Articles tagged with Regolith
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Researchers from Tohoku University have improved a Mars climate model to account for the planet's non-uniform regolith properties. The enhanced model shows that highly absorptive regolith in mid- and low latitudes retains substantial amounts of absorbed water, which remains on the surface as stable adsorbed water.
New research from Macquarie University identifies the probable locations and mechanisms of accumulations of critical metals at the margins of old cores of continents. These areas have been found to contain more sulfur and copper than elsewhere on the continents, making them potential targets for future exploration activities.
NASA has partnered with Firefly Aerospace to deliver UCF's Lunar Vulkan Imaging and Spectroscopy Explorer (Lunar-VISE) payload to the Moon's Gruithuisen Domes. The mission aims to investigate the mysterious silica-rich volcanic features and gather data on lunar regolith for future exploration.
Researchers from the Mann Research Group found strong path dependence in Plio-Pleistocene glaciations, driven by a gradual decrease in regolith and volcanic outgassing. The study suggests that carbon dioxide levels determine the onset of the Mid-Pleistocene Transition, and that it's not too late to act to prevent ice sheet collapse.
A new computer model mimics Moon dust, allowing for smoother and safer Lunar robot operations. The model can be used to train astronauts ahead of Lunar missions, reducing delays and improving control.
A Chinese spacecraft returned a sample of the moon's surface, containing minerals that provide insights into its past. Researchers found high-pressure minerals in the sample, which are unusual in lunar rocks.
A multi-institutional team analyzed the flow of simulated regolith using an artificial gravity generator on the ISS. The study found that flow characteristics follow well-known physical laws even at low gravity, and bulk density decreases with gravity.
Researchers identified seven exotic igneous clasts in Chang'e-5 samples, providing critical information about the Moon's lithological diversity and regolith gardening process. The findings indicate that there are still unknown geological units on the moon, which may aid future lunar exploration missions.
Researchers at UCF's COSMOS Lab developed a method to create strong bricks from lunar regolith using 3D printing and binder jet technology. The bricks can withstand extreme space environments and are suitable for constructing off-world structures, paving the way for sustainable space construction.
Researchers at Washington State University have created a strong and high-performance material by mixing Martian regolith with a titanium alloy. The composite showed better properties than the metal alone, making it suitable for making tools or rocket parts on Mars.
Researchers discover alfalfa plants can enrich Martian soil with nutrients, allowing for plant growth. Meanwhile, marine cyanobacteria effectively remove excess salt from water, enabling the production of fresh water and a foundation for future food cultivation.
Asteroid Bennu's surface is characterized as loosely bound, with a near-subsurface layer composed of weakly bound rock fragments containing twice the void space as the overall asteroid. The study provides new insights into the physical properties of rubble-pile asteroids, with implications for their long-term evolution.
Researchers at the University of Florida have grown plants in soil from the Moon, a major milestone in lunar exploration. The study found that plants can sprout and grow in lunar regolith, but also experience stress due to its unique chemical composition.
Asteroid Bennu's surface is covered in boulders due to its highly porous rocks, which compress rather than fragment under meteoroid impacts. This contradicts previous observations of fine regolith on similar asteroids, such as Ryugu and Itokawa.
Researchers found that clover grown with symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria in Martian regolith experienced significant 75% more root and shoot growth compared to uninoculated plants. However, the regolith showed no excess production of nitrogen compounds, suggesting a potential role for these microbes in terraforming Mars soils.
Researchers inverted lunar regolith parameters using microwave radiation data from the Chang'e lunar sounder. The study reveals regolith thickness distribution and provides support for selecting sampling sites for future missions.
A research team analyzed a 'gel-like' substance discovered by the Chang'e-4 rover, finding it to be an impact melt breccia. The surrounding regolith may have originated from a differentiated melt pool or igneous rocks.
A team of researchers has discovered a system of ridges on the nearside of the Moon topped with freshly exposed boulders, which could be evidence of active lunar tectonic processes. The findings suggest that the Moon may still be experiencing ongoing geological activity.
Researchers discovered an olivine-norite rock in the South Pole-Aitken basin, suggesting it crystallized from the impact-derived melt pool. The fine-grain texture of the rock supports fast cooling thermal conditions.
Researchers studied microbial communities in permafrost sedimentary rocks under low temperature and pressure conditions similar to those on Mars. They found that these communities showed high resistance to simulated Martian environment, with some bacteria surviving even after doses of ionizing radiation exceeding 80 kGy.
Researchers have discovered that a specific microbe can oxidize and metabolize metals from synthetic Martian regolith simulants, leaving behind unique signatures. This finding could enable the extraction of metals from asteroids and other celestial bodies using biological methods.
Solar storms can charge up soil in moon's permanently shadowed regions, potentially producing sparks that could vaporize and melt the soil. This process, known as dielectric breakdown, could alter the regolith and provide clues to the moon's history.
A team of researchers found a massive slab of water ice on Mars, measuring 40 meters thick and covering an area equivalent to California and Texas combined. Meanwhile, scientists have long struggled to study the Earth's remote mantle using seismic wave analysis, but new research offers new insights into this complex process.
Researchers from Italy and Brazil present a new conceptual model of staircase fractures in microbialites and travertines, enhancing permeability by connecting highly porous zones. This understanding is valuable for locating water supplies and exploring oil, gas, and geothermal resources.
Researchers have discovered microbial etchings in impact glass from the Ries Impact Structure, Germany, which are remarkably similar to bioalteration textures observed in volcanic glasses. The authors suggest that microbes etched their way through impact glass as they excreted organic acids, creating a potential habitat for life on Mars.
A French, American team of researchers has discovered that the regolith of small asteroids is formed by thermal fatigue, a process caused by temperature cycling. This finding challenges previous theories that suggested impacts and micrometeoroid impacts were responsible for creating the asteroid's surface.
A new study suggests that Phobos' surface contains tons of Martian debris, including dust, soil, and rock blown off the Martian surface by large projectile impacts. This finding could enable a sample-return mission to Mars to be flown as part of a single mission, with the Russian space agency planning to launch its second attempt in 2020.
Researchers find hydroxyl compounds in lunar regolith created by solar wind implantation, leading to widespread water presence in lunar materials. The discovery suggests ice in permanently shadowed polar craters could contain hydrogen atoms from solar wind.
Researchers analyze asteroid dust brought back by Hayabusa spacecraft, confirming stony asteroids are birthplace of most meteorites. The discovery sheds light on the history of early solar system events and provides a new understanding of the origin of ordinary chondrites.
Asteroid impacts over billions of years have left the Moon with a pockmarked surface, but a new crater may expose a portion of the lower crust. The Apollo Basin, formed by a smaller asteroid impact, measures 300 miles across and is believed to reveal the lunar crust's early history.
Researchers at Decagon Devices Inc. successfully measured thermal properties of Martian regolith using a short, fat needle technique, expanding understanding and accuracy of climate models. The study's findings have potential applications in improving commercial thermal properties sensors on Earth.
Researchers at Florida Tech are developing a method to produce oxygen on the moon using the FFC Cambridge process, which could significantly reduce costs and masses of rocket fuel. Locally produced oxygen would be crucial for achieving affordable human robotic programs to explore the solar system.
The book, written by Dr. Georges Stoops, provides a system of analysis and description of soil and regolith materials seen in thin sections. It aims to standardize descriptions of features found in thin section analysis, facilitating communication among scientists using micromorphology.