Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sebastien Le Maistre, Attilio Rivoldini, Alfonso Caldiero, Marie Yseboodt, Rose-Marie Baland, Mikael Beuthe, Tim Van Hoolst, Veronique Dehant, William M. Folkner, Dustin Buccino, Daniel Kahan, Jean-Charles Marty, Daniele Antonangeli, James Badro, Melanie Drilleau, Alex Konopliv, Marie-Julie Peters, Ana-Catalina Plesa, Henri Samuel, Nicola Tosi, Mark Wieczorek, Philippe Lognonne, Mark Panning, Suzanne Smrekar, W. Bruce Banerdt
Summary: Knowledge of the interior structure and atmosphere of Mars is essential for understanding the planet's formation and evolution. The NASA InSight mission provided seismic and lander radio science data, which allowed us to determine the core, mantle, and atmosphere properties of Mars. Our analysis found a liquid core with specific dimensions and density, and no evidence of a solid inner core. We also discovered internal mass anomalies within the mantle and observed a slow acceleration in the Martian rotation rate.
News Item
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alexandra Witze
Summary: NASA's InSight mission has provided the first data on the internal structure of a planet other than Earth, revealing surprising cake-like layers in the crust of Mars.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
K. Dapre, J. C. E. Irving
Summary: This study investigates the effects of ice shell and ocean thickness, as well as core structure and composition, on the waveforms recorded by a single seismometer for three 1D models of Enceladus. The results suggest that core-transmitted and -reflected phases can be observed even at low epicentral distances, providing constraints on ocean depth and core structure.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
V Curin, P. Broz, E. Hauber, Y. Markonis
Summary: Researchers have mapped and classified unique landforms on Mars, determining that they were formed by subsurface sediment mobilization. They propose that the sediment likely originated from the same source and suggest the possibility of previously unconsidered sequences of events leading to sedimentary-volcanic activity within Adamas Labyrinthus.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Alister B. Cunje, Andrew J. Dombard, Eldar Z. Noe Dobrea
Summary: The study focuses on the shallow craters ranging from 200 m to 1 km in diameter in the cold, northern high-latitudes around the Phoenix landing site. These craters could provide insights into the subsurface ice content of the region. The researchers used finite element modeling to determine if these craters are indicative of topographic relaxation due to substantial ice in the subsurface. The findings suggest that there may be a higher abundance of ice in the region than currently estimated.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
A. Broquet, J. C. Andrews-Hanna
Summary: This study investigates the tectonic and geophysical features of Hesperia Planum, a volcanic plain covered by wrinkle ridges. The research reveals that the region exhibits a high density of wrinkle ridges and a larger compressional strain compared to typical Hesperian strains. By introducing a loading sequence of crustal loading and volcanism, the study proposes a model to explain the characteristics of Hesperia Planum, including crustal thinning, low relief, and their correlation with wrinkle ridges and magnetic anomalies. The results suggest that scattered mantle plumes may be responsible for the formation of Hesperia Planum and other volcanic provinces within the highlands.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Joel B. Sankey, Alan Kasprak, Matthew Chojnacki, Timothy N. Titus, Joshua Caster, Geoffrey P. DeBenedetto
Summary: Sediment budgets are crucial for planetary science, but there is a lack of research on reconciling sediment budgets derived from in-situ and remote sensing methods. This highlights the need for a quantitative understanding of errors in remote sensing measurements. By comparing sediment budgets from in-situ measurements and remote sensing data on Earth, we can gain insights into the errors of remote sensing methods used on other planetary bodies like Mars, improving our ability to quantify sediment budgets and interpret extraterrestrial landscape evolution.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Luis Gomez Casajus, Marco Zannoni, Dario Modenini, Paolo Tortora, Francis Nimmo, Tim Van Hoolst, Dustin Buccino, Kamal Oudrhiri
Summary: The Galileo radio tracking data was reanalyzed using new knowledge of Jupiter from the Juno mission and modern orbit determination techniques from the Cassini data analysis. Doppler data from six Europa encounters provided an updated gravity field of the moon, resulting in a statistically different value of C-22. The new value suggests a thinner ice-water shell and less dense interior for Europa.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Lujendra Ojha, Anna Mittelholz
Summary: The Medusae Fossae Formation (MFF) on Mars is a large unconformable deposit with an unknown origin. Through examining the degree of magnetization carried by the MFF, insights into its nature and origin can be obtained. Using high-resolution nighttime magnetic field data from the MAVEN spacecraft, it has been shown that the MFF is strongly magnetized near Apollinaris Mons, likely indicating a high-temperature volcanic origin. The decline in remanent magnetization with distance from Apollinaris Mons suggests lower emplacement temperature and supports the hypothesis that the MFF is a volcanic deposit.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lior Rubanenko, Mathieu G. A. Lapotre, Ryan C. Ewing, Lori K. Fenton, Andrew Gunn
Summary: This study provides evidence that large martian ripples form from the same hydrodynamic instability as windblown dunes and subaqueous ripples. Artificial neural network analysis of isolated barchan dunes on Mars reveals that the size of the smallest dunes decreases with increasing atmospheric density.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Kelsey Crane, Jon Rich
Summary: Elastic moduli and unconfined compressive strength (UCS) are important material constants in understanding the mechanical behaviors of rock materials. This study aims to estimate these constants for different layers of Mars using seismic wave velocities obtained from the InSight Lander. The results could contribute to the development of models for lithospheric deformation on Mars.
Editorial Material
Astronomy & Astrophysics
M. Salman, L. Slater, M. Briggs, L. Li
Summary: This study explores the multifaceted community-driven nature of near-surface geophysics (NSG) and identifies three key strategic objectives: integrating NSG into other geoscience data collection projects, creating standardized and open NSG data, and fostering an equipment sharing consortium among post-secondary institutions. By implementing structural changes within the ICON-FAIR framework, significant opportunities for interdisciplinary applications of NSG can be advanced.
EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Leszek Czechowski, Natalia Zalewska, Anita Zambrowska, Marta Ciazela, Piotr Witek, Jan Kotlarz
Summary: This paper investigates a small region in Chryse Planitia where several subparallel chains of cones are observed. The authors propose that most of these cones are formed by outgassing of Martian regolith due to a decrease in atmospheric pressure. Magma heating may also play a role, but its impact is limited. The subparallel chains of cones can be formed above various linear structures, such as aquifers, outcrops, fissures, and heat sources. Thermal advection could transport heat and facilitate the rapid loss of volatiles. The researchers also suggest that similar processes may have occurred in other regions of Chryse Planitia based on their observation of similar structures.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Martin van Driel, Savas Ceylan, John F. Clinton, Domenico Giardini, Anna Horleston, Ludovic Margerin, Simon C. Stahler, Maren Bose, Constantinos Charalambous, Taichi Kawamura, Amir Khan, Guenole Orhand-Mainsant, John-R. Scholz, Fabian Euchner, Martin Knapmeyer, Nicholas Schmerr, William T. Pike, Philippe Lognonne, William B. Banerdt
Summary: The seismometer on Mars has detected hundreds of marsquakes, with most being high-frequency events exhibiting resonance and distinct seismic energy arrivals. These events have been classified into three types based on frequency content and energy ratio, and the travel times between arrivals are related to epicentral distance. The amplitude shape is explained by layered models with scattering.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-PLANETS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sandrine Peron, Sujoy Mukhopadhyay
Summary: The krypton isotope ratios in the martian meteorite Chassigny suggest the early presence of chondritic volatiles. The different krypton isotope ratios in the Martian atmosphere indicate that it originated from the accretion of solar nebula gas.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Jiaqi Li, Caroline Beghein, Paul Davis, Mark. A. Wieczorek, Scott M. M. McLennan, Doyeon Kim, Ved Lekic, Matthew Golombek, Martin Schimmel, Eleonore Stutzmann, Philippe Lognonne, William Bruce Banerdt
Summary: The shallowest layer beneath the Mars InSight Lander site has low seismic wave velocity due to high porosity and other lithological factors. The SsPp phase was detected on Mars for the first time, confirming the existence of an 8 km interface and a large wave speed contrast across it. The average P-wave speed in the top crustal layer was found to be between 2.5 and 3.2 km/s, providing a more precise estimate than previous studies.
EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Jiaqi Li, Caroline Beghein, Philippe Lognonne, Scott M. McLennan, Mark A. Wieczorek, Mark P. Panning, Brigitte Knapmeyer-Endrun, Paul Davis, W. Bruce Banerdt
Summary: We have observed both minor-arc (R1) and major-arc (R2) Rayleigh waves for the largest marsquake (magnitude of 4.7 +/- 0.2) ever recorded. Along the R1 path (in the lowlands), a simple, two-layer model with an interface located at 21-29 km and an upper crustal shear-wave velocity of 3.05-3.17 km/s can fit the group velocity measurements. Along the R2 path, observations can be explained by upper crustal thickness models constrained from gravity data and upper crustal shear-wave velocities of 2.61-3.27 and 3.28-3.52 km/s in the lowlands and highlands, respectively. The shear-wave velocity being faster in the highlands than in the lowlands indicates the possible existence of sedimentary rocks and relatively higher porosity in the lowlands.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
M. P. Panning, W. B. Banerdt, C. Beghein, S. Carrasco, S. Ceylan, J. F. Clinton, P. Davis, M. Drilleau, D. Giardini, A. Khan, D. Kim, B. Knapmeyer-Endrun, J. Li, P. Lognonne, S. C. Staehler, G. Zenhaeusern
Summary: Prior to the 2018 landing of the InSight mission, the InSight science team proposed an approach to locate Marsquakes using multiple orbit surface waves, independent of seismic velocity models. On May 4, 2022, the largest Marsquake, S1222a M(W)4.7, was recorded, providing an opportunity to test this method. Through the analysis of group arrivals of Rayleigh waves, the distance, timing, and epicenter of the Marsquake were determined. The results agreed with previous measurements and enhanced our confidence in locating Marsquakes.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
D. Kim, S. C. Stahler, S. Ceylan, V. Lekic, R. Maguire, G. Zenhausern, J. Clinton, D. Giardini, A. Khan, M. P. Panning, P. Davis, M. Wieczorek, N. Schmerr, P. Lognonne, W. B. Banerdt
Summary: Using seismic recordings, we analyzed event S1222a to determine the shear velocity and radial anisotropic structure of the Martian crust. Our findings indicate a uniform vertically polarized shear velocity between 5 and 30 km depth, with a radial anisotropy of up to 12%. At a depth of approximately 63 +/- 10 km, a significant velocity increase suggests the presence of the crust-mantle boundary.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Taichi Kawamura, John F. Clinton, Geraldine Zenhausern, Savas Ceylan, Anna C. Horleston, Nikolaj L. Dahmen, Cecilia Duran, Doyeon Kim, Matthieu Plasman, Simon C. Stahler, Fabian Euchner, Constantinos Charalambous, Domenico Giardini, Paul Davis, Gregory Sainton, Philippe Lognonne, Mark Panning, William B. Banerdt
Summary: NASA's InSight has detected a seismic event labeled S1222a, with a moment magnitude of M(W)(Ma)4.7, five times larger than the second largest event. This event is significant as it reveals new geological features and transmits a wide range of frequencies. It is located near the North-South dichotomy and outside the tectonically active Cerberus Fossae region. The event shows no evident geological or tectonic characteristics.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Zongbo Xu, Adrien Broquet, Nobuaki Fuji, Taichi Kawamura, Philippe Lognonne, Jean-Paul Montagner, Lu Pan, Martin Schimmel, Eleonore Stutzmann, William Bruce Banerdt
Summary: Understanding the Martian crust and uppermost mantle is crucial for studying the planet's evolution, and NASA's InSight mission has provided seismic data to reveal the interior structure. While most studies have focused on the crustal structure beneath the InSight lander, the seismic structure of other regions remains poorly known. This study investigates the crustal structure along the Medusa Fossae Formation and the dichotomy using surface-wave data, and the findings suggest the presence of a high-velocity layer and a common intra-crustal structure in this region.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
M. Grott, S. Piqueux, T. Spohn, J. Knollenberg, C. Krause, E. Marteau, T. L. Hudson, F. Forget, L. Lange, N. Mueller, M. Golombek, S. Nagihara, P. Morgan, J. P. Murphy, M. Siegler, S. D. King, D. Banfield, S. E. Smrekar, W. B. Banerdt
Summary: The heat flow and physical properties package measured soil thermal conductivity at the landing site and found a strong correlation with atmospheric pressure. This suggests that heat transport through the pore filling gas is a major contributor to the total heat transport. The data presented here provide the first direct evidence of interaction between the atmosphere and the top most meter of material on Mars.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
S. Menina, L. Margerin, T. Kawamura, G. Heller, M. Drilleau, Z. Xu, M. Calvet, R. F. Garcia, B. Knapmeyer-Endrun, S. Carrasco, K. Onodera, P. Lognonne, A. Stott, W. B. Banerdt
Summary: We modeled the high-frequency seismogram envelopes of large event S1222a and four near impacts recorded by the InSight mission by introducing velocity and attenuation stratification. A simple conceptual model consisting of a diffusive, weakly attenuating layer overlying a transparent medium captures the essential features of the observed envelopes. The attenuation profiles suggest minimal heterogeneities extension at depths of about 20 km near InSight and 60 km on the path to S1222a, indicating the Martian crust as the origin of strong scattering. Our heterogeneity model suggests that the sources of distant Very-high-Frequency seismic events are located shallow and to the south or in close vicinity of the Martian dichotomy.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jessica C. E. Irving, Vedran Lekic, Cecilia Duran, Melanie Drilleau, Doyeon Kim, Attilio Rivoldini, Amir Khan, Henri Samuel, Daniele Antonangeli, William Bruce Banerdt, Caroline Beghein, Ebru Bozdag, Savas Ceylan, Constantinos Charalambous, John Clinton, Paul Davis, Raphael Garcia, Domenico Giardini, Anna Catherine Horleston, Quancheng Huang, Kenneth J. Hurst, Taichi Kawamura, Scott D. King, Martin Knapmeyer, Jiaqi Li, Philippe Lognonne, Ross Maguire, Mark P. Panning, Ana-Catalina Plesa, Martin Schimmel, Nicholas C. Schmerr, Simon C. Staehler, Eleonore Stutzmann, Zongbo Xu
Summary: We have observed seismic waves propagating through the core of Mars for the first time and used these observations to construct the first seismically constrained models for Mars' core properties. By measuring the travel times of the core-transiting seismic phase SKS and performing probabilistic inversions, we have obtained information about the bulk modulus, density, and composition of Mars' core. Our models suggest a smaller and denser core compared to previous estimates, with a P-wave velocity of 4.9 to 5.0 km/s at the core-mantle boundary.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
N. Verdier, V. Ansan, P. Delage, K. S. Ali, E. Beucler, C. Charalambous, E. Constant, A. Spiga, M. Golombek, E. Marteau, R. Lapeyre, E. Gaudin, C. Yana, K. Hurst, P. Lognonne, B. W. Banerdt
Summary: In an effort to improve the quality of seismic signals from the InSight mission's seismometer on Mars, the seismometer's tether was partially buried with regolith. The regolith was scooped and poured onto the tether from a height of about 50 cm, resulting in some of it being dispersed by the wind. The grain size distribution of the poured regolith was determined using simulations, showing a decrease in size downwind.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-PLANETS
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
A. Rajsic, K. Miljkovic, N. Wojcicka, G. S. Collins, R. F. Garcia, C. Bredemeyer, A. Lagain, I. J. Daubar, P. Lognonne
Summary: This study combines mapping and numerical simulations to accurately estimate seismic activity and seismic moment generated by small impact events on Mars. By determining the regolith thickness in the late Amazonian units, a more realistic uppermost crust model was constructed. The study found that seismic energy is more dependent on target properties, while seismic moment is almost proportional to impact momentum. The scaling relationships for seismic moment approximations were improved by considering more realistic target properties.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-PLANETS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Sebastian Carrasco, Brigitte Knapmeyer-Endrun, Ludovic Margerin, Zongbo Xu, Rakshit Joshi, Martin Schimmel, Eleonore Stutzmann, Constantinos Charalambous, Philippe Lognonne, W. Bruce Banerdt
Summary: We measured the ellipticity of direct Rayleigh waves at intermediate periods (15-35 s) on Mars using recordings of three large seismic Martian events, including the largest event recorded by the InSight mission. These measurements, along with other seismic data, were used to determine the local crustal structure at the InSight landing site. The results suggest the presence of crustal discontinuities at depths around 10 km, 20 km, and a strong discontinuity at approximately 37 km, interpreted as the crust-mantle interface, as well as a shallow low-velocity layer of 2-3 km thickness.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Geological
Maria Juliana Chaparro Lopez, Juan-Pablo Castillo-Betancourt, Miguel Cabrera, Bernardo Caicedo, Pierre Delage, Philippe Lognonne, Bruce Banerdt
Summary: This study presents a new method for measuring the dynamic properties of loose sand under low stress and validates it through experiments on a Mars regolith analog. The results show that the shear modulus increases with increasing confining pressure. This method offers advantages for studying the dynamic properties of granular soils under low stress and strain.
GEOTECHNICAL TESTING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Keisuke Onodera, Kiwamu Nishida, Taichi Kawamura, Naomi Murdoch, Melanie Drilleau, Ryoji Otsuka, Ralph Lorenz, Anna Horleston, Rudolf Widmer-Schnidrig, Martin Schimmel, Sebastien Rodriguez, Sebastian Carrasco, Satoshi Tanaka, Clement Perrin, Philippe Lognonne, Aymeric Spiga, Don Banfield, Mark Panning, William Bruce Banerdt
Summary: Convective vortices and dust devils are common phenomena on Mars that reflect the atmospheric structure and drive the dust cycle. Investigating these vortices can improve our understanding of the Martian atmosphere and subsurface properties. NASA's InSight was used to study the vortices with meteorological and seismic data, resulting in a catalog of parameters to characterize their structure and subsurface properties. The study found that most vortices move with a tilted wall in the advection direction and that the subsurface structure can be modeled with two layers transitioning at depths of 5-15 meters.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-PLANETS
(2023)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Maria Angeles Lopez-Cayuela, Maria-Paz Zorzano, Juan Luis Guerrero-Rascado, Carmen Cordoba-Jabonero
Summary: The atmospheric dust cycle on Mars plays a dominant role in the planetary radiative balance, atmospheric photochemistry escape, and redistribution of materials on the surface. A methodology is presented to accurately describe the annual dust redistribution cycle on Mars using orbital global and seasonal measurements of atmospheric dust opacity. The analysis shows that approximately 4 trillion kilograms of dust is transported globally in the atmosphere during a typical Mars year.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Audrey Vorburger, Shahab Fatemi, Shane R. Carberry Mogan, Andre Galli, Lucas Liuzzo, Andrew R. Poppe, Lorenz Roth, Peter Wurz
Summary: The study presents new model results for the composition of Ganymede's atmosphere, finding that sublimation remains the major source process for H2O, while radiolysis induced by auroral electrons dominates the source fluxes for O2 and H2.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Qi He, Zhi Cao, Yuqi Qian, Hejiu Hui, Ioannis Baziotis, Long Xiao, Zaicong Wang, Biji Luo, Yiheng Li, Zongjun Ying, Yang Li
Summary: The Chang'e-5 mission collected lunar soil containing magnesian troctolitic granulites, which provide valuable information on the composition of the lunar crust. Through analysis and modeling, it is suggested that these granulites may have originated from the Pythagoras crater and were transported to the landing site.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Jordan M. Bretzfelder, Kathryn M. Stack, Abigail A. Fraeman, Mackenzie Day, William E. Dietrich, Alexander B. Bryk
Summary: This study investigates the development of bedrock ridges on Mars and their implications for wind history, deposition, and erosion in Gale crater.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Lot Ram, Diptiranjan Rout, Rahul Rathi, Paul Withers, Sumanta Sarkhel
Summary: This study investigates the impacts of interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) on the Martian ionosphere, specifically the behavior of the ionospheric peak density and height during ICME passages. The study used observations from the Radio Occultation Science Experiment (ROSE) aboard the MAVEN spacecraft and selected 8 ICMEs from existing catalogs. The results show that ICMEs lead to an elevation of the ionospheric peak height and a decrease in peak density, and propose that vertical pressure gradient and electron temperature enhancement are plausible causes for ionospheric variability.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Benoit Jabaud, Riccardo Artoni, Gabriel Tobie, Erwan Le Menn, Patrick Richard
Summary: The Cassini spacecraft discovered active jets of water vapour and ice grains at the South Pole of Enceladus, resulting in the deposit of freshly erupted materials on the moon's icy surface. Similar processes may be happening on Europa as well. Determining the mechanical properties of fresh icy powder-like materials is essential for future landing and sampling missions. The flowability and surface energy of ice powders decrease with increasing temperatures, which may have implications for stable landing and the flow of ice materials on Enceladus and Europa.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Lydie Bonal, Eric Quirico, Gilles Montagnac, Mutsumi Komatsu, Yoko Kebukawa, Hikaru Yabuta, Kana Amano, Jens Barosch, Laure Bejach, George D. Cody, Emmanuel Dartois, Alexandre Dazzi, Bradley De Gregorio, Ariane Deniset-Besseau, Jean Duprat, Cecile Engrand, Minako Hashiguchi, Kanami Kamide, David Kilcoyne, Zita Martins, Jeremie Mathurin, Smail Mostefaoui, Larry Nittler, Takuji Ohigashi, Taiga Okumura, Laurent Remusat, Scott Sandford, Miho Shigenaka, Rhonda Stroud, Hiroki Suga, Yoshio Takahashi, Yasuo Takeichi, Yusuke Tamenori, Maximilien Verdier-Paoletti, Shohei Yamashita, Tomoki Nakamura, Hiroshi Naraoka, Takaaki Noguchi, Ryuji Okazaki, Hisayoshi Yurimoto, Shogo Tachibana, Masanao Abe, Akiko Miyazaki, Aiko Nakato, Satoru Nakazawa, Masahiro Nishimura, Tatsuaki Okada, Takanao Saiki, Kanako Sakamoto, Satoshi Tanaka, Fuyuto Terui, Yuichi Tsuda, Tomohiro Usui, Sei-ichiro Watanabe, Toru Yada, Kasumi Yogata, Makota Yoshikawa
Summary: This paper focuses on characterizing the thermal history of asteroid Ryugu by studying the structure of polyaromatic carbonaceous matter in the returned samples. The study finds that there is no structural difference in the polyaromatic component between the two sampling sites on Ryugu, indicating that the thermal metamorphism related to radioactive decay was not significant. However, some structural variability is observed within the particle set.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
M. Luginin, A. Fedorova, D. Belyaev, F. Montmessin, O. Korablev, J. -l. Bertaux
Summary: Spectroscopic solar occultation measurements by the SPICAV/SOIR instrument onboard the Venus Express orbiter provided new data on the upper haze aerosol properties, its distribution, and variations. A joint analysis of data from two spectrometers revealed a bimodal distribution in about 50% of observations previously believed to be unimodal, and characterized the size distribution 10 km higher in the atmosphere compared to previous analysis.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
A. Mahieux, S. Viscardy, K. L. Jessup, F. P. Mills, L. Trompet, S. Robert, S. Aoki, A. Piccialli, A. C. Vandaele
Summary: We report on the mean upper limit number densities and volume concentrations of H2CO, O-3, NH3, HCN, N2O, NO2, NO, and HO2 at the Venus terminator above the cloud layer. Attempts to detect these species using a statistical algorithm and the method presented by Trompet et al. (2021) were unsuccessful, and upper limits of detection are provided.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
P. M. Streeter, S. R. Lewis, M. R. Patel, J. A. Holmes, K. Rajendran
Summary: The northern polar vortex on Mars shows a high degree of interannual repeatability in its structure and evolution, except during large dust storms. The seasonal timing of these storms seems to be the key factor determining their impacts on the polar vortex.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Michael T. Mellon, Hanna G. Sizemore, Jennifer L. Heldmann, Christopher P. McKay, Carol R. Stoker
Summary: The search for life is a major focus of Mars exploration, with temperature and water activity being key factors for habitability. The most recent habitable conditions occurred about 510 kyrs ago and lasted for about 10s of kyrs each occurrence. All latitudes offer potential for life exploration, but middle-latitude sites have access to 100-kyr-old ice that experienced past habitable conditions, while high-latitude sites offer access to ancient ice over 1 Myrs old.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Anthony Ozerov, Jeffrey C. Smith, Jessie L. Dotson, Randolph S. Longenbaugh, Robert L. Morris
Summary: The Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) instruments, with their large combined field of view, are useful for studying the population of atmospheric phenomena like bolides. However, there are biases when using GLM for non-lightning purposes, which need to be studied and accounted for before precise measurements of bolide flux can be obtained. A Bayesian Poisson regression model was developed to estimate instrumental biases and the latitudinal variation of bolide flux concurrently. The estimated bias corresponds to the known sensitivity of the GLM instruments, and the latitudinal flux variation estimates are consistent with a strong bias towards high-velocity bolides, as compared to existing theoretical models.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
P. Beck, P. Y. Meslin, A. Fau, O. Forni, O. Gasnault, J. Lasue, A. Cousin, S. Schroeder, S. Maurice, W. Rapin, R. C. Wiens, A. M. Ollila, E. Dehouck, N. Mangold, B. Garcia, S. Schwartz, W. Goetz, N. Lanza
Summary: Analysis of data obtained by ChemCam on Mars reveals that the carbon signal is mainly related to ionization of the atmosphere, with variability potentially linked to the physical state of the atmosphere. Up to sol 3355, no carbonate was detected in the ChemCam dataset, suggesting that it is not a major constituent (>50%) in the analyzed targets and that carbon in soils is not enriched beyond the limit of detection. The dominant salts found in Gale are sulfate and chlorides, while the absence of carbonates, seen in Jezero, may be due to differences in protolith.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Eloy Pena-Asensio, Jaakko Visuri, Josep M. Trigo-Rodriguez, Hector Socas-Navarro, Maria Gritsevich, Markku Siljama, Albert Rimola
Summary: The observation of interstellar objects 1I/'Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov suggests the existence of a larger population of smaller projectiles that impact our planet with unbound orbits. A statistical evaluation of uncertainties in the CNEOS database and study of its hyperbolic fireballs reveals an anisotropic geocentric radiant distribution and low orbital inclinations, challenging the assumption of a randomly incoming interstellar population. These findings suggest that apparent interstellar meteors may, in fact, be the result of accelerated meteoroid impacts caused by close encounters with massive objects within or passing through our solar system.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Cecilia W. S. Leung, Leslie K. Tamppari, David M. Kass, German Martinez, Erik Fischer, Michael D. Smith
Summary: Using a combination of orbital and surface observations, this study investigates the vertical distribution of water vapor in the lower atmospheres of Mars. The findings suggest that the assumption of uniformly mixed water vapor in the boundary layer is not always consistent with observational constraints. The results provide important insights into the seasonal transport of water and the role of regolith-atmospheric exchange.