Characterization and calibration of the CheMin mineralogical instrument on Mars Science Laboratory

David Blake; David Vaniman; Cherie Achilles; Robert Anderson; David Bish; Tom Bristow; Curtis Chen; Steve Chipera; Joy Crisp; David Des Marais; Robert T. Downs; Jack Farmer; Sabrina Feldman; Mark Fonda; Marc Gailhanou; Hongwei Ma; Doug W. Ming; Richard V. Morris; Philippe Sarrazin; Ed Stolper; Allan Treiman; Albert Yen

doi:10.1007/s11214-012-9905-1

Characterization and calibration of the CheMin mineralogical instrument on Mars Science Laboratory

David Blake, David Vaniman, Cherie Achilles, Robert Anderson, David Bish, Tom Bristow, Curtis Chen, Steve Chipera, Joy Crisp, David Des Marais, Robert T. Downs, Jack Farmer, Sabrina Feldman, Mark Fonda, Marc Gailhanou, Hongwei Ma, Doug W. Ming, Richard V. Morris, Philippe Sarrazin, Ed StolperAllan Treiman, Albert Yen

Earth and Space Exploration, School of (SESE)

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

210 Scopus citations

Abstract

A principal goal of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover Curiosity is to identify and characterize past habitable environments on Mars. Determination of the mineralogical and chemical composition of Martian rocks and soils constrains their formation and alteration pathways, providing information on climate and habitability through time. The CheMin X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) instrument on MSL will return accurate mineralogical identifications and quantitative phase abundances for scooped soil samples and drilled rock powders collected at Gale Crater during Curiosity's 1-Mars-year nominal mission. The instrument has a Co X-ray source and a cooled charge-coupled device (CCD) detector arranged in transmission geometry with the sample. CheMin's angular range of 5 to 50 2θ with <0.35 2θ resolution is sufficient to identify and quantify virtually all minerals. CheMin's XRF requirement was descoped for technical and budgetary reasons. However, X-ray energy discrimination is still required to separate Co Kα from Co Kβ and Fe Kα photons. The X-ray energy-dispersive histograms (EDH) returned along with XRD for instrument evaluation should be useful in identifying elements Z>13 that are contained in the sample. The CheMin XRD is equipped with internal chemical and mineralogical standards and 27 reusable sample cells with either Mylar® or Kapton® windows to accommodate acidic-to-basic environmental conditions. The CheMin flight model (FM) instrument will be calibrated utilizing analyses of common samples against a demonstration-model (DM) instrument and CheMin-like laboratory instruments. The samples include phyllosilicate and sulfate minerals that are expected at Gale crater on the basis of remote sensing observations.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	341-399
Number of pages	59
Journal	Space Science Reviews
Volume	170
Issue number	1-4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-012-9905-1
State	Published - Sep 2012

Keywords

Mars habitability
Mars science laboratory
Mineralogy
Planetary science
Spacecraft instruments
X-ray diffraction

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1007/s11214-012-9905-1

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Blake, D., Vaniman, D., Achilles, C., Anderson, R., Bish, D., Bristow, T., Chen, C., Chipera, S., Crisp, J., Des Marais, D., Downs, R. T., Farmer, J., Feldman, S., Fonda, M., Gailhanou, M., Ma, H., Ming, D. W., Morris, R. V., Sarrazin, P., ... Yen, A. (2012). Characterization and calibration of the CheMin mineralogical instrument on Mars Science Laboratory. Space Science Reviews, 170(1-4), 341-399. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-012-9905-1

Blake, D, Vaniman, D, Achilles, C, Anderson, R, Bish, D, Bristow, T, Chen, C, Chipera, S, Crisp, J, Des Marais, D, Downs, RT, Farmer, J, Feldman, S, Fonda, M, Gailhanou, M, Ma, H, Ming, DW, Morris, RV, Sarrazin, P, Stolper, E, Treiman, A & Yen, A 2012, 'Characterization and calibration of the CheMin mineralogical instrument on Mars Science Laboratory', Space Science Reviews, vol. 170, no. 1-4, pp. 341-399. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-012-9905-1

@article{058b4bc568854ed28de5b2a513c40757,

title = "Characterization and calibration of the CheMin mineralogical instrument on Mars Science Laboratory",

abstract = "A principal goal of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover Curiosity is to identify and characterize past habitable environments on Mars. Determination of the mineralogical and chemical composition of Martian rocks and soils constrains their formation and alteration pathways, providing information on climate and habitability through time. The CheMin X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) instrument on MSL will return accurate mineralogical identifications and quantitative phase abundances for scooped soil samples and drilled rock powders collected at Gale Crater during Curiosity's 1-Mars-year nominal mission. The instrument has a Co X-ray source and a cooled charge-coupled device (CCD) detector arranged in transmission geometry with the sample. CheMin's angular range of 5 to 50 2θ with <0.35 2θ resolution is sufficient to identify and quantify virtually all minerals. CheMin's XRF requirement was descoped for technical and budgetary reasons. However, X-ray energy discrimination is still required to separate Co Kα from Co Kβ and Fe Kα photons. The X-ray energy-dispersive histograms (EDH) returned along with XRD for instrument evaluation should be useful in identifying elements Z>13 that are contained in the sample. The CheMin XRD is equipped with internal chemical and mineralogical standards and 27 reusable sample cells with either Mylar{\textregistered} or Kapton{\textregistered} windows to accommodate acidic-to-basic environmental conditions. The CheMin flight model (FM) instrument will be calibrated utilizing analyses of common samples against a demonstration-model (DM) instrument and CheMin-like laboratory instruments. The samples include phyllosilicate and sulfate minerals that are expected at Gale crater on the basis of remote sensing observations.",

keywords = "Mars habitability, Mars science laboratory, Mineralogy, Planetary science, Spacecraft instruments, X-ray diffraction",

author = "David Blake and David Vaniman and Cherie Achilles and Robert Anderson and David Bish and Tom Bristow and Curtis Chen and Steve Chipera and Joy Crisp and {Des Marais}, David and Downs, {Robert T.} and Jack Farmer and Sabrina Feldman and Mark Fonda and Marc Gailhanou and Hongwei Ma and Ming, {Doug W.} and Morris, {Richard V.} and Philippe Sarrazin and Ed Stolper and Allan Treiman and Albert Yen",

note = "Funding Information: Acknowledgements The CheMin flight instrument could not have been realized without long-term support from NASA{\textquoteright}s research and technology programs and institutions, including: Ames Research Center{\textquoteright}s Director{\textquoteright}s Discretionary Fund, the Exobiology Instrument Development program, the Planetary Instrument Definition and Development program (PIDDP), the Mars Instrument Definition and Development program (MIDDP), the Astrobiology Science and Technology Instrument Development program (ASTID), the Astrobiology Science and Technology for Exploration of Planets program (ASTEP), NASA{\textquoteright}s Small Business Innovative Research program (SBIR), and the diligent efforts engineers and scientists of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology under a contract with NASA. We also thank Thomas Chatham of Chatham Created Gemstones for the donation of synthetic emerald for the beryl:quartz standard materials.",

year = "2012",

month = sep,

doi = "10.1007/s11214-012-9905-1",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "170",

pages = "341--399",

journal = "Space Science Reviews",

issn = "0038-6308",

publisher = "Springer Netherlands",

number = "1-4",

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T1 - Characterization and calibration of the CheMin mineralogical instrument on Mars Science Laboratory

AU - Blake, David

AU - Vaniman, David

AU - Achilles, Cherie

AU - Anderson, Robert

AU - Bish, David

AU - Bristow, Tom

AU - Chen, Curtis

AU - Chipera, Steve

AU - Crisp, Joy

AU - Des Marais, David

AU - Downs, Robert T.

AU - Farmer, Jack

AU - Feldman, Sabrina

AU - Fonda, Mark

AU - Gailhanou, Marc

AU - Ma, Hongwei

AU - Ming, Doug W.

AU - Morris, Richard V.

AU - Sarrazin, Philippe

AU - Stolper, Ed

AU - Treiman, Allan

AU - Yen, Albert

N1 - Funding Information: Acknowledgements The CheMin flight instrument could not have been realized without long-term support from NASA’s research and technology programs and institutions, including: Ames Research Center’s Director’s Discretionary Fund, the Exobiology Instrument Development program, the Planetary Instrument Definition and Development program (PIDDP), the Mars Instrument Definition and Development program (MIDDP), the Astrobiology Science and Technology Instrument Development program (ASTID), the Astrobiology Science and Technology for Exploration of Planets program (ASTEP), NASA’s Small Business Innovative Research program (SBIR), and the diligent efforts engineers and scientists of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology under a contract with NASA. We also thank Thomas Chatham of Chatham Created Gemstones for the donation of synthetic emerald for the beryl:quartz standard materials.

PY - 2012/9

Y1 - 2012/9

N2 - A principal goal of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover Curiosity is to identify and characterize past habitable environments on Mars. Determination of the mineralogical and chemical composition of Martian rocks and soils constrains their formation and alteration pathways, providing information on climate and habitability through time. The CheMin X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) instrument on MSL will return accurate mineralogical identifications and quantitative phase abundances for scooped soil samples and drilled rock powders collected at Gale Crater during Curiosity's 1-Mars-year nominal mission. The instrument has a Co X-ray source and a cooled charge-coupled device (CCD) detector arranged in transmission geometry with the sample. CheMin's angular range of 5 to 50 2θ with <0.35 2θ resolution is sufficient to identify and quantify virtually all minerals. CheMin's XRF requirement was descoped for technical and budgetary reasons. However, X-ray energy discrimination is still required to separate Co Kα from Co Kβ and Fe Kα photons. The X-ray energy-dispersive histograms (EDH) returned along with XRD for instrument evaluation should be useful in identifying elements Z>13 that are contained in the sample. The CheMin XRD is equipped with internal chemical and mineralogical standards and 27 reusable sample cells with either Mylar® or Kapton® windows to accommodate acidic-to-basic environmental conditions. The CheMin flight model (FM) instrument will be calibrated utilizing analyses of common samples against a demonstration-model (DM) instrument and CheMin-like laboratory instruments. The samples include phyllosilicate and sulfate minerals that are expected at Gale crater on the basis of remote sensing observations.

AB - A principal goal of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover Curiosity is to identify and characterize past habitable environments on Mars. Determination of the mineralogical and chemical composition of Martian rocks and soils constrains their formation and alteration pathways, providing information on climate and habitability through time. The CheMin X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) instrument on MSL will return accurate mineralogical identifications and quantitative phase abundances for scooped soil samples and drilled rock powders collected at Gale Crater during Curiosity's 1-Mars-year nominal mission. The instrument has a Co X-ray source and a cooled charge-coupled device (CCD) detector arranged in transmission geometry with the sample. CheMin's angular range of 5 to 50 2θ with <0.35 2θ resolution is sufficient to identify and quantify virtually all minerals. CheMin's XRF requirement was descoped for technical and budgetary reasons. However, X-ray energy discrimination is still required to separate Co Kα from Co Kβ and Fe Kα photons. The X-ray energy-dispersive histograms (EDH) returned along with XRD for instrument evaluation should be useful in identifying elements Z>13 that are contained in the sample. The CheMin XRD is equipped with internal chemical and mineralogical standards and 27 reusable sample cells with either Mylar® or Kapton® windows to accommodate acidic-to-basic environmental conditions. The CheMin flight model (FM) instrument will be calibrated utilizing analyses of common samples against a demonstration-model (DM) instrument and CheMin-like laboratory instruments. The samples include phyllosilicate and sulfate minerals that are expected at Gale crater on the basis of remote sensing observations.

KW - Mars habitability

KW - Mars science laboratory

KW - Mineralogy

KW - Planetary science

KW - Spacecraft instruments

KW - X-ray diffraction

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EP - 399

JO - Space Science Reviews

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IS - 1-4

ER -

Characterization and calibration of the CheMin mineralogical instrument on Mars Science Laboratory

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