Field & Laboratory Spectroscopy of Mars Analogue Samples: Support to Mars In-Situ and Sample Return Missions
- Paper number
IAC-18,A3,3B,3,x48213
- Author
Prof. Bernard Foing, The Netherlands, ESA/ESTEC, ILEWG & VU Amsterdam
- Coauthor
Ms. Germaine van der Sanden, The Netherlands, ESA - European Space Agency
- Coauthor
Ms. Elise Clavé, The Netherlands, ESA
- Coauthor
Dr. Jorge Vago, The Netherlands
- Coauthor
Dr. Agata Kolodziejczyk, Poland, Astronomia Nova Society, for Science Foundation
- Year
2018
- Abstract
We have analysed Mars analogue samples in-situ and in the laboratory, using techniques similar to those applied to in situ measurements (eg Curiosity rover, ExoMars or Mars 2020 rovers) or on returned Mars samples in Earth laboratories. Some analogue samples were collected from Rio Tinto, Iceland and from volcanic sites at Hawaii, La Reunion, Tenerife, and from the volcanic region of the Eifel, Germany during field campaigns in 2015-2018 and were analyzed with a variety of spectrometers. These samples derived from terrestrial analogue sites are studied to gain insight into Mars analogue processes in their geological context. The aim is to obtain a database of analyzed samples that could be used as a reference for future in situ measurements. We also use a documented set of Moon-Mars relevant minerals curated at VU Amsterdam. The spectrometers have been used in combination with the ExoGeoLab MoonMars lander during field campaigns and also brought to Eifel, and to LunAres Analogue base Poland to prove the applicability of the equipment in the field. Acknowledgements: we thank ILEWG EuroMoonMars 2016-2018 field teams, ILEWG for students and field support, Dominic Doyle for ESTEC optical lab spectrometry support.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
(absent)