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Noble Gas Analysis for Mars Robotic Missions: Evaluating K-Ar Age Dating for Mars Rock Analogs and Martian ShergottitesThe purpose of this noble gas investigation was to evaluate the possibility of measuring noble gases in martian rocks and air by future robotic missions such as the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL). The MSL mission has, as part of its payload, the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument, which consists of a pyrolysis oven integrated with a GCMS. The MSL SAM instrument has the capability to measure noble gas compositions of martian rocks and atmosphere. Here we suggest the possibility of K-Ar age dating based on noble gas release of martian rocks by conducting laboratory simulation experiments on terrestrial basalts and martian meteorites. We provide requirements for the SAM instrument to obtain adequate noble gas abundances and compositions within the current SAM instrumental operating conditions, especially, a power limit that prevents heating the furnace above approx.1100 C. In addition, Martian meteorite analyses from NASA-JSC will be used as ground truth to evaluate the feasibility of robotic experiments to constrain the ages of martian surface rocks.
Document ID
20090011793
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Park, J. (NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Ming, D. W. (NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Garrison, D. H. (NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Jones, J. H. (NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Bogard, D. D. (NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Nagao, K. (Tokyo Univ. Japan)
Date Acquired
August 24, 2013
Publication Date
March 23, 2009
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Report/Patent Number
JSC-18017
Meeting Information
Meeting: Lunar Planetary Science Conference
Location: Houston, TX
Country: United States
Start Date: March 23, 2009
End Date: March 27, 2009
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.

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