Mars Science Laboratory Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons passive mode data and results from sols 753 to 1292: Pahrump Hills to Naukluft Plateau

C. G. Tate; J. Moersch; I. Mitrofanov; M. Litvak; P. Bellutta; W. V. Boynton; N. Cagle; B. Ehresmann; F. Fedosov; D. Golovin; Craig Hardgrove; K. Harshman; D. M. Hassler; I. Jun; A. S. Kozyrev; D. Lisov; A. Malakhov; M. Mischna; S. Nikiforov; A. B. Sanin; R. Starr; A. Vostrukhin; C. Zeitlin

doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2019.04.029

Mars Science Laboratory Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons passive mode data and results from sols 753 to 1292: Pahrump Hills to Naukluft Plateau

C. G. Tate, J. Moersch, I. Mitrofanov, M. Litvak, P. Bellutta, W. V. Boynton, N. Cagle, B. Ehresmann, F. Fedosov, D. Golovin, Craig Hardgrove, K. Harshman, D. M. Hassler, I. Jun, A. S. Kozyrev, D. Lisov, A. Malakhov, M. Mischna, S. Nikiforov, A. B. SaninR. Starr, A. Vostrukhin, C. Zeitlin

Earth and Space Exploration, School of (SESE)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons instrument (DAN) onboard the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) uses ³ He proportional counters to detect neutrons escaping the martian surface. This neutron leakage flux can be used to estimate the amount of hydrogen in the shallow martian regolith. During sols 753 through 1292 of the MSL mission, the rover traversed from Pahrump Hills to the Naukluft Plateau and acquired slightly less than 2000 h of neutron count rate data covering ~3 km of traverse and 125 waypoints along that traverse. Here we present an analysis of these data, including new procedures to leverage the oversampling of the instrument within its own spatial footprint, water equivalent hydrogen (WEH) estimates, and DAN passive geochemical index (DPGI) values. The average water equivalent hydrogen estimate for this region of the traverse is 1.6 wt% with a standard deviation of 1.1 wt%. These results show that Curiosity transitioned into a relatively lower WEH-content region as it left the plains of Gale crater and began ascending the hills at the base of Mt. Sharp. We also show that the WEH populations of the geologic units investigated during this time (Murray and Stimson Formations) are statistically different both from each other and the previously studied Aeolis Palus sediments (Smooth Hummocky, Bedded Fractured, Eolian, Rugged, and Striated Light-toned). Additionally, DAN passive WEH estimates agree with measurements from other MSL instruments in this region and are consistent with decreasing phyllosilicate abundance with increasing elevation.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	75-90
Number of pages	16
Journal	Icarus
Volume	330
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2019.04.029
State	Published - Sep 15 2019

Keywords

Cosmic rays
Mars
surface

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1016/j.icarus.2019.04.029

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Tate, C. G., Moersch, J., Mitrofanov, I., Litvak, M., Bellutta, P., Boynton, W. V., Cagle, N., Ehresmann, B., Fedosov, F., Golovin, D., Hardgrove, C., Harshman, K., Hassler, D. M., Jun, I., Kozyrev, A. S., Lisov, D., Malakhov, A., Mischna, M., Nikiforov, S., ... Zeitlin, C. (2019). Mars Science Laboratory Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons passive mode data and results from sols 753 to 1292: Pahrump Hills to Naukluft Plateau. Icarus, 330, 75-90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2019.04.029

Tate, CG, Moersch, J, Mitrofanov, I, Litvak, M, Bellutta, P, Boynton, WV, Cagle, N, Ehresmann, B, Fedosov, F, Golovin, D, Hardgrove, C, Harshman, K, Hassler, DM, Jun, I, Kozyrev, AS, Lisov, D, Malakhov, A, Mischna, M, Nikiforov, S, Sanin, AB, Starr, R, Vostrukhin, A & Zeitlin, C 2019, 'Mars Science Laboratory Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons passive mode data and results from sols 753 to 1292: Pahrump Hills to Naukluft Plateau', Icarus, vol. 330, pp. 75-90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2019.04.029

@article{ad904126e0824f4fafdafac26847b952,

title = "Mars Science Laboratory Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons passive mode data and results from sols 753 to 1292: Pahrump Hills to Naukluft Plateau",

abstract = " The Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons instrument (DAN) onboard the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) uses 3 He proportional counters to detect neutrons escaping the martian surface. This neutron leakage flux can be used to estimate the amount of hydrogen in the shallow martian regolith. During sols 753 through 1292 of the MSL mission, the rover traversed from Pahrump Hills to the Naukluft Plateau and acquired slightly less than 2000 h of neutron count rate data covering ~3 km of traverse and 125 waypoints along that traverse. Here we present an analysis of these data, including new procedures to leverage the oversampling of the instrument within its own spatial footprint, water equivalent hydrogen (WEH) estimates, and DAN passive geochemical index (DPGI) values. The average water equivalent hydrogen estimate for this region of the traverse is 1.6 wt% with a standard deviation of 1.1 wt%. These results show that Curiosity transitioned into a relatively lower WEH-content region as it left the plains of Gale crater and began ascending the hills at the base of Mt. Sharp. We also show that the WEH populations of the geologic units investigated during this time (Murray and Stimson Formations) are statistically different both from each other and the previously studied Aeolis Palus sediments (Smooth Hummocky, Bedded Fractured, Eolian, Rugged, and Striated Light-toned). Additionally, DAN passive WEH estimates agree with measurements from other MSL instruments in this region and are consistent with decreasing phyllosilicate abundance with increasing elevation.",

keywords = "Cosmic rays, Mars, surface",

author = "Tate, {C. G.} and J. Moersch and I. Mitrofanov and M. Litvak and P. Bellutta and Boynton, {W. V.} and N. Cagle and B. Ehresmann and F. Fedosov and D. Golovin and Craig Hardgrove and K. Harshman and Hassler, {D. M.} and I. Jun and Kozyrev, {A. S.} and D. Lisov and A. Malakhov and M. Mischna and S. Nikiforov and Sanin, {A. B.} and R. Starr and A. Vostrukhin and C. Zeitlin",

note = "Funding Information: This work was financially supported by the NASA Mars Data Analysis Program award (NASA 80NSSC17K0508). We would also like to thank the MSL operations and science teams for helping acquire these data. Finally, we wish to acknowledge that the new method for aggregating traverse measurements acquired within the same DAN footprint presented here arose from a suggestion made by an anonymous reviewer of one of our previous publications on this topic (Tate et al. 2018). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019",

year = "2019",

month = sep,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1016/j.icarus.2019.04.029",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "330",

pages = "75--90",

journal = "Icarus",

issn = "0019-1035",

publisher = "Academic Press Inc.",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Mars Science Laboratory Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons passive mode data and results from sols 753 to 1292

T2 - Pahrump Hills to Naukluft Plateau

AU - Tate, C. G.

AU - Moersch, J.

AU - Mitrofanov, I.

AU - Litvak, M.

AU - Bellutta, P.

AU - Boynton, W. V.

AU - Cagle, N.

AU - Ehresmann, B.

AU - Fedosov, F.

AU - Golovin, D.

AU - Hardgrove, Craig

AU - Harshman, K.

AU - Hassler, D. M.

AU - Jun, I.

AU - Kozyrev, A. S.

AU - Lisov, D.

AU - Malakhov, A.

AU - Mischna, M.

AU - Nikiforov, S.

AU - Sanin, A. B.

AU - Starr, R.

AU - Vostrukhin, A.

AU - Zeitlin, C.

N1 - Funding Information: This work was financially supported by the NASA Mars Data Analysis Program award (NASA 80NSSC17K0508). We would also like to thank the MSL operations and science teams for helping acquire these data. Finally, we wish to acknowledge that the new method for aggregating traverse measurements acquired within the same DAN footprint presented here arose from a suggestion made by an anonymous reviewer of one of our previous publications on this topic (Tate et al. 2018). Publisher Copyright: © 2019

PY - 2019/9/15

Y1 - 2019/9/15

N2 - The Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons instrument (DAN) onboard the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) uses 3 He proportional counters to detect neutrons escaping the martian surface. This neutron leakage flux can be used to estimate the amount of hydrogen in the shallow martian regolith. During sols 753 through 1292 of the MSL mission, the rover traversed from Pahrump Hills to the Naukluft Plateau and acquired slightly less than 2000 h of neutron count rate data covering ~3 km of traverse and 125 waypoints along that traverse. Here we present an analysis of these data, including new procedures to leverage the oversampling of the instrument within its own spatial footprint, water equivalent hydrogen (WEH) estimates, and DAN passive geochemical index (DPGI) values. The average water equivalent hydrogen estimate for this region of the traverse is 1.6 wt% with a standard deviation of 1.1 wt%. These results show that Curiosity transitioned into a relatively lower WEH-content region as it left the plains of Gale crater and began ascending the hills at the base of Mt. Sharp. We also show that the WEH populations of the geologic units investigated during this time (Murray and Stimson Formations) are statistically different both from each other and the previously studied Aeolis Palus sediments (Smooth Hummocky, Bedded Fractured, Eolian, Rugged, and Striated Light-toned). Additionally, DAN passive WEH estimates agree with measurements from other MSL instruments in this region and are consistent with decreasing phyllosilicate abundance with increasing elevation.

AB - The Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons instrument (DAN) onboard the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) uses 3 He proportional counters to detect neutrons escaping the martian surface. This neutron leakage flux can be used to estimate the amount of hydrogen in the shallow martian regolith. During sols 753 through 1292 of the MSL mission, the rover traversed from Pahrump Hills to the Naukluft Plateau and acquired slightly less than 2000 h of neutron count rate data covering ~3 km of traverse and 125 waypoints along that traverse. Here we present an analysis of these data, including new procedures to leverage the oversampling of the instrument within its own spatial footprint, water equivalent hydrogen (WEH) estimates, and DAN passive geochemical index (DPGI) values. The average water equivalent hydrogen estimate for this region of the traverse is 1.6 wt% with a standard deviation of 1.1 wt%. These results show that Curiosity transitioned into a relatively lower WEH-content region as it left the plains of Gale crater and began ascending the hills at the base of Mt. Sharp. We also show that the WEH populations of the geologic units investigated during this time (Murray and Stimson Formations) are statistically different both from each other and the previously studied Aeolis Palus sediments (Smooth Hummocky, Bedded Fractured, Eolian, Rugged, and Striated Light-toned). Additionally, DAN passive WEH estimates agree with measurements from other MSL instruments in this region and are consistent with decreasing phyllosilicate abundance with increasing elevation.

KW - Cosmic rays

KW - Mars

KW - surface

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85065096004&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85065096004&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.icarus.2019.04.029

DO - 10.1016/j.icarus.2019.04.029

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85065096004

SN - 0019-1035

VL - 330

SP - 75

EP - 90

JO - Icarus

JF - Icarus

ER -

Mars Science Laboratory Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons passive mode data and results from sols 753 to 1292: Pahrump Hills to Naukluft Plateau

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