Grain Size Analysis of Mars Analogue in Northern Tanzania
Mentor 1
Lindsay McHenry
Start Date
28-4-2023 12:00 AM
Description
One of the four primary goals for the Mars 2020 Perseverance mission is the characterization of Martian geology. Data being sent back by the Perseverance rover will enable a more comprehensive study of the history of the paleolake environment in Jezero Crater. To help interpret this data, it will be compared to data from analysis performed on similar terrestrial environments known as analogues. Terrestrial analogues can be studied in far greater detail due to the ability to bring back physical samples for analysis with high-resolution lab equipment. Data collected on Mars itself is limited to the rover’s remote sensing equipment. The lower resolution of this data, relative to lab equipment, limits what can be interpreted with the remote sensing data alone. This project will use samples collected from a catchment in Northern Tanzania as its analogue to the environment found in Jezero Crater. Laser grain size analysis will be used to help determine both the history of drainage and sediment transport in the Northern Tanzania environment. Grain size analysis is necessary for understanding the history of sedimentary processes (such as transportation and erosion) in addition to the interpretation of remotely sensed spectroscopic data. This spectroscopic data is highly sensitive to the grain size of the sediment being sampled; accurate interpretation of this data is important for correctly identifying rock features, determining the mineralogy, and detecting hydration signatures in the sediment being studied by Perseverance. Data collected in this project will be relevant for future publications centered around this site, and may even be able to help determine the sediment’s potential for concentration and preservation of biosignatures if they were present.
Grain Size Analysis of Mars Analogue in Northern Tanzania
One of the four primary goals for the Mars 2020 Perseverance mission is the characterization of Martian geology. Data being sent back by the Perseverance rover will enable a more comprehensive study of the history of the paleolake environment in Jezero Crater. To help interpret this data, it will be compared to data from analysis performed on similar terrestrial environments known as analogues. Terrestrial analogues can be studied in far greater detail due to the ability to bring back physical samples for analysis with high-resolution lab equipment. Data collected on Mars itself is limited to the rover’s remote sensing equipment. The lower resolution of this data, relative to lab equipment, limits what can be interpreted with the remote sensing data alone. This project will use samples collected from a catchment in Northern Tanzania as its analogue to the environment found in Jezero Crater. Laser grain size analysis will be used to help determine both the history of drainage and sediment transport in the Northern Tanzania environment. Grain size analysis is necessary for understanding the history of sedimentary processes (such as transportation and erosion) in addition to the interpretation of remotely sensed spectroscopic data. This spectroscopic data is highly sensitive to the grain size of the sediment being sampled; accurate interpretation of this data is important for correctly identifying rock features, determining the mineralogy, and detecting hydration signatures in the sediment being studied by Perseverance. Data collected in this project will be relevant for future publications centered around this site, and may even be able to help determine the sediment’s potential for concentration and preservation of biosignatures if they were present.
