zeolites). The phyllosilicates, zeolites, and sulfates analyzed in this study contain between 0 and 99,120 ppm N and have δ15Nair values of -34‰ to +65‰. Most of these minerals, and the few siliceous hydrothermal deposits that were analyzed, have δ15N consistent with the incorporation of biologically processed N during low-temperature hydrothermal or weathering processes. Secondary ion mass spectrometry on altered hyaloclastites demonstrates the residency of N in smectites and zeolites, and silica. We suggest that geological materials known on Earth to incorporate and store N and known to be abundant at, or near, the surface of Mars should be considered targets for upcoming Mars sample return with the intent to identify any signs of ancient or modern life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew P. Nikitczuk
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Gray E. Bebout
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA
- Pheasant Memorial Laboratory for Geochemistry and Cosmochemistry, Institute for Planetary Materials, Okayama University, Misasa, Japan
| | - Charles A. Geiger
- Universität Salzburg, Fachbereich Chemie und Physik der Materialien, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Tsutomu Ota
- Pheasant Memorial Laboratory for Geochemistry and Cosmochemistry, Institute for Planetary Materials, Okayama University, Misasa, Japan
| | - Takuya Kunihiro
- Pheasant Memorial Laboratory for Geochemistry and Cosmochemistry, Institute for Planetary Materials, Okayama University, Misasa, Japan
| | - John F. Mustard
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Sæmundur A. Halldórsson
- Nordic Volcanological Center, Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Eizo Nakamura
- Pheasant Memorial Laboratory for Geochemistry and Cosmochemistry, Institute for Planetary Materials, Okayama University, Misasa, Japan
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Newman CE, Hueso R, Lemmon MT, Munguira A, Vicente-Retortillo Á, Apestigue V, Martínez GM, Toledo D, Sullivan R, Herkenhoff KE, de la Torre Juárez M, Richardson MI, Stott AE, Murdoch N, Sanchez-Lavega A, Wolff MJ, Arruego I, Sebastián E, Navarro S, Gómez-Elvira J, Tamppari L, Viúdez-Moreiras D, Harri AM, Genzer M, Hieta M, Lorenz RD, Conrad P, Gómez F, McConnochie TH, Mimoun D, Tate C, Bertrand T, Bell JF, Maki JN, Rodriguez-Manfredi JA, Wiens RC, Chide B, Maurice S, Zorzano MP, Mora L, Baker MM, Banfield D, Pla-Garcia J, Beyssac O, Brown A, Clark B, Lepinette A, Montmessin F, Fischer E, Patel P, del Río-Gaztelurrutia T, Fouchet T, Francis R, Guzewich SD. The dynamic atmospheric and aeolian environment of Jezero crater, Mars. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabn3783. [PMID: 35613267 PMCID: PMC9132482 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn3783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Despite the importance of sand and dust to Mars geomorphology, weather, and exploration, the processes that move sand and that raise dust to maintain Mars' ubiquitous dust haze and to produce dust storms have not been well quantified in situ, with missions lacking either the necessary sensors or a sufficiently active aeolian environment. Perseverance rover's novel environmental sensors and Jezero crater's dusty environment remedy this. In Perseverance's first 216 sols, four convective vortices raised dust locally, while, on average, four passed the rover daily, over 25% of which were significantly dusty ("dust devils"). More rarely, dust lifting by nonvortex wind gusts was produced by daytime convection cells advected over the crater by strong regional daytime upslope winds, which also control aeolian surface features. One such event covered 10 times more area than the largest dust devil, suggesting that dust devils and wind gusts could raise equal amounts of dust under nonstorm conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Germán M. Martínez
- Lunar and Planetary Institute, USRA, Houston, TX, USA
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Naomi Murdoch
- ISAE-SUPAERO, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Leslie Tamppari
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory–California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Maria Genzer
- Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Maria Hieta
- Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Pan Conrad
- Carnegie Institution for Science, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | | | - David Mimoun
- ISAE-SUPAERO, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | | | | | | | - Justin N. Maki
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory–California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | | | - Roger C. Wiens
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA
- Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | | | | | | | - Luis Mora
- Centro de Astrobiologia, INTA, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mariah M. Baker
- Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Don Banfield
- Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- NASA Ames, Mountain View, CA, USA
| | - Jorge Pla-Garcia
- Space Science Institute, Boulder, CO, USA
- Centro de Astrobiologia, INTA, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Ben Clark
- Space Science Institute, Boulder, CO, USA
| | | | | | | | - Priyaben Patel
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory–California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
- UCL, London, UK
| | | | | | - Raymond Francis
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory–California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
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Vasavada AR. Mission Overview and Scientific Contributions from the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover After Eight Years of Surface Operations. SPACE SCIENCE REVIEWS 2022; 218:14. [PMID: 35399614 PMCID: PMC8981195 DOI: 10.1007/s11214-022-00882-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission, with its Curiosity rover, has been exploring Gale crater (5.4° S, 137.8° E) since 2012 with the goal of assessing the potential of Mars to support life. The mission has compiled compelling evidence that the crater basin accumulated sediment transported by marginal rivers into lakes that likely persisted for millions of years approximately 3.6 Ga ago in the early Hesperian. Geochemical and mineralogical assessments indicate that environmental conditions within this timeframe would have been suitable for sustaining life, if it ever were present. Fluids simultaneously circulated in the subsurface and likely existed through the dry phases of lake bed exposure and aeolian deposition, conceivably creating a continuously habitable subsurface environment that persisted to less than 3 Ga in the early Amazonian. A diversity of organic molecules has been preserved, though degraded, with evidence for more complex precursors. Solid samples show highly variable isotopic abundances of sulfur, chlorine, and carbon. In situ studies of modern wind-driven sediment transport and multiple large and active aeolian deposits have led to advances in understanding bedform development and the initiation of saltation. Investigation of the modern atmosphere and environment has improved constraints on the timing and magnitude of atmospheric loss, revealed the presence of methane and the crater's influence on local meteorology, and provided measurements of high-energy radiation at Mars' surface in preparation for future crewed missions. Rover systems and science instruments remain capable of addressing all key scientific objectives. Emphases on advance planning, flexibility, operations support work, and team culture have allowed the mission team to maintain a high level of productivity in spite of declining rover power and funding. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11214-022-00882-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashwin R. Vasavada
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
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Vakkada Ramachandran A, Zorzano MP, Martín-Torres J. Experimental Investigation of the Atmosphere-Regolith Water Cycle on Present-Day Mars. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 21:7421. [PMID: 34770727 PMCID: PMC8588207 DOI: 10.3390/s21217421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The water content of the upper layers of the surface of Mars is not yet quantified. Laboratory simulations are the only feasible way to investigate this in a controlled way on Earth, and then compare it with remote and in situ observations of spacecrafts on Mars. Describing the processes that may induce changes in the water content of the surface is critical to determine the present-day habitability of the Martian surface, to understand the atmospheric water cycle, and to estimate the efficiency of future water extraction procedures from the regolith for In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU). This paper illustrates the application of the SpaceQ facility to simulate the near-surface water cycle under Martian conditions. Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) observations at Gale crater show a non-equilibrium situation in the atmospheric H2O volume mixing ratio (VMR) at night-time, and there is a decrease in the atmospheric water content by up to 15 g/m2 within a few hours. This reduction suggests that the ground may act at night as a cold sink scavenging atmospheric water. Here, we use an experimental approach to investigate the thermodynamic and kinetics of water exchange between the atmosphere, a non-porous surface (LN2-chilled metal), various salts, Martian regolith simulant, and mixtures of salts and simulant within an environment which is close to saturation. We have conducted three experiments: the stability of pure liquid water around the vicinity of the triple point is studied in experiment 1, as well as observing the interchange of water between the atmosphere and the salts when the surface is saturated; in experiment 2, the salts were mixed with Mojave Martian Simulant (MMS) to observe changes in the texture of the regolith caused by the interaction with hydrates and liquid brines, and to quantify the potential of the Martian regolith to absorb and retain water; and experiment 3 investigates the evaporation of pure liquid water away from the triple point temperature when both the air and ground are at the same temperature and the relative humidity is near saturation. We show experimentally that frost can form spontaneously on a surface when saturation is reached and that, when the temperature is above 273.15 K (0 °C), this frost can transform into liquid water, which can persist for up to 3.5 to 4.5 h at Martian surface conditions. For comparison, we study the behavior of certain deliquescent salts that exist on the Martian surface, which can increase their mass between 32% and 85% by absorption of atmospheric water within a few hours. A mixture of these salts in a 10% concentration with simulant produces an aggregated granular structure with a water gain of approximately 18- to 50-wt%. Up to 53% of the atmospheric water was captured by the simulated ground, as pure liquid water, hydrate, or brine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhilash Vakkada Ramachandran
- Group of Atmospheric Science, Department of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, 97187 Luleå, Sweden
| | - María-Paz Zorzano
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, Spain;
- School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3FX, UK;
| | - Javier Martín-Torres
- School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3FX, UK;
- Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra (CSIC-UGR), 18100 Granada, Spain
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6
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Complex Brines and Their Implications for Habitability. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11080847. [PMID: 34440591 PMCID: PMC8398403 DOI: 10.3390/life11080847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
There is evidence that life on Earth originated in cold saline waters around scorching hydrothermal vents, and that similar conditions might exist or have existed on Mars, Europa, Ganymede, Enceladus, and other worlds. Could potentially habitable complex brines with extremely low freezing temperatures exist in the shallow subsurface of these frigid worlds? Earth, Mars, and carbonaceous chondrites have similar bulk elemental abundances, but while the Earth is depleted in the most volatile elements, the Icy Worlds of the outer solar system are expected to be rich in them. The cooling of ionic solutions containing substances that likely exist in the Icy Worlds could form complex brines with the lowest eutectic temperature possible for the compounds available in them. Indeed, here, we show observational and theoretical evidence that even elements present in trace amounts in nature are concentrated by freeze–thaw cycles, and therefore contribute significantly to the formation of brine reservoirs that remain liquid throughout the year in some of the coldest places on Earth. This is interesting because the eutectic temperature of water–ammonia solutions can be as low as ~160 K, and significant fractions of the mass of the Icy Worlds are estimated to be water substance and ammonia. Thus, briny solutions with eutectic temperature of at least ~160 K could have formed where, historically, temperature have oscillated above and below ~160 K. We conclude that complex brines must exist in the shallow subsurface of Mars and the Icy Worlds, and that liquid saline water should be present where ice has existed, the temperature is above ~160 K, and evaporation and sublimation have been inhibited.
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7
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Rodriguez-Manfredi JA, de la Torre Juárez M, Alonso A, Apéstigue V, Arruego I, Atienza T, Banfield D, Boland J, Carrera MA, Castañer L, Ceballos J, Chen-Chen H, Cobos A, Conrad PG, Cordoba E, del Río-Gaztelurrutia T, de Vicente-Retortillo A, Domínguez-Pumar M, Espejo S, Fairen AG, Fernández-Palma A, Ferrándiz R, Ferri F, Fischer E, García-Manchado A, García-Villadangos M, Genzer M, Giménez S, Gómez-Elvira J, Gómez F, Guzewich SD, Harri AM, Hernández CD, Hieta M, Hueso R, Jaakonaho I, Jiménez JJ, Jiménez V, Larman A, Leiter R, Lepinette A, Lemmon MT, López G, Madsen SN, Mäkinen T, Marín M, Martín-Soler J, Martínez G, Molina A, Mora-Sotomayor L, Moreno-Álvarez JF, Navarro S, Newman CE, Ortega C, Parrondo MC, Peinado V, Peña A, Pérez-Grande I, Pérez-Hoyos S, Pla-García J, Polkko J, Postigo M, Prieto-Ballesteros O, Rafkin SCR, Ramos M, Richardson MI, Romeral J, Romero C, Runyon KD, Saiz-Lopez A, Sánchez-Lavega A, Sard I, Schofield JT, Sebastian E, Smith MD, Sullivan RJ, Tamppari LK, Thompson AD, Toledo D, Torrero F, Torres J, Urquí R, Velasco T, Viúdez-Moreiras D, Zurita S. The Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer, MEDA. A Suite of Environmental Sensors for the Mars 2020 Mission. SPACE SCIENCE REVIEWS 2021; 217:48. [PMID: 34776548 PMCID: PMC8550605 DOI: 10.1007/s11214-021-00816-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
NASA's Mars 2020 (M2020) rover mission includes a suite of sensors to monitor current environmental conditions near the surface of Mars and to constrain bulk aerosol properties from changes in atmospheric radiation at the surface. The Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer (MEDA) consists of a set of meteorological sensors including wind sensor, a barometer, a relative humidity sensor, a set of 5 thermocouples to measure atmospheric temperature at ∼1.5 m and ∼0.5 m above the surface, a set of thermopiles to characterize the thermal IR brightness temperatures of the surface and the lower atmosphere. MEDA adds a radiation and dust sensor to monitor the optical atmospheric properties that can be used to infer bulk aerosol physical properties such as particle size distribution, non-sphericity, and concentration. The MEDA package and its scientific purpose are described in this document as well as how it responded to the calibration tests and how it helps prepare for the human exploration of Mars. A comparison is also presented to previous environmental monitoring payloads landed on Mars on the Viking, Pathfinder, Phoenix, MSL, and InSight spacecraft.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - V. Apéstigue
- Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA), Madrid, Spain
| | - I. Arruego
- Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA), Madrid, Spain
| | - T. Atienza
- Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña, Barcelona, Spain
| | - D. Banfield
- Cornell Center for Astrophysics and Planetary Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY USA
| | - J. Boland
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory/California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | | | - L. Castañer
- Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña, Barcelona, Spain
| | - J. Ceballos
- Instituto de Microelectrónica de Sevilla (US-CSIC), Seville, Spain
| | - H. Chen-Chen
- Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), Bilbao, Spain
| | - A. Cobos
- CRISA-Airbus, Tres Cantos, Spain
| | | | - E. Cordoba
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory/California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | | | | | | | - S. Espejo
- Instituto de Microelectrónica de Sevilla (US-CSIC), Seville, Spain
| | - A. G. Fairen
- Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - R. Ferrándiz
- Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - F. Ferri
- Università degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - E. Fischer
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI USA
| | | | | | - M. Genzer
- Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, Finland
| | - S. Giménez
- Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - J. Gómez-Elvira
- Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA), Madrid, Spain
| | - F. Gómez
- Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - A.-M. Harri
- Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, Finland
| | - C. D. Hernández
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory/California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - M. Hieta
- Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, Finland
| | - R. Hueso
- Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), Bilbao, Spain
| | - I. Jaakonaho
- Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, Finland
| | - J. J. Jiménez
- Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA), Madrid, Spain
| | - V. Jiménez
- Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña, Barcelona, Spain
| | - A. Larman
- Added-Value-Solutions, Elgoibar, Spain
| | - R. Leiter
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory/California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - A. Lepinette
- Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - G. López
- Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña, Barcelona, Spain
| | - S. N. Madsen
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory/California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - T. Mäkinen
- Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, Finland
| | - M. Marín
- Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - G. Martínez
- Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, TX USA
| | - A. Molina
- Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - S. Navarro
- Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - C. Ortega
- Added-Value-Solutions, Elgoibar, Spain
| | - M. C. Parrondo
- Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA), Madrid, Spain
| | - V. Peinado
- Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - A. Peña
- CRISA-Airbus, Tres Cantos, Spain
| | | | | | | | - J. Polkko
- Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, Finland
| | - M. Postigo
- Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - M. Ramos
- Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
| | | | - J. Romeral
- Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - C. Romero
- Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - A. Saiz-Lopez
- Dept. of Atmospheric Chemistry and Climate, Institute of Physical Chemistry Rocasolano, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - I. Sard
- Added-Value-Solutions, Elgoibar, Spain
| | - J. T. Schofield
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory/California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - E. Sebastian
- Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - M. D. Smith
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD USA
| | - R. J. Sullivan
- Cornell Center for Astrophysics and Planetary Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY USA
| | - L. K. Tamppari
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory/California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - A. D. Thompson
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory/California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - D. Toledo
- Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - J. Torres
- Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - R. Urquí
- Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - S. Zurita
- Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - The MEDA team
- Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory/California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
- CRISA-Airbus, Tres Cantos, Spain
- Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA), Madrid, Spain
- Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña, Barcelona, Spain
- Cornell Center for Astrophysics and Planetary Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY USA
- Added-Value-Solutions, Elgoibar, Spain
- Instituto de Microelectrónica de Sevilla (US-CSIC), Seville, Spain
- Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), Bilbao, Spain
- Carnegie Institution, Washington, DC USA
- Università degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI USA
- Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, Finland
- Space Science Institute, Boulder, CO USA
- Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, TX USA
- Aeolis Corporation, Sierra Madre, CA USA
- Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO USA
- Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
- John Hopkins APL, Laurel, MD USA
- Dept. of Atmospheric Chemistry and Climate, Institute of Physical Chemistry Rocasolano, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD USA
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8
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Chevrier VF, Rivera-Valentín EG, Soto A, Altheide TS. Global Temporal and Geographic Stability of Brines on Present-day Mars. THE PLANETARY SCIENCE JOURNAL 2020; 1:64. [PMID: 34647027 PMCID: PMC8507180 DOI: 10.3847/psj/abbc14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
We combine experimentally verified constraints on brine thermodynamics along with a global circulation model to develop a new extensive framework of brine stability on the surface and subsurface of Mars. Our work considers all major phase changes (i.e., evaporation, freezing, and boiling) and is consistent, regardless of brine composition, so it is applicable to any brine relevant to Mars. We find that equatorial regions typically have temperatures too high for stable brines, while high latitudes are susceptible to permanent freezing. In the subsurface, this trend is reversed, and equatorial regions are more favorable to brine stability, but only for the lowest water activities (and lowest eutectic temperatures). At locations where brines may be stable, we find that their lifetimes can be characterized by two regimes. Above a water activity of ~0.6, brine duration is dominated by evaporation, lasting at most a few minutes per sol. Below a water activity of 0.6, brine duration is bound by freezing or boiling; such brines are potentially stable for up to several consecutive hours per sol. Our work suggests that brines should not be expected near or on the Martian surface, except for low eutectic water activity salts such as calcium or magnesium perchlorate or chlorate, and their (meta)stability on the surface would require contact with atmospheric water vapor or local ice deposits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent F Chevrier
- Arkansas Center for Space and Planetary Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | | | | | - Travis S Altheide
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Eastern Kentucky University, 219 Dizney Building, 521 Lancaster Avenue, Richmond, KY 40475, USA
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Vakkada Ramachandran A, Nazarious MI, Mathanlal T, Zorzano MP, Martín-Torres J. Space Environmental Chamber for Planetary Studies. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2020; 20:E3996. [PMID: 32708384 PMCID: PMC7412122 DOI: 10.3390/s20143996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
We describe a versatile simulation chamber that operates under representative space conditions (pressures from < 10-5 mbar to ambient and temperatures from 163 to 423 K), the SpaceQ chamber. This chamber allows to test instrumentation, procedures, and materials and evaluate their performance when exposed to outgassing, thermal vacuum, low temperatures, baking, dry heat microbial reduction (DHMR) sterilization protocols, and water. The SpaceQ is a cubical stainless-steel chamber of 27,000 cm3 with a door of aluminum. The chamber has a table which can be cooled using liquid nitrogen. The chamber walls can be heated (for outgassing, thermal vacuum, or dry heat applications) using an outer jacket. The chamber walls include two viewports and 12 utility ports (KF, CF, and Swagelok connectors). It has sensors for temperature, relative humidity, and pressure, a UV-VIS-NIR spectrometer, a UV irradiation lamp that operates within the chamber as well as a stainless-steel syringe for water vapor injection, and USB, DB-25 ports to read the data from the instruments while being tested inside. This facility has been specifically designed for investigating the effect of water on the Martian surface. The core novelties of this chamber are: (1) its ability to simulate the Martian near-surface water cycle by injecting water multiple times into the chamber through a syringe which allows to control and monitor precisely the initial relative humidity inside with a sensor that can operate from vacuum to Martian pressures and (2) the availability of a high-intensity UV lamp, operating from vacuum to Martian pressures, within the chamber, which can be used to test material curation, the role of the production of atmospheric radicals, and the degradation of certain products like polymers and organics. For illustration, here we present some applications of the SpaceQ chamber at simulated Martian conditions with and without atmospheric water to (i) calibrate the ground temperature sensor of the Engineering Qualification Model of HABIT (HabitAbility: Brines, Irradiation and Temperature) instrument, which is a part of ExoMars 2022 mission. These tests demonstrate that the overall accuracy of the temperature retrieval at a temperature between -50 and 10 °C is within 1.3 °C and (ii) investigate the curation of composite materials of Martian soil simulant and binders, with added water, under Martian surface conditions under dry and humid conditions. Our studies have demonstrated that the regolith, when mixed with super absorbent polymer (SAP), water, and binders exposed to Martian conditions, can form a solid block and retain more than 80% of the added water, which may be of interest to screen radiation while maintaining a low weight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhilash Vakkada Ramachandran
- Department of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, 97187 Luleå, Sweden
| | - Miracle Israel Nazarious
- Department of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, 97187 Luleå, Sweden
| | - Thasshwin Mathanlal
- Department of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, 97187 Luleå, Sweden
| | - María-Paz Zorzano
- Department of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, 97187 Luleå, Sweden
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, Spain
- School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3FX, UK
| | - Javier Martín-Torres
- Department of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, 97187 Luleå, Sweden
- School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3FX, UK
- Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra (CSIC-UGR), 18100 Granada, Spain
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10
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Fischer E, Martínez GM, Rennó NO, Tamppari LK, Zent AP. Relative Humidity on Mars: New Results From the Phoenix TECP Sensor. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH. PLANETS 2019; 124:2780-2792. [PMID: 32025455 PMCID: PMC6988475 DOI: 10.1029/2019je006080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2019] [Revised: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
In situ measurements of relative humidity (RH) on Mars have only been performed by the Phoenix (PHX) and Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) missions. Here we present results of our recalibration of the PHX thermal and electrical conductivity probe (TECP) RH sensor. This recalibration was conducted using a TECP engineering model subjected to the full range of environmental conditions at the PHX landing site in the Michigan Mars Environmental Chamber. The experiments focused on the warmest and driest conditions (daytime) because they were not covered in the original calibration (Zent et al., 2010, https://doi.org/10.1029/2009JE003420) and previous recalibration (Zent et al., 2016, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JE004933). In nighttime conditions, our results are in excellent agreement with the previous 2016 recalibration, while in daytime conditions, our results show larger water vapor pressure values. We obtain vapor pressure values in the range ~0.005-1.4 Pa, while Zent et al. (2016, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JE004933) obtain values in the range ~0.004-0.4 Pa. Our higher daytime values are in better agreement with independent estimates from the ground by the PHX Surface Stereo Imager instrument and from orbit by Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars. Our results imply larger day-to-night ratios of water vapor pressure at PHX compared to MSL, suggesting a stronger atmosphere-regolith interchange in the Martian arctic than at lower latitudes. Further, they indicate that brine formation at the PHX landing site via deliquescence can be achieved only temporarily between midnight and 6 a.m. on a few sols. The results from our recalibration are important because they shed light on the near-surface humidity environment on Mars.
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Affiliation(s)
- E. Fischer
- Department of Climate and Space Sciences and EngineeringUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
| | - G. M. Martínez
- Department of Climate and Space Sciences and EngineeringUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
- Lunar and Planetary InstituteUniversities Space Research AssociationHoustonTXUSA
| | - N. O. Rennó
- Department of Climate and Space Sciences and EngineeringUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
| | - L. K. Tamppari
- Jet Propulsion LaboratoryCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
| | - A. P. Zent
- NASA Ames Research CenterMountain ViewCAUSA
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11
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Heinz J, Waajen AC, Airo A, Alibrandi A, Schirmack J, Schulze-Makuch D. Bacterial Growth in Chloride and Perchlorate Brines: Halotolerances and Salt Stress Responses of Planococcus halocryophilus. ASTROBIOLOGY 2019; 19:1377-1387. [PMID: 31386567 PMCID: PMC6818489 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2019.2069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Extraterrestrial environments encompass physicochemical conditions and habitats that are unknown on Earth, such as perchlorate-rich brines that can be at least temporarily stable on the martian surface. To better understand the potential for life in these cold briny environments, we determined the maximum salt concentrations suitable for growth (MSCg) of six different chloride and perchlorate salts at 25°C and 4°C for the extremotolerant cold- and salt-adapted bacterial strain Planococcus halocryophilus. Growth was measured through colony-forming unit (CFU) counts, while cellular and colonial phenotypic stress responses were observed through visible light, fluorescence, and scanning electron microscopy. Our data show the following: (1) The tolerance to high salt concentrations can be increased through a stepwise inoculation toward higher concentrations. (2) Ion-specific factors are more relevant for the growth limitation of P. halocryophilus in saline solutions than single physicochemical parameters like ionic strength or water activity. (3) P. halocryophilus shows the highest microbial sodium perchlorate tolerance described so far. However, (4) MSCg values are higher for all chlorides compared to perchlorates. (5) The MSCg for calcium chloride was increased by lowering the temperature from 25°C to 4°C, while sodium- and magnesium-containing salts can be tolerated at 25°C to higher concentrations than at 4°C. (6) Depending on salt type and concentration, P. halocryophilus cells show distinct phenotypic stress responses such as novel types of colony morphology on agar plates and biofilm-like cell clustering, encrustation, and development of intercellular nanofilaments. This study, taken in context with previous work on the survival of extremophiles in Mars-like environments, suggests that high-concentrated perchlorate brines on Mars might not be habitable to any present organism on Earth, but extremophilic microorganisms might be able to evolve thriving in such environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Heinz
- Center of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrobiology Research Group, Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Annemiek C. Waajen
- Center of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrobiology Research Group, Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Alessandro Airo
- Center of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrobiology Research Group, Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Armando Alibrandi
- Center of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrobiology Research Group, Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Janosch Schirmack
- Center of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrobiology Research Group, Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Dirk Schulze-Makuch
- Center of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrobiology Research Group, Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- School of the Environment, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
- GFZ German Center for Geoscience, Section Geomicrobiology, Potsdam, Germany
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Department of Experimental Limnology, Stechlin, Germany
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12
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Viúdez-Moreiras D, Newman CE, de la Torre M, Martínez G, Guzewich S, Lemmon M, Pla-García J, Smith MD, Harri AM, Genzer M, Vicente-Retortillo A, Lepinette A, Rodriguez-Manfredi JA, Vasavada AR, Gómez-Elvira J. Effects of the MY34/2018 Global Dust Storm as Measured by MSL REMS in Gale Crater. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH. PLANETS 2019; 124:1899-1912. [PMID: 31534881 PMCID: PMC6750032 DOI: 10.1029/2019je005985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 06/19/2019] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) instrument that is onboard NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity rover. REMS has been measuring surface pressure, air and ground brightness temperature, relative humidity, and UV irradiance since MSL's landing in 2012. In Mars Year (MY) 34 (2018) a global dust storm reached Gale Crater at Ls ~190°. REMS offers a unique opportunity to better understand the impact of a global dust storm on local environmental conditions, which complements previous observations by the Viking landers and Mars Exploration Rovers. All atmospheric variables measured by REMS are strongly affected albeit at different times. During the onset phase, the daily maximum UV radiation decreased by 90% between sols 2075 (opacity ~1) and 2085 (opacity ~8.5). The diurnal range in ground and air temperatures decreased by 35K and 56K, respectively, with also a diurnal-average decrease of ~2K and 4K respectively. The maximum relative humidity, which occurs right before sunrise, decreased to below 5%, compared with pre-storm values of up to 29%, due to the warmer air temperatures at night while the inferred water vapor abundance suggests an increase during the storm. Between sols 2085 and 2130, the typical nighttime stable inversion layer was absent near the surface as ground temperatures remained warmer than near-surface air temperatures. Finally, the frequency-domain behavior of the diurnal pressure cycle shows a strong increase in the strength of the semidiurnal and terdiurnal modes peaking after the local opacity maximum, also suggesting differences in the dust abundance inside and outside Gale.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Viúdez-Moreiras
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA) & Spanish National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA), Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain
| | - C E Newman
- Aeolis Research, 600 N. Rosemead Ave., Suite 205, Pasadena, CA 91106, USA
| | - M de la Torre
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - G Martínez
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - S Guzewich
- NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - M Lemmon
- Space Science Institute, College Station, TX 77843 USA
| | - J Pla-García
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA) & Spanish National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA), Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain
| | - M D Smith
- NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - A-M Harri
- Earth Observation, Finnish Meteorological Institute, Erik Palménin aukio, Helsinki, Finland
| | - M Genzer
- Earth Observation, Finnish Meteorological Institute, Erik Palménin aukio, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - A Lepinette
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA) & Spanish National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA), Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain
| | - J A Rodriguez-Manfredi
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA) & Spanish National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA), Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain
| | - A R Vasavada
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - J Gómez-Elvira
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA) & Spanish National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA), Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain
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13
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Rivera-Valentín EG, Gough RV, Chevrier VF, Primm KM, Martínez GM, Tolbert M. Constraining the Potential Liquid Water Environment at Gale Crater, Mars. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH. PLANETS 2018; 123:1156-1167. [PMID: 33294305 PMCID: PMC7720553 DOI: 10.1002/2018je005558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2018] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) has now made continuous in situ meteorological measurements for several Martian years at Gale crater, Mars. Of importance in the search for liquid formation are REMS' measurements of ground temperature and in-air measurements of temperature and relative humidity, which is with respect to ice. Such data can constrain the surface and subsurface stability of brines. Here we use updated calibrations to REMS data and consistent relative humidity comparisons (i.e., with respect to liquid versus with respect to ice) to investigate the potential formation of surface and subsurface liquids throughout MSL's traverse. We specifically study the potential for the deliquescence of calcium perchlorate. Our data analysis suggests that surface brine formation is not favored within the first 1648 sols as there are only two times (sols 1232 and 1311) when humidity-temperature conditions were within error consistent with a liquid phase. On the other hand, modeling of the subsurface environment would support brine production in the shallow subsurface. Indeed, we find that the shallow subsurface for terrains with low thermal inertia (Γ ≲ 300 J m-2 K-1 s-1/2) may be occasionally favorable to brine formation through deliquescence. Terrains with Γ ≲ 175 J m-2 K-1 s-1/2 and albedos of ≳0.25 are the most apt to subsurface brine formation. Should brines form, they would occur around Ls 100°. Their predicted properties would not meet the Special nor Uncertain Region requirements, as such they would not be potential habitable environments to life as we know it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edgard G Rivera-Valentín
- Arecibo Observatory, Universities Space Research Association, Arecibo, PR, USA
- Lunar and Planetary Institute, Universities Space Research Association, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Raina V Gough
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Vincent F Chevrier
- Arkansas Center for Space and Planetary Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA
| | - Katherine M Primm
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - German M Martínez
- Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Margaret Tolbert
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
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14
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de la Torre Noetzel R, Miller AZ, de la Rosa JM, Pacelli C, Onofri S, García Sancho L, Cubero B, Lorek A, Wolter D, de Vera JP. Cellular Responses of the Lichen Circinaria gyrosa in Mars-Like Conditions. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:308. [PMID: 29556220 PMCID: PMC5845166 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2017] [Accepted: 02/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Lichens are extremely resistant organisms that colonize harsh climatic areas, some of them defined as "Mars-analog sites." There still remain many unsolved questions as to how lichens survive under such extreme conditions. Several studies have been performed to test the resistance of various lichen species under space and in simulated Mars-like conditions. The results led to the proposal that Circinaria gyrosa (Lecanoromycetes, Ascomycota) is one of the most durable astrobiological model lichens. However, although C. gyrosa has been exposed to Mars-like environmental conditions while in a latent state, it has not been exposed in its physiologically active mode. We hypothesize that the astrobiological test system "Circinaria gyrosa," could be able to be physiologically active and to survive under Mars-like conditions in a simulation chamber, based on previous studies performed at dessicated-dormant stage under simulated Mars-like conditions, that showed a complete recover of the PSII activity (Sánchez et al., 2012). Epifluorescence and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) showed that living algal cells were more abundant in samples exposed to niche conditions, which simulated the conditions in micro-fissures and micro-caves close to the surface that have limited scattered or time-dependent light exposure, than in samples exposed to full UV radiation. The medulla was not structurally affected, suggesting that the niche exposure conditions did not disturb the lichen thalli structure and morphology as revealed by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). In addition, changes in the lichen thalli chemical composition were determined by analytical pyrolysis. The chromatograms resulting from analytical pyrolysis at 500°C revealed that lichen samples exposed to niche conditions and full UV radiation consisted primarily of glycosidic compounds, lipids, and sterols, which are typical constituents of the cell walls. However, specific differences could be detected and used as markers of the UV-induced damage to the lichen membranes. Based on its viability responses after rehydration, our study shows that the test lichen survived the 30-day incubation in the Mars chamber particularly under niche conditions. However, the photobiont was not able to photosynthesize under the Mars-like conditions, which indicates that the surface of Mars is not a habitable place for C. gyrosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa de la Torre Noetzel
- Departamento de Observación de la Tierra, Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Z Miller
- Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Sevilla, Spain
| | - José M de la Rosa
- Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Claudia Pacelli
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Silvano Onofri
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
| | | | - Beatriz Cubero
- Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Andreas Lorek
- German Aerospace Center (DLR) Berlin, Institute of Planetary Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - David Wolter
- German Aerospace Center (DLR) Berlin, Institute of Planetary Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jean P de Vera
- German Aerospace Center (DLR) Berlin, Institute of Planetary Research, Berlin, Germany
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15
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Sklute EC, Rogers AD, Gregerson JC, Jensen HB, Reeder RJ, Dyar MD. Amorphous salts formed from rapid dehydration of multicomponent chloride and ferric sulfate brines: Implications for Mars. ICARUS 2018; 302:285-295. [PMID: 29670302 PMCID: PMC5901898 DOI: 10.1016/j.icarus.2017.11.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Salts with high hydration states have the potential to maintain high levels of relative humidity (RH) in the near subsurface of Mars, even at moderate temperatures. These conditions could promote deliquescence of lower hydrates of ferric sulfate, chlorides, and other salts. Previous work on deliquesced ferric sulfates has shown that when these materials undergo rapid dehydration, such as that which would occur upon exposure to present day Martian surface conditions, an amorphous phase forms. However, the fate of deliquesced halides or mixed ferric sulfate-bearing brines are presently unknown. Here we present results of rapid dehydration experiments on Ca-, Na-, Mg- and Fe-chloride brines and multi-component (Fe2 (SO4)3 ± Ca, Na, Mg, Fe, Cl, HCO3) brines at ∼21°C, and characterize the dehydration products using visible/near-infrared (VNIR) reflectance spectroscopy, mid-infrared attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. We find that rapid dehydration of many multicomponent brines can form amorphous solids or solids with an amorphous component, and that the presence of other elements affects the persistence of the amorphous phase under RH fluctuations. Of the pure chloride brines, only Fe-chloride formed an amorphous solid. XRD patterns of the multicomponent amorphous salts show changes in position, shape, and magnitude of the characteristic diffuse scattering observed in all amorphous materials that could be used to help constrain the composition of the amorphous salt. Amorphous salts deliquesce at lower RH values compared to their crystalline counterparts, opening up the possibility of their role in potential deliquescence-related geologic phenomena such as recurring slope lineae (RSLs) or soil induration. This work suggests that a wide range of aqueous mixed salt solutions can lead to the formation of amorphous salts and are possible for Mars; detailed studies of the formation mechanisms, stability and transformation behaviors of amorphous salts are necessary to further constrain their contribution to Martian surface materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth C. Sklute
- Department of Astronomy, Mount Holyoke College, 50 College St., South Hadley, MA 01075, USA
| | - A. Deanne Rogers
- Department of Geoscience, Stony Brook University, 255 Earth and Space Science Building, Stony Brook, NY 11794-2100, USA
| | - Jason C. Gregerson
- Department of Geoscience, Stony Brook University, 255 Earth and Space Science Building, Stony Brook, NY 11794-2100, USA
| | - Heidi B. Jensen
- Department of Geoscience, Stony Brook University, 255 Earth and Space Science Building, Stony Brook, NY 11794-2100, USA
| | - Richard J. Reeder
- Department of Geoscience, Stony Brook University, 255 Earth and Space Science Building, Stony Brook, NY 11794-2100, USA
| | - M. Darby Dyar
- Department of Astronomy, Mount Holyoke College, 50 College St., South Hadley, MA 01075, USA
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16
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Newman CE, Gómez-Elvira J, Marin M, Navarro S, Torres J, Richardson MI, Battalio JM, Guzewich SD, Sullivan R, de la Torre M, Vasavada AR, Bridges NT. Winds measured by the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) during the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover's Bagnold Dunes Campaign and comparison with numerical modeling using MarsWRF. ICARUS 2017; 291:203-231. [PMID: 30393391 PMCID: PMC6208171 DOI: 10.1016/j.icarus.2016.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
A high density of REMS wind measurements were collected in three science investigations during MSL's Bagnold Dunes Campaign, which took place over ~80 sols around southern winter solstice (Ls~90°) and constituted the first in situ analysis of the environmental conditions, morphology, structure, and composition of an active dune field on Mars. The Wind Characterization Investigation was designed to Available online 14 December 2016 fully characterize the near-surface wind field just outside the dunes and confirmed the primarily upslope/downslope flow expected from theory and modeling of the circulation on the slopes of Aeolis Mons in this season. The basic pattern of winds is 'upslope' (from the northwest, heading up Aeolis Mons) during the daytime (~09:00-17:00 or 18:00) and 'downslope' (from the southeast, heading down Aeolis Mons) at night (~20:00 to some time before 08:00). Between these times the wind rotates largely clockwise, giving generally westerly winds mid-morning and easterly winds in the early evening. The timings of these direction changes are relatively consistent from sol to sol; however, the wind direction and speed at any given time shows considerable intersol variability. This pattern and timing is similar to predictions from the MarsWRF numerical model, run at a resolution of ~490 m in this region, although the model predicts the upslope winds to have a stronger component from the E than the W, misses a wind speed peak at ~09:00, and under-predicts the strength of daytime wind speeds by ~2-4 m/s. The Namib Dune Lee Investigation reveals 'blocking' of northerly winds by the dune, leaving primarily a westerly component to the daytime winds, and also shows a broadening of the 1 Hz wind speed distribution likely associated with lee turbulence. The Namib Dune Side Investigation measured primarily daytime winds at the side of the same dune, in support of aeolian change detection experiments designed to put limits on the saltation threshold, and also appears to show the influence of the dune body on the local flow, though less clearly than in the lee. Using a vertical grid with lower resolution near the surface reduces the relative strength of nighttime winds predicted by MarsWRF and produces a peak in wind speed at ~09:00, improving the match to the observed diurnal variation of wind speed, albeit with an offset in magnitude. The annual wind field predicted using this grid also provides a far better match to observations of aeolian dune morphology and motion in the Bagnold Dunes. However, the lower overall wind speeds than observed and disagreement with the observed wind direction at ~09:00 suggest that the problem has not been solved and that alternative boundary layer mixing schemes should be explored which may result in more mixing of momentum down to the near-surface from higher layers. These results demonstrate a strong need for in situ wind data to constrain the setup and assumptions used in numerical models, so that they may be used with more confidence to predict the circulation at other times and locations on Mars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire E. Newman
- Aeolis Research, Pasadena, CA 91107, USA
- Corresponding author: (C.E. Newman)
| | | | - Mercedes Marin
- Centro de AAstrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sara Navarro
- Centro de AAstrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain
| | - Josefina Torres
- Centro de AAstrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | | | | | - Manuel de la Torre
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - Ashwin R. Vasavada
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - Nathan T. Bridges
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723, USA
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Hu R, Bloom AA, Gao P, Miller CE, Yung YL. Hypotheses for Near-Surface Exchange of Methane on Mars. ASTROBIOLOGY 2016; 16:539-550. [PMID: 27315136 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2015.1410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED The Curiosity rover recently detected a background of 0.7 ppb and spikes of 7 ppb of methane on Mars. This in situ measurement reorients our understanding of the martian environment and its potential for life, as the current theories do not entail any geological source or sink of methane that varies sub-annually. In particular, the 10-fold elevation during the southern winter indicates episodic sources of methane that are yet to be discovered. Here we suggest a near-surface reservoir could explain this variability. Using the temperature and humidity measurements from the rover, we find that perchlorate salts in the regolith deliquesce to form liquid solutions, and deliquescence progresses to deeper subsurface in the season of the methane spikes. We therefore formulate the following three testable hypotheses. The first scenario is that the regolith in Gale Crater adsorbs methane when dry and releases this methane to the atmosphere upon deliquescence. The adsorption energy needs to be 36 kJ mol(-1) to explain the magnitude of the methane spikes, higher than existing laboratory measurements. The second scenario is that microorganisms convert organic matter in the soil to methane when they are in liquid solutions. This scenario does not require regolith adsorption but entails extant life on Mars. The third scenario is that deep subsurface aquifers produce the bursts of methane. Continued in situ measurements of methane and water, as well as laboratory studies of adsorption and deliquescence, will test these hypotheses and inform the existence of the near-surface reservoir and its exchange with the atmosphere. KEY WORDS Mars-Methane-Astrobiology-Regolith. Astrobiology 16, 539-550.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renyu Hu
- 1 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, California
- 2 Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, California
| | - A Anthony Bloom
- 1 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, California
| | - Peter Gao
- 2 Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, California
| | - Charles E Miller
- 1 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, California
| | - Yuk L Yung
- 1 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, California
- 2 Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, California
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Sklute EC, Jensen HB, Rogers AD, Reeder RJ. Morphological, structural, and spectral characteristics of amorphous iron sulfates. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH. PLANETS 2015; 120:809-830. [PMID: 29675340 PMCID: PMC5903680 DOI: 10.1002/2014je004784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Current or past brine hydrologic activity on Mars may provide suitable conditions for the formation of amorphous ferric sulfates. Once formed, these phases would likely be stable under current Martian conditions, particularly at low- to mid-latitudes. Therefore, we consider amorphous iron sulfates (AIS) as possible components of Martian surface materials. Laboratory AIS were created through multiple synthesis routes and characterized with total X-ray scattering, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, visible/near-infrared (VNIR), thermal infrared (TIR), and Mössbauer techniques. We synthesized amorphous ferric sulfates (Fe(III)2(SO4)3 · ~ 6-8H2O) from sulfate-saturated fluids via vacuum dehydration or exposure to low relative humidity (<11%). Amorphous ferrous sulfate (Fe(II)SO4 · ~1H2O) was synthesized via vacuum dehydration of melanterite. All AIS lack structural order beyond 11 Å. The short-range (<5 Å) structural characteristics of amorphous ferric sulfates resemble all crystalline reference compounds; structural characteristics for the amorphous ferrous sulfate are similar to but distinct from both rozenite and szomolnokite. VNIR and TIR spectral data for all AIS display broad, muted features consistent with structural disorder and are spectrally distinct from all crystalline sulfates considered for comparison. Mössbauer spectra are also distinct from crystalline phase spectra available for comparison. AIS should be distinguishable from crystalline sulfates based on the position of their Fe-related absorptions in the visible range and their spectral characteristics in the TIR. In the NIR, bands associated with hydration at ~1.4 and 1.9 μm are significantly broadened, which greatly reduces their detectability in soil mixtures. AIS may contribute to the amorphous fraction of soils measured by the Curiosity rover.
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Affiliation(s)
- E. C. Sklute
- Department of Geosciences, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York, USA
- Now at Department of Astronomy, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, Massachusetts, USA
| | - H. B. Jensen
- Department of Geosciences, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - A. D. Rogers
- Department of Geosciences, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - R. J. Reeder
- Department of Geosciences, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York, USA
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