Nevada NASA EPSCoR Highlight
Analysis of Iron-rich X-ray Amorphous Weathering Products on Earth and Comparisons to Measurements from Mars
Science PI: Elisabeth Hausrath (University of Nevada, Las Vegas)
Co-PI: Wendy Calvin (University of Nevada, Reno)
NASA Collaborator: Liz Rampe (Johnson Space Center)
This funding supported research in the recently deglaciated ultramafic rocks in the Klamath Mountains, as well as in the arid Pickhandle Gulch in Nevada. Weathered materials from these environments were separated and analyzed for comparisons with weathered materials from Mars. The project helped support and provide educational experiences for four students in Nevada, built a relationship with a NASA center, and provided preliminary data for a proposal for future funding from NASA. Johnson Space Center is collaborating in the future NASA proposal and will specifically provide Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) analysis of iron-rich samples to determine their potential as analogs to Martian surface materials.
Elisabeth Hausrath
Return on Investment (ROI) To Date
Proposals Submitted: 1
Presentations: 3
Students impacted, research experience and expertise: 4
Reddish, iron-rich soils in the Klamath Mountains, California, may contain materials similar to materials found on Mars.
Oxidation state of iron (red = ferrous, green = ferric) of the clay-sized fraction; from ALS beamline 10.3.2.
NASA Content and Resources Used:
The Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) at Johnson Space Center will be used to analyze samples. This research was funded by a Nevada NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development Seed Grant award #NNX15AK48A.
