A simulated rover exploration of a long-lived hypersaline spring environment: The East German Creek (MB, Canada) Mars analogue site

Cloutis, E. A.; Applin, D. M.; Connell, Stephanie; Kubanek, K.; Kuik, J. C.; Parkinson, Alexis; Ramirez, Mary; Turenne, Nathalie; Mertzman, Stanley A.

doi:10.1016/j.pss.2020.105130

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…Lithobiotic microorganisms can live in Ca‐sulfate crusts in extremely arid parts of the Atacama Desert (Wierzchos et al., 2011). Microorganisms and other organic matter in shallow groundwater can be wicked to the surface during efflorescence, and salt crusts can also form on top of microbialites (e.g., Cloutis et al., 2021). Salt crusts on Mars may therefore have been a potential environment for long‐term survival of past life on Mars, and understanding their formation mechanisms is critical to our understanding of the history of Mars.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Additionally, the SHERLOC instrument on Perseverance has recently shown colocalization of sulfates and aromatic molecules in rocks from the Séítah and Máaz formations, suggesting the preservation of organic molecules by sulfates on Mars (Scheller et al., 2022; Sharma et al., 2022). Sulfate minerals have also been shown to be effective at trapping whole organisms within crystals (Edwards et al., 2005), with salt crusts able to both protect surficial microorganisms from the surface environment and impede their detection (Cloutis et al., 2021). Past salt crusts on Mars, however, would have been subject to potentially harsh surface conditions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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An Examination of Soil Crusts on the Floor of Jezero Crater, Mars

et al. 2023

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Martian soils are critically important for understanding the history of Mars, past potentially habitable environments, returned samples, and future human exploration. This paper examines soil crusts on the floor of Jezero crater encountered during initial phases of the Mars 2020 mission. Soil surface crusts have been observed on Mars at other locations, starting with the two Viking Lander missions. Rover observations show that soil crusts are also common across the floor of Jezero crater, revealed in 45 of 101 locations where rover wheels disturbed the soil surface, 2 out of 7 helicopter flights that crossed the wheel tracks, and 4 of 8 abrasion/drilling sites. Most soils measured by the SuperCam laser‐induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) instrument show high hydrogen content at the surface, and fine‐grained soils also show a visible/near infrared (VISIR) 1.9 µm H2O absorption feature. The Planetary Instrument for X‐ray Lithochemistry (PIXL) and SuperCam observations suggest the presence of salts at the surface of rocks and soils. The correlation of S and Cl contents with H contents in SuperCam LIBS measurements suggests that the salts present are likely hydrated. On the “Naltsos” target, magnesium and sulfur are correlated in PIXL measurements, and Mg is tightly correlated with H at the SuperCam points, suggesting hydrated Mg‐sulfates. Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer (MEDA) observations indicate possible frost events and potential changes in the hydration of Mg‐sulfate salts. Jezero crater soil crusts may therefore form by salts that are hydrated by changes in relative humidity and frost events, cementing the soil surface together.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Examination of Soil Crusts on the Floor of Jezero Crater, Mars

et al. 2023

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“…Overall, the lunar mission that hosts LunaR will utilize previously-demonstrated data acquisition plans from previous rover missions (both in analogue environments and on Mars) (e.g., Marion et al, 2019;Andres et al, 2020;Cloutis et al, 2021aCloutis et al, , 2021b. A more detailed description of the concept of operations will be presented in a future paper.…”

Section: Concept Of Operationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

LunaR: Overview of a versatile Raman spectrometer for lunar exploration

Cloutis

Caudill²,

Lalla³

et al. 2022

Front. Astron. Space Sci.

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The LunaR concept study investigated the scientific value, feasibility, and deployment options for a Raman spectrometer on future lunar landed missions. It consists of a breadboard instrument that covers the 150–4000 cm−1 wavelength range with a resolution of ∼6 cm−1; Raman scattering is induced by a 532 nm continuous wave laser. The current conceptual design envisions the Raman spectrometer performing a downward-looking, 90-point one-dimensional across-track scan (±45°off nadir) of the lunar surface with the instrument mounted on the underside of a rover. A downward-looking context camera would provide information on the physical nature of targets interrogated by the Raman spectrometer and localization of the Raman spectra. Our laboratory investigations indicate that Raman spectroscopy is applicable to addressing a wide range of lunar surface exploration goals related to geology, in situ resource identification, and condensed volatile detection in diverse geological terrains, including permanently shadowed regions. Testing of a breadboard and commercial instrument on lunar samples and analogues indicates that a complete spectral scan of a target of interest can be completed in ∼90 min, permitting its use on even short-duration lunar landed missions. All of the major minerals present on the Moon can be detected, and in many cases their compositions can be quantified or constrained.

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Critical evaluation of portable Raman spectrometers: From rock outcrops and planetary analogs to cultural heritage – A review

Jehlička

Culka

2022

Analytica Chimica Acta

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A simulated rover exploration of a long-lived hypersaline spring environment: The East German Creek (MB, Canada) Mars analogue site

Cited by 5 publications

References 48 publications

An Examination of Soil Crusts on the Floor of Jezero Crater, Mars

An Examination of Soil Crusts on the Floor of Jezero Crater, Mars

LunaR: Overview of a versatile Raman spectrometer for lunar exploration

Critical evaluation of portable Raman spectrometers: From rock outcrops and planetary analogs to cultural heritage – A review

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