Results from the dynamic albedo of neutrons (DAN) passive mode experiment: Yellowknife Bay to Amargosa Valley (Sols 201–753)

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

doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2017.08.022

Results from the dynamic albedo of neutrons (DAN) passive mode experiment: Yellowknife Bay to Amargosa Valley (Sols 201–753)

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

Earth and Space Exploration, School of (SESE)

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

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Mars Science Laboratory (Curiosity rover) Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) experiment detects neutrons for the purpose of searching for hydrogen in the shallow subsurface of Mars. DAN has two modes of operation, active and passive. In passive mode, the instrument detects neutrons produced by Galactic Cosmic Ray interactions in the atmosphere and regolith and by the rover's Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator. DAN passive data from Yellowknife Bay to Amargosa Valley (sols 201 through 753) are presented and analyzed here. Water equivalent hydrogen (WEH) estimates from this portion of Curiosity's traverse range from 0.0 wt. % up to 15.3 wt. %. Typical uncertainties on these WEH estimates are ∼0.5 wt. % but in some cases can be as high as ∼4.0 wt. % depending on the specific circumstances of a given measurement. Here we also present a new way of reporting results from the passive mode of the experiment, the DAN passive geochemical index (DPGI). This index is sensitive to some key geochemical variations, but it does not require assumptions about the abundances of high thermal neutron absorption cross section elements, which are needed to estimate WEH. DPGI variations in this section of the traverse indicate that the shallow regolith composition is changing on both the local (∼meters) and regional (∼100 s of meters) scales. This variability is thought to be representative of the diverse composition of source regions for sediments within the crater floor. Kolmogorov-Smirnov Tests on the populations of WEH estimates and DPGI values demonstrate there are statistically significant differences between nearly all of the geologic units investigated along the rover's traverse. We also present updated previous DAN passive results from Bradbury Landing to John Klein that make use of revised DAN active mode results for calibration, however, no qualitative changes in the interpretations made in Tate et al. (2015b) are incurred.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	513-537
Number of pages	25
Journal	Icarus
Volume	299
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2017.08.022
State	Published - Jan 1 2018

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.2017.08.022

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Tate, C. G., Moersch, J., Mitrofanov, I., Litvak, M., Bellutta, P., Boynton, W. V., Drake, D., Ehresmann, B., Fedosov, F., Golovin, D., Hardgrove, C., Harshman, K., Hassler, D. M., Jun, I., Kozyrev, A. S., Lisov, D., Malakhov, A., Ming, D. W., Mischna, M., ... Zeitlin, C. (2018). Results from the dynamic albedo of neutrons (DAN) passive mode experiment: Yellowknife Bay to Amargosa Valley (Sols 201–753). Icarus, 299, 513-537. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2017.08.022

Tate, CG, Moersch, J, Mitrofanov, I, Litvak, M, Bellutta, P, Boynton, WV, Drake, D, Ehresmann, B, Fedosov, F, Golovin, D, Hardgrove, C, Harshman, K, Hassler, DM, Jun, I, Kozyrev, AS, Lisov, D, Malakhov, A, Ming, DW, Mischna, M, Mokrousov, M, Nikiforov, S, Sanin, AB, Starr, R, Vostrukhin, A & Zeitlin, C 2018, 'Results from the dynamic albedo of neutrons (DAN) passive mode experiment: Yellowknife Bay to Amargosa Valley (Sols 201–753)', Icarus, vol. 299, pp. 513-537. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2017.08.022

@article{7890f1ff8606459a9bdbd271e5fe76bb,

title = "Results from the dynamic albedo of neutrons (DAN) passive mode experiment: Yellowknife Bay to Amargosa Valley (Sols 201–753)",

abstract = "The Mars Science Laboratory (Curiosity rover) Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) experiment detects neutrons for the purpose of searching for hydrogen in the shallow subsurface of Mars. DAN has two modes of operation, active and passive. In passive mode, the instrument detects neutrons produced by Galactic Cosmic Ray interactions in the atmosphere and regolith and by the rover's Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator. DAN passive data from Yellowknife Bay to Amargosa Valley (sols 201 through 753) are presented and analyzed here. Water equivalent hydrogen (WEH) estimates from this portion of Curiosity's traverse range from 0.0 wt. % up to 15.3 wt. %. Typical uncertainties on these WEH estimates are ∼0.5 wt. % but in some cases can be as high as ∼4.0 wt. % depending on the specific circumstances of a given measurement. Here we also present a new way of reporting results from the passive mode of the experiment, the DAN passive geochemical index (DPGI). This index is sensitive to some key geochemical variations, but it does not require assumptions about the abundances of high thermal neutron absorption cross section elements, which are needed to estimate WEH. DPGI variations in this section of the traverse indicate that the shallow regolith composition is changing on both the local (∼meters) and regional (∼100 s of meters) scales. This variability is thought to be representative of the diverse composition of source regions for sediments within the crater floor. Kolmogorov-Smirnov Tests on the populations of WEH estimates and DPGI values demonstrate there are statistically significant differences between nearly all of the geologic units investigated along the rover's traverse. We also present updated previous DAN passive results from Bradbury Landing to John Klein that make use of revised DAN active mode results for calibration, however, no qualitative changes in the interpretations made in Tate et al. (2015b) are incurred.",

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

author = "Tate, {C. G.} and J. Moersch and I. Mitrofanov and M. Litvak and P. Bellutta and Boynton, {W. V.} and D. Drake 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 Ming, {D. W.} and M. Mischna and M. Mokrousov 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 J. Moersch's MSL Participating Scientist Award (NASA JPL 1451872). We would also like to thank the MSL operations and science teams for helping acquire these data. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2017 Elsevier Inc.",

year = "2018",

month = jan,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.icarus.2017.08.022",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "299",

pages = "513--537",

journal = "Icarus",

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publisher = "Academic Press Inc.",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Results from the dynamic albedo of neutrons (DAN) passive mode experiment

T2 - Yellowknife Bay to Amargosa Valley (Sols 201–753)

AU - Tate, C. G.

AU - Moersch, J.

AU - Mitrofanov, I.

AU - Litvak, M.

AU - Bellutta, P.

AU - Boynton, W. V.

AU - Drake, D.

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 - Ming, D. W.

AU - Mischna, M.

AU - Mokrousov, 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 J. Moersch's MSL Participating Scientist Award (NASA JPL 1451872). We would also like to thank the MSL operations and science teams for helping acquire these data. Publisher Copyright: © 2017 Elsevier Inc.

PY - 2018/1/1

Y1 - 2018/1/1

N2 - The Mars Science Laboratory (Curiosity rover) Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) experiment detects neutrons for the purpose of searching for hydrogen in the shallow subsurface of Mars. DAN has two modes of operation, active and passive. In passive mode, the instrument detects neutrons produced by Galactic Cosmic Ray interactions in the atmosphere and regolith and by the rover's Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator. DAN passive data from Yellowknife Bay to Amargosa Valley (sols 201 through 753) are presented and analyzed here. Water equivalent hydrogen (WEH) estimates from this portion of Curiosity's traverse range from 0.0 wt. % up to 15.3 wt. %. Typical uncertainties on these WEH estimates are ∼0.5 wt. % but in some cases can be as high as ∼4.0 wt. % depending on the specific circumstances of a given measurement. Here we also present a new way of reporting results from the passive mode of the experiment, the DAN passive geochemical index (DPGI). This index is sensitive to some key geochemical variations, but it does not require assumptions about the abundances of high thermal neutron absorption cross section elements, which are needed to estimate WEH. DPGI variations in this section of the traverse indicate that the shallow regolith composition is changing on both the local (∼meters) and regional (∼100 s of meters) scales. This variability is thought to be representative of the diverse composition of source regions for sediments within the crater floor. Kolmogorov-Smirnov Tests on the populations of WEH estimates and DPGI values demonstrate there are statistically significant differences between nearly all of the geologic units investigated along the rover's traverse. We also present updated previous DAN passive results from Bradbury Landing to John Klein that make use of revised DAN active mode results for calibration, however, no qualitative changes in the interpretations made in Tate et al. (2015b) are incurred.

AB - The Mars Science Laboratory (Curiosity rover) Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) experiment detects neutrons for the purpose of searching for hydrogen in the shallow subsurface of Mars. DAN has two modes of operation, active and passive. In passive mode, the instrument detects neutrons produced by Galactic Cosmic Ray interactions in the atmosphere and regolith and by the rover's Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator. DAN passive data from Yellowknife Bay to Amargosa Valley (sols 201 through 753) are presented and analyzed here. Water equivalent hydrogen (WEH) estimates from this portion of Curiosity's traverse range from 0.0 wt. % up to 15.3 wt. %. Typical uncertainties on these WEH estimates are ∼0.5 wt. % but in some cases can be as high as ∼4.0 wt. % depending on the specific circumstances of a given measurement. Here we also present a new way of reporting results from the passive mode of the experiment, the DAN passive geochemical index (DPGI). This index is sensitive to some key geochemical variations, but it does not require assumptions about the abundances of high thermal neutron absorption cross section elements, which are needed to estimate WEH. DPGI variations in this section of the traverse indicate that the shallow regolith composition is changing on both the local (∼meters) and regional (∼100 s of meters) scales. This variability is thought to be representative of the diverse composition of source regions for sediments within the crater floor. Kolmogorov-Smirnov Tests on the populations of WEH estimates and DPGI values demonstrate there are statistically significant differences between nearly all of the geologic units investigated along the rover's traverse. We also present updated previous DAN passive results from Bradbury Landing to John Klein that make use of revised DAN active mode results for calibration, however, no qualitative changes in the interpretations made in Tate et al. (2015b) are incurred.

KW - Cosmic rays

KW - Mars

KW - Mars, surface

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DO - 10.1016/j.icarus.2017.08.022

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85034023858

SN - 0019-1035

VL - 299

SP - 513

EP - 537

JO - Icarus

JF - Icarus

ER -

Results from the dynamic albedo of neutrons (DAN) passive mode experiment: Yellowknife Bay to Amargosa Valley (Sols 201–753)

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