Water equivalent hydrogen estimates from the first 200 sols of Curiosity's traverse (Bradbury Landing to Yellowknife Bay): Results from the Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) passive mode experiment

C. G. Tate; J. Moersch; I. Jun; D. W. Ming; I. Mitrofanov; M. Litvak; A. Behar; W. V. Boynton; L. Deflores; D. Drake; B. Ehresmann; F. Fedosov; D. Golovin; C. Hardgrove; K. Harshman; D. M. Hassler; A. S. Kozyrev; R. Kuzmin; D. Lisov; A. Malakhov; R. Milliken; M. Mischna; M. Mokrousov; S. Nikiforov; A. B. Sanin; R. Starr; A. Varenikov; A. Vostrukhin; C. Zeitlin

doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2015.09.002

Water equivalent hydrogen estimates from the first 200 sols of Curiosity's traverse (Bradbury Landing to Yellowknife Bay): Results from the Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) passive mode experiment

C. G. Tate, J. Moersch, I. Jun, D. W. Ming, I. Mitrofanov, M. Litvak, A. Behar, W. V. Boynton, L. Deflores, D. Drake, B. Ehresmann, F. Fedosov, D. Golovin, C. Hardgrove, K. Harshman, D. M. Hassler, A. S. Kozyrev, R. Kuzmin, D. Lisov, A. MalakhovR. Milliken, M. Mischna, M. Mokrousov, S. Nikiforov, A. B. Sanin, R. Starr, A. Varenikov, A. Vostrukhin, C. Zeitlin

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

16 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) experiment on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover Curiosity is designed to detect neutrons to determine hydrogen abundance within the subsurface of Mars (Mitrofanov, I.G. et al. [2012]. Space Sci. Rev. 170, 559-582. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11214-012-9924-y; Litvak, M.L. et al. [2008]. Astrobiology 8, 605-613. http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/ast.2007.0157). While DAN has a pulsed neutron generator for active measurements, in passive mode it only measures the leakage spectrum of neutrons produced by the Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) and Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCR). DAN passive measurements provide better spatial coverage than the active measurements because they can be acquired while the rover is moving. Here we compare DAN passive-mode data to models of the instrument's response to compositional differences in a homogeneous regolith in order to estimate the water equivalent hydrogen (WEH) content along the first 200 sols of Curiosity's traverse in Gale Crater, Mars. WEH content is shown to vary greatly along the traverse. These estimates range from 0.5. ±. 0.1. wt.% to 3.9. ±. 0.2. wt.% for fixed locations (usually overnight stops) investigated by the rover and 0.6. ±. 0.2. wt.% to 7.6. ±. 1.3. wt.% for areas that the rover has traversed while continuously acquiring DAN passive data between fixed locations. Estimates of WEH abundances at fixed locations based on passive mode data are in broad agreement with those estimated at the same locations using active mode data. Localized (meter-scale) anomalies in estimated WEH values from traverse measurements have no particular surface expression observable in co-located images. However at a much larger scale, the hummocky plains and bedded fractured units are shown to be distinct compositional units based on the hydrogen content derived from DAN passive measurements. DAN passive WEH estimates are also shown to be consistent with geologic models inferred from other MSL instruments, which indicate that fluvial/lacustrine activity occurred at certain locations (e.g., Yellowknife Bay).

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	102-123
Number of pages	22
Journal	Icarus
Volume	262
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2015.09.002
State	Published - Dec 1 2015
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Cosmic rays
Mars
Mars, surface

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1016/j.icarus.2015.09.002

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Tate, C. G., Moersch, J., Jun, I., Ming, D. W., Mitrofanov, I., Litvak, M., Behar, A., Boynton, W. V., Deflores, L., Drake, D., Ehresmann, B., Fedosov, F., Golovin, D., Hardgrove, C., Harshman, K., Hassler, D. M., Kozyrev, A. S., Kuzmin, R., Lisov, D., ... Zeitlin, C. (2015). Water equivalent hydrogen estimates from the first 200 sols of Curiosity's traverse (Bradbury Landing to Yellowknife Bay): Results from the Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) passive mode experiment. Icarus, 262, 102-123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2015.09.002

Tate, CG, Moersch, J, Jun, I, Ming, DW, Mitrofanov, I, Litvak, M, Behar, A, Boynton, WV, Deflores, L, Drake, D, Ehresmann, B, Fedosov, F, Golovin, D, Hardgrove, C, Harshman, K, Hassler, DM, Kozyrev, AS, Kuzmin, R, Lisov, D, Malakhov, A, Milliken, R, Mischna, M, Mokrousov, M, Nikiforov, S, Sanin, AB, Starr, R, Varenikov, A, Vostrukhin, A & Zeitlin, C 2015, 'Water equivalent hydrogen estimates from the first 200 sols of Curiosity's traverse (Bradbury Landing to Yellowknife Bay): Results from the Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) passive mode experiment', Icarus, vol. 262, pp. 102-123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2015.09.002

@article{853aa05e972f4e17988b9dccba1f5245,

title = "Water equivalent hydrogen estimates from the first 200 sols of Curiosity's traverse (Bradbury Landing to Yellowknife Bay): Results from the Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) passive mode experiment",

abstract = "The Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) experiment on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover Curiosity is designed to detect neutrons to determine hydrogen abundance within the subsurface of Mars (Mitrofanov, I.G. et al. [2012]. Space Sci. Rev. 170, 559-582. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11214-012-9924-y; Litvak, M.L. et al. [2008]. Astrobiology 8, 605-613. http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/ast.2007.0157). While DAN has a pulsed neutron generator for active measurements, in passive mode it only measures the leakage spectrum of neutrons produced by the Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) and Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCR). DAN passive measurements provide better spatial coverage than the active measurements because they can be acquired while the rover is moving. Here we compare DAN passive-mode data to models of the instrument's response to compositional differences in a homogeneous regolith in order to estimate the water equivalent hydrogen (WEH) content along the first 200 sols of Curiosity's traverse in Gale Crater, Mars. WEH content is shown to vary greatly along the traverse. These estimates range from 0.5. ±. 0.1. wt.% to 3.9. ±. 0.2. wt.% for fixed locations (usually overnight stops) investigated by the rover and 0.6. ±. 0.2. wt.% to 7.6. ±. 1.3. wt.% for areas that the rover has traversed while continuously acquiring DAN passive data between fixed locations. Estimates of WEH abundances at fixed locations based on passive mode data are in broad agreement with those estimated at the same locations using active mode data. Localized (meter-scale) anomalies in estimated WEH values from traverse measurements have no particular surface expression observable in co-located images. However at a much larger scale, the hummocky plains and bedded fractured units are shown to be distinct compositional units based on the hydrogen content derived from DAN passive measurements. DAN passive WEH estimates are also shown to be consistent with geologic models inferred from other MSL instruments, which indicate that fluvial/lacustrine activity occurred at certain locations (e.g., Yellowknife Bay).",

keywords = "Cosmic rays, Mars, Mars, surface",

author = "Tate, {C. G.} and J. Moersch and I. Jun and Ming, {D. W.} and I. Mitrofanov and M. Litvak and A. Behar and Boynton, {W. V.} and L. Deflores and D. Drake and B. Ehresmann and F. Fedosov and D. Golovin and C. Hardgrove and K. Harshman and Hassler, {D. M.} and Kozyrev, {A. S.} and R. Kuzmin and D. Lisov and A. Malakhov and R. Milliken and M. Mischna and M. Mokrousov and S. Nikiforov and Sanin, {A. B.} and R. Starr and A. Varenikov and A. Vostrukhin and C. Zeitlin",

note = "Funding Information: This work was financially supported by J. Moersch{\textquoteright}s MSL Participating Scientist Award (NASA JPL 1451872). Our computational resources included the University of Tennessee high performance computing cluster “Newton”. We would like to thank Mike Malin for productive discussions regarding the effects of regolith density on the results. We would also like to thank the MSL operations and science teams for helping acquire these data. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2015 Elsevier Inc.",

year = "2015",

month = dec,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.icarus.2015.09.002",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "262",

pages = "102--123",

journal = "Icarus",

issn = "0019-1035",

publisher = "Academic Press Inc.",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Water equivalent hydrogen estimates from the first 200 sols of Curiosity's traverse (Bradbury Landing to Yellowknife Bay)

T2 - Results from the Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) passive mode experiment

AU - Tate, C. G.

AU - Moersch, J.

AU - Jun, I.

AU - Ming, D. W.

AU - Mitrofanov, I.

AU - Litvak, M.

AU - Behar, A.

AU - Boynton, W. V.

AU - Deflores, L.

AU - Drake, D.

AU - Ehresmann, B.

AU - Fedosov, F.

AU - Golovin, D.

AU - Hardgrove, C.

AU - Harshman, K.

AU - Hassler, D. M.

AU - Kozyrev, A. S.

AU - Kuzmin, R.

AU - Lisov, D.

AU - Malakhov, A.

AU - Milliken, R.

AU - Mischna, M.

AU - Mokrousov, M.

AU - Nikiforov, S.

AU - Sanin, A. B.

AU - Starr, R.

AU - Varenikov, A.

AU - Vostrukhin, A.

AU - Zeitlin, C.

N1 - Funding Information: This work was financially supported by J. Moersch’s MSL Participating Scientist Award (NASA JPL 1451872). Our computational resources included the University of Tennessee high performance computing cluster “Newton”. We would like to thank Mike Malin for productive discussions regarding the effects of regolith density on the results. We would also like to thank the MSL operations and science teams for helping acquire these data. Publisher Copyright: © 2015 Elsevier Inc.

PY - 2015/12/1

Y1 - 2015/12/1

N2 - The Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) experiment on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover Curiosity is designed to detect neutrons to determine hydrogen abundance within the subsurface of Mars (Mitrofanov, I.G. et al. [2012]. Space Sci. Rev. 170, 559-582. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11214-012-9924-y; Litvak, M.L. et al. [2008]. Astrobiology 8, 605-613. http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/ast.2007.0157). While DAN has a pulsed neutron generator for active measurements, in passive mode it only measures the leakage spectrum of neutrons produced by the Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) and Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCR). DAN passive measurements provide better spatial coverage than the active measurements because they can be acquired while the rover is moving. Here we compare DAN passive-mode data to models of the instrument's response to compositional differences in a homogeneous regolith in order to estimate the water equivalent hydrogen (WEH) content along the first 200 sols of Curiosity's traverse in Gale Crater, Mars. WEH content is shown to vary greatly along the traverse. These estimates range from 0.5. ±. 0.1. wt.% to 3.9. ±. 0.2. wt.% for fixed locations (usually overnight stops) investigated by the rover and 0.6. ±. 0.2. wt.% to 7.6. ±. 1.3. wt.% for areas that the rover has traversed while continuously acquiring DAN passive data between fixed locations. Estimates of WEH abundances at fixed locations based on passive mode data are in broad agreement with those estimated at the same locations using active mode data. Localized (meter-scale) anomalies in estimated WEH values from traverse measurements have no particular surface expression observable in co-located images. However at a much larger scale, the hummocky plains and bedded fractured units are shown to be distinct compositional units based on the hydrogen content derived from DAN passive measurements. DAN passive WEH estimates are also shown to be consistent with geologic models inferred from other MSL instruments, which indicate that fluvial/lacustrine activity occurred at certain locations (e.g., Yellowknife Bay).

AB - The Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) experiment on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover Curiosity is designed to detect neutrons to determine hydrogen abundance within the subsurface of Mars (Mitrofanov, I.G. et al. [2012]. Space Sci. Rev. 170, 559-582. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11214-012-9924-y; Litvak, M.L. et al. [2008]. Astrobiology 8, 605-613. http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/ast.2007.0157). While DAN has a pulsed neutron generator for active measurements, in passive mode it only measures the leakage spectrum of neutrons produced by the Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) and Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCR). DAN passive measurements provide better spatial coverage than the active measurements because they can be acquired while the rover is moving. Here we compare DAN passive-mode data to models of the instrument's response to compositional differences in a homogeneous regolith in order to estimate the water equivalent hydrogen (WEH) content along the first 200 sols of Curiosity's traverse in Gale Crater, Mars. WEH content is shown to vary greatly along the traverse. These estimates range from 0.5. ±. 0.1. wt.% to 3.9. ±. 0.2. wt.% for fixed locations (usually overnight stops) investigated by the rover and 0.6. ±. 0.2. wt.% to 7.6. ±. 1.3. wt.% for areas that the rover has traversed while continuously acquiring DAN passive data between fixed locations. Estimates of WEH abundances at fixed locations based on passive mode data are in broad agreement with those estimated at the same locations using active mode data. Localized (meter-scale) anomalies in estimated WEH values from traverse measurements have no particular surface expression observable in co-located images. However at a much larger scale, the hummocky plains and bedded fractured units are shown to be distinct compositional units based on the hydrogen content derived from DAN passive measurements. DAN passive WEH estimates are also shown to be consistent with geologic models inferred from other MSL instruments, which indicate that fluvial/lacustrine activity occurred at certain locations (e.g., Yellowknife Bay).

KW - Cosmic rays

KW - Mars

KW - Mars, surface

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ER -

Water equivalent hydrogen estimates from the first 200 sols of Curiosity's traverse (Bradbury Landing to Yellowknife Bay): Results from the Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) passive mode experiment

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