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Detection of Organic Constituents Including Chloromethylpropene in the Analyses of the ROCKNEST Drift by Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM)key challenge in assessing the habitability of martian environments is the detection of organic matter - a requirement of all life as we know it. The Curiosity rover, which landed on August 6, 2012 in Gale Crater of Mars, includes the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument suite capable of in situ analysis of gaseous organic components thermally evolved from sediment samples collected, sieved, and delivered by the MSL rover. On Sol 94, SAM received its first solid sample: scooped sediment from Rocknest that was sieved to <150 m particle size. Multiple 10-40 mg portions of the scoop #5 sample were delivered to SAM for analyses. Prior to their introduction, a blank (empty cup) analysis was performed. This blank served 1) to clean the analytical instrument of SAMinternal materials that accumulated in the gas processing system since integration into the rover, and 2) to characterize the background signatures of SAM. Both the blank and the Rocknest samples showed the presence of hydrocarbon components.
Document ID
20130011130
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Eigenbrode, J. L. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Glavin, D. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Coll, P. (Paris Univ. Creteil, France)
Summons, R. E. (Massachusetts Inst. of Tech. Cambridge, MA, United States)
Mahaffy, P. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Archer, D. (NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Brunner, A. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Conrad, P. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Freissinet, C. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Martin, M. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
McKay, C. (NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Hurowitz, J. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Evans, J. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Anderson, M. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Jandura, L. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Brown, K. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Logan C. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Kuhn, S. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Anderson, R. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Beegle, L. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Blakkolb, B. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Katz, I. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Limonadi, D. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Rainen, R. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Umland, J. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 27, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2013
Subject Category
Geophysics
Report/Patent Number
JSC-CN-27927
Meeting Information
Meeting: Lunar and Planetary Science Conference
Location: The Woodlands, TX
Country: United States
Start Date: March 18, 2013
End Date: March 22, 2013
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.

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