Abstract
The Life in the Atacama project examined six different sites in the Atacama Desert (Chile) over 3 years in an attempt to remotely detect the presence of life with a rover. The remote science team, using only orbital and rover data sets, identified areas with a high potential for life as targets for further inspection by the rover. Orbital data in the visible/near infrared (VNIR) and in the thermal infrared (TIR) were used to examine the mineralogy, geomorphology, and chlorophyll potential of the field sites. Field instruments included two spectrometers (VNIR reflectance and TIR emission) and a neutron detector: this project represents the first time a neutron detector has been used as part of a "science-blind" rover field test. Rover-based spectroscopy was used to identify the composition of small scale features not visible in the orbital images and to improve interpretations of those data sets. The orbital and ground-based data sets produced consistent results, suggesting that much of the field sites consist of altered volcanic terrains with later deposits of sulfates, quartz, and iron oxides. At one location (Site A), the ground-based spectral data revealed considerably greater compositional diversity than was seen from the orbital view. One neutron detector transect provided insight into subsurface hydrogen concentrations, which correlated with life and surface features. The results presented here have implications for targeting strategies, especially for future Mars rover missions looking for potential habitats/paleohabitats.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | G04S04 |
| Journal | Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences |
| Volume | 112 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 28 2007 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Soil Science
- Forestry
- Water Science and Technology
- Palaeontology
- Atmospheric Science
- Aquatic Science
- Ecology
Cite this
Surface and subsurface composition of the Life in the Atacama field sites from rover data and orbital image analysis. / Piatek, Jennifer L.; Hardgrove, Craig; Moersch, Jeffrey E.; Drake, Darrell M.; Wyatt, Michael B.; Rampey, Michael; Carlisle, Orion; Warren-Rhodes, Kim; Dohm, James M.; Hock, Andrew N.; Cabrol, Nathalie A.; Wettergreen, David S.; Grin, Edmond A.; Diaz, Guillermo Chong; Coppin, Peter; Weinstein, Shmuel; Cockell, Charles S.; Marinangeli, Lucia; Ori, Gian Gabriele; Smith, Trey; Jonak, Dominic; Wagner, Michael; Stubbs, Kristen; Thomas, Geb; Pudenz, Erin; Glasgow, Justin.
In: Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, Vol. 112, No. 4, G04S04, 28.12.2007.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Surface and subsurface composition of the Life in the Atacama field sites from rover data and orbital image analysis
AU - Piatek, Jennifer L.
AU - Hardgrove, Craig
AU - Moersch, Jeffrey E.
AU - Drake, Darrell M.
AU - Wyatt, Michael B.
AU - Rampey, Michael
AU - Carlisle, Orion
AU - Warren-Rhodes, Kim
AU - Dohm, James M.
AU - Hock, Andrew N.
AU - Cabrol, Nathalie A.
AU - Wettergreen, David S.
AU - Grin, Edmond A.
AU - Diaz, Guillermo Chong
AU - Coppin, Peter
AU - Weinstein, Shmuel
AU - Cockell, Charles S.
AU - Marinangeli, Lucia
AU - Ori, Gian Gabriele
AU - Smith, Trey
AU - Jonak, Dominic
AU - Wagner, Michael
AU - Stubbs, Kristen
AU - Thomas, Geb
AU - Pudenz, Erin
AU - Glasgow, Justin
PY - 2007/12/28
Y1 - 2007/12/28
N2 - The Life in the Atacama project examined six different sites in the Atacama Desert (Chile) over 3 years in an attempt to remotely detect the presence of life with a rover. The remote science team, using only orbital and rover data sets, identified areas with a high potential for life as targets for further inspection by the rover. Orbital data in the visible/near infrared (VNIR) and in the thermal infrared (TIR) were used to examine the mineralogy, geomorphology, and chlorophyll potential of the field sites. Field instruments included two spectrometers (VNIR reflectance and TIR emission) and a neutron detector: this project represents the first time a neutron detector has been used as part of a "science-blind" rover field test. Rover-based spectroscopy was used to identify the composition of small scale features not visible in the orbital images and to improve interpretations of those data sets. The orbital and ground-based data sets produced consistent results, suggesting that much of the field sites consist of altered volcanic terrains with later deposits of sulfates, quartz, and iron oxides. At one location (Site A), the ground-based spectral data revealed considerably greater compositional diversity than was seen from the orbital view. One neutron detector transect provided insight into subsurface hydrogen concentrations, which correlated with life and surface features. The results presented here have implications for targeting strategies, especially for future Mars rover missions looking for potential habitats/paleohabitats.
AB - The Life in the Atacama project examined six different sites in the Atacama Desert (Chile) over 3 years in an attempt to remotely detect the presence of life with a rover. The remote science team, using only orbital and rover data sets, identified areas with a high potential for life as targets for further inspection by the rover. Orbital data in the visible/near infrared (VNIR) and in the thermal infrared (TIR) were used to examine the mineralogy, geomorphology, and chlorophyll potential of the field sites. Field instruments included two spectrometers (VNIR reflectance and TIR emission) and a neutron detector: this project represents the first time a neutron detector has been used as part of a "science-blind" rover field test. Rover-based spectroscopy was used to identify the composition of small scale features not visible in the orbital images and to improve interpretations of those data sets. The orbital and ground-based data sets produced consistent results, suggesting that much of the field sites consist of altered volcanic terrains with later deposits of sulfates, quartz, and iron oxides. At one location (Site A), the ground-based spectral data revealed considerably greater compositional diversity than was seen from the orbital view. One neutron detector transect provided insight into subsurface hydrogen concentrations, which correlated with life and surface features. The results presented here have implications for targeting strategies, especially for future Mars rover missions looking for potential habitats/paleohabitats.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=39849103748&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=39849103748&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1029/2006JG000317
DO - 10.1029/2006JG000317
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:39849103748
VL - 112
JO - Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres
JF - Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres
SN - 2169-897X
IS - 4
M1 - G04S04
ER -