08 Bridges Becquerel

Slide1: 

MSL landing sites in ancient layered terrain: Becquerel Crater John Bridges1 and Matt Balme2 1Planetary & Space Sciences Research Institute, Open University, UK 2Dept. of Earth Sciences, Open University, UK and Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, Az.

Assess Past Habitability through Rover Traverse over Interior Layered Deposits (ILD): 

Traverse over ILD would allow sedimentary log over millions years of depositional history Best way of achieving MSL aims? Impact, lacustrine, fluvial hypotheses assessed with extensive outcrop Assess Past Habitability through Rover Traverse over Interior Layered Deposits (ILD) 0.2 km M1201064 352.25oE, 21.35oN (east side of ILD)

Slide3: 

Bridges & Balme Becquerel Bridges & Balme Becquerel Aim: Land beside ILD and traverse to their margin and onto them ILD MOLA shaded terrain map 20 km landing ellipses for consideration ILD

Slide4: 

167 km diameter crater in Arabia Terra 22oN, 352oE Contains 900 km2 exposure of Noachian Interior Layered Deposits (ILD) -2.6 to -3.8 km elevation >300 TI units (dust conditions not prohibitive), rock abundance 4-12% No substantial current ground-ice detected by Gamma-Ray spectrometer so satisfies planetary protection constraint 20 km ILD Becquerel Crater

Slide5: 

• 167 km diameter crater in Arabia Terra 22 o N, 352 o E • Contains 900 km 2 exposure of Noachian Interior Layered Deposits (ILD) • - 2.6 to - 3.8 km elevation • >300 TI units (dust conditions not prohibitive), rock abundance 4 - 12% • No substantial current ground - ice detected by Gamma - Ray spectrometer so satisfies planetary protection constraint Bridges & Balme Becquerel Bridges & Balme Becquerel ILD MOLA 128 ppd gridded data Becquerel Crater

Slide6: 

Becquerel Crater • 167 km diameter crater in Arabia Terra 22 o N, 352 o E • Contains 900 km 2 exposure of Noachian Interior Layered Deposits (ILD) • - 2.6 to - 3.8 km elevation • >300 TI units (dust conditions not prohibitive), rock abundance 4 - 12% • No substantial ground - ice detected by Gamma - Ray spectrometer so satisfies planetary protection constraint ILD 20 km THEMIS night ILD

Are These Deposits Accessible?: 

Are These Deposits Accessible?

Slide8: 

Two proposed 20 km landing ellipses to east A and west B of ILD 351.386E, 21.478N (centre A) 352.522E, 21.320N (centre B) 20 km THEMIS daylight A B ILD

Slide9: 

10 km MOC na mosaic A B ILD Two proposed 20 km landing ellipses to east A and west B of ILD 351.386E, 21.478N (centre A) 352.522E, 21.320N (centre B)

Roughness and Aeolian Deposits: 

Roughness and Aeolian Deposits Green is dark dunes/sheets Around margins of ILD, dark sand is in sheets rather than barchans ILD 10 km

Slide11: 

THEMIS vis. Yellow is rough area (~15% of ellipse) Ellipse A Roughness 2.5 km

Ellipse A: 

THEMIS NIGHT IR: surface temperature 180-200K ILD THEMIS V09899025 Dark barchans 0.2 km Ellipse A

Ellipse A: 

Ellipse A Typical terrain: relatively rough with aeolian deposits 0.25 km M0701459 E0502646

Ellipse B: 

THEMIS IR night 175 (dark)-200K (light) Yellow rough terrain 10% 2.5 km Ellipse B 2 1

Ellipse B: 

2.5 km Polygonal terrain – past ice terrain ? (but little or no current ice) Less rough than ellipse A Ellipse B Area 1 Area 2

Elevation: 

MOLA shaded map A and B ellipses -3.6 to -3.8 km, ILD -3.1 to -3.7 km Elevation

Slide17: 

Slopes and ILD Access ILD A B Most slopes in A and B <5o Slopes between ellipses and ILD 2 – 10o Base cliffs and top surface of ILD could be accessed by rover

Slide18: 

e0200375 (21.6oN, 351.6oE). Width 1.5 km, 3m/px Summary: Becquerel can reveal past Martian Environment 352.522E, 21.320N (centre B safer ellipse) Slopes, terrain allow landing and access to margin and probably onto ILD Satisfies planetary protection Accessing ILD allows best analysis of past martian habitability over millions of years Interior Layered Deposits

Slide19: 

e0200375 (21.6oN, 351.6oE). Width 1.5 km, 3m/px Summary: Becquerel can reveal past Martian Environment 352.522E, 21.320N (centre B safer ellipse) Slopes, terrain allow landing and access to margin and probably onto ILD Satisfies planetary protection Accessing ILD allows best analysis of past martian habitability over millions of years Issues: some dark aeolian deposits and some rough terrain in margin of ellipse B Interior Layered Deposits