Mars is Dropping it Low!

Researchers using NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter have found that temperatures in the Martian atmosphere regularly rise and fall not just once each day, but twice. Temperatures swing by as much as 58 degrees Fahrenheit (32 kelvins) in this odd, twice-a-day pattern, as detected by the orbiter's Mars Climate Sounder instrument.

Global oscillations of wind, temperature and pressure repeating each day or fraction of a day are called atmospheric tides. In contrast to ocean tides, they are driven by variation in heating between day and night. Earth has atmospheric tides, too, but the ones on Earth produce little temperature difference in the lower atmosphere away from the ground. On Mars, which has only about one percent as much atmosphere as Earth, they dominate short-term temperature variations throughout the atmosphere.

"We think of Mars as a cold and dry world with little water, but there is actually more water vapor in the Martian atmosphere than in the upper layers of Earth's atmosphere," maximum a little after midnight," said Armin Kleinboehl of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in. "Water-ice clouds have been known to form in regions of cold temperatures, but the feedback of these clouds on the Mars temperature structure had not been appreciated. We know now that we will have to consider the cloud structure if we want to understand the Martian atmosphere. This is comparable to scientific studies concerning Earth's atmosphere, where we have to better understand clouds to estimate their influence on climate."

Chemistry group: Melissa Cruz, Dasmany Deniz, and Marlenys Rey

It’s Time for a Change!

Since its landing last summer, Curiosity has been exploring Mars' Gale Crater, but it will soon switch to exploring a larger area of about 5 miles away from the crater, at the base of Mount Sharp. However, the journey is uncertain because the rover will have to drive southwest for many months. "We don't know when we'll get to Mount Sharp," Erickson said. "This truly is a mission of exploration, so just because our end goal is Mount Sharp doesn't mean we're not going to investigate interesting features along the way." The image attached of Mount Sharp shows that the many layers may give some evidence about how the ancient Martian environment changed. Now, the challenge lies on the analysis of the different rocks, as they will determine the qualities of the land. The first drilled rock, “John Klein”, provided evidence that an ancient environment had favorable conditions for microbial life. These discoveries from the land will ultimately determine how the Martian environment changed and evolved and how possible it is to sustain life.

Engineering Group: Jesus Bohorquez, Katherine Garcia

Beyond Curiosity: Will Future Investigations Bring Home Answers?

In 2020, NASA will be launching a new robotic science investigation regarding the possibility and the chances of life in the red planet. The duration of the mission will be one Mars Year (about 687 Earth days). The mission will be addressing key questions related to the presence of life in Mars. The mission would also make available opportunities to collect data and demonstrate technologies which deal with the challenges of future human expeditions to Mars. The mission would take benefit of a positive start on opportunity in 2020 when Earth and Mars are in advantageous positions in their orbits for a Mars landing. That means that it would take less power to get to Mars relative to other times, when Earth and Mars are in different positions in their orbits around the sun. Our scientists have the objectives of the mission under consideration, but until now, the ones they considered are; exploring an astrobiologically relevant ancient environment on Mars to decipher its geological processes and history and the potential preservation of possible biosignatures. This objective will lead, hopefully to a more clarifying pass way towards life on The Red Planet millions of years ago. Also, they will be looking forward to demonstrate important technical progress towards the future arrival of scientifically well documented samples to Earth. All together, this future investigation will bring along either more quests or answers to us, but we get the feeling that human race is insatiable, and there will always be a new quest to go for.

Leveraging Heritage Technology: Mars Rover Curiosity's Sky-Crane Maneuver, Artist's Concept This artist's concept shows the sky-crane maneuver during the descent of NASA's Curiosity rover to the Martian surface. The Mars mission launching in 2020 would leverage the design of this landing system and other aspects of the Mars Science Laboratory architecture.

Biology Group: Dayana Gonzalez and Teresa Blanco

“Snowboarding on Mars?”

NASA research tells us that hunks of frozen carbon dioxide or dry ice can glide down some Martian sand dunes on cushions of gas similar to miniature hovercraft, plowing furrows as they go. Researchers assumed this process could explain one mysterious class of gullies seen on Martian sand dunes by examining images from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Images from MRO's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera show sand dunes with linear gullies covered by carbon-dioxide frost during the Martian winter. The location of the linear gullies is on dunes that spend the Martian winter covered by carbon-dioxide frost. By comparing before-and-after images from different seasons, researchers determined that the grooves are formed during early spring. Some images have even caught bright objects in the gullies. Scientists theorize the bright objects are pieces of dry ice that have broken away from points higher on the slope. According to the new hypothesis, the pits could result from the blocks of dry ice completely sublimating away into carbon-dioxide gas after they have stopped traveling. "I have always dreamed of going to Mars," said Serina Diniega, a planetary scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. "Now I dream of snowboarding down a Martian sand dune on a block of dry ice."

Chemistry Group:Dasmany Deniz,Melissa Cruz,Marlenys Rey

Evidence from NASA Rover’s Journey: Understanding Radiation

Radiation Assessment Detector that allows Curiosity to measure the level of radiation

The Curiosity rover is being used by NASA to conduct multiple studies that will be crucial for further missions. Scientists are aware that in order to send human explorers to the Red Planet, they have to make sure that they will be as safe as possible. That is why one of the main objectives of Curiosity is to measure the levels of radiation in Mars. As NASA is already preparing the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket to carry and shelter us in space, the findings by Curiosity will enable humans to travel safely. "As this nation strives to reach an asteroid and Mars in our lifetimes, we're working to solve every puzzle nature poses to keep astronauts safe so they can explore the unknown and return home," said William Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for human exploration and operations in Washington The instrument that allows Curiosity to measure the radiation levels is called Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD). Since Curiosity is very similar to a potential human exploration spacecraft, scientists will be able to determine how the radiation would affect humans inside a spacecraft. This also allows them to find out the effectiveness of radiation shielding. As of May, findings have demonstrated that the level of radiation could exceed NASA’s limit for astronauts if current propulsion systems are used. Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Engineering Group: Melina Borghi and Ariel Castro.

Up and Running Again

Curiosity is back on track, after being placed in “safe mode” due to a memory glitch in its A-side computer. Now scientists have activated its B-side computer on February 28th and left A-side as a back-up in case of an emergency. Curiosity now continues to investigate and test the Martian surface soil. New problems and challenges have appeared. When the Red planet is behind the sun, scientists can't connect with Curiosity. They are preparing for it by putting a moratorium (a waiting period set by an authority) in place. Scientists will then order the rover to stand-by while Mars passes behind the sun. When the Red planet reappears scientist will resume the exploration of the Mars. Curiosity will continue to test soil samples in its inner laboratories. And so the journey continues.

Engineering Group: Eduardo J. Lopez,Dasmany Deniz,Ariel Castro

Why Mars?

InSight (Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport) will conduct an investigation in Mars that will explore the planet’s deep interior. This investigation will be addressing one of the most fundamental issues of planetary and solar system science. The purpose of this mission is to understand the processes that gave shape to the inner solar system rocky planets. By using sophisticated geophysical appliances, NASA will be detecting the fingerprints of the processes of terrestrial planet formation by exploring the deepest surface of Mars. The question is, Why Mars? Because previous generations have investigated the surface of the planet by investigating its rocks, volcanoes and more but no one has investigated the planet’s building blocks. Furthermore, InSight is more than a Mar’s mission, it is an investigation of terrestrial planet explorer that will go back billions of years ago, opening a new window into the change that shaped the rocky planets of the inners solar system and it will include Earth. InSight is based on the proven Phoenix Mars spacecraft and lander design with state-of-the-art avionics from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory missions.

From Glitch Side to Safe Side

Curiosity is currently using the B-side computer, which is safe to use and operating as expected. The rover is back on track with assessment and recovery from a memory issue that only affected the rover’s A-side computer. On Feb. 28, the rover’s A-side was switched to the B-side due to symptoms of a corrupted memory location. This switch put the rover in minimal-activity safe mode. On Saturday, March 2, Curiosity resumed using its high-gain antenna. "These tests have provided us with a great deal of information about the rover's A-side memory," said Jim Erickson, deputy project manager for the Mars Science Laboratory/Curiosity mission at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "We have been able to store new data in many of the memory locations previously affected and believe more runs will demonstrate more memory is available." The cause for the A-side's memory symptoms remains to be determined.

Sources: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-091 Engineering Group: Jesus Bohorquez, Katherine Garcia.

Ancient Watery Environment

New video with more detail about the drill and sample process in Yellow Knife Bay

Another step in the journey to find extraterrestrial life.

credit: Jet Propulsion Laboratories

NASA has released new updates have been released on the drilling experiment being done by the Curiosity rover in Mars. For the first time in history, a sample of an extraterrestrial rock has been successfully acquired from the Martian bedrock. No rover has ever collected a sample from the interior of a rock outside our planet! The next steps in the process includes the powder being enclosed inside CHIMRA (Curiosity's Collection and Handling for In-Situ Martian Rock Analysis) and then shaken, then filter out particles larger than 0.006 inches. It is the opinion of many that the process taking place in Martian land is going extremely slow. However, some advancement is better than none. As of right now, NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory Project is using the rover to investigate more about life. Will it be possible that the environment could be favorable for microbial life? Neither we nor the scientists seem to know the answer yet. Hopefully, the sample acquired will help answer the question that has been asked by everyone. Is there life outside earth?

Biology group: Daniel Lazo Yoan Rodriguez Danae Soler

Mars Rock Drilling Sample Set for Analysis in Search of Life

This image shows the first sample of powdered rock extracted by the rover’s drill.

New images from the surface of Mars confirm that NASA’s Curiosity rover successfully extracted the first samples collected by drilling inside a rock on another planet and transferred the powder to the robots processing scoop. Collecting the first particles from the interior of a rock on another planet is crucial for achieving Curiosity’s goal to determine whether Mars could have supported microbial life in the past or in the present. The next step is to deliver the portions of the gray powder into the analytical chemistry labs inside the rover, for a deeper analysis of the mineral content and to look for signs of organic molecules that are the building blocks of life. Also, for the first time scientists are going to examine ancients rocks that haven’t been exposed to the Martian surface environment and weather. For that reason, the rocks preserve the environment in which they formed. This is really important because subsequent oxidation reactions can destroy organic molecules and therefore potential signs of life.

Sources: Jet Propulsion Laboratory (http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-067#1)

Chemistry Group: Melina Borghi and Melissa Cruz

The Discovery of Mars: One Image at a Time

Curiosity’s MAHLI has made great achievements over the past few weeks, but what makes this piece of machinery so effective? The purpose of this camera is to facilitate scientists with the ability to distinguish minerals. MAHLI has many features like our very own digital cameras. Some of these features include: color, auto focus, and great image resolution. MAHLI’s camera has dust cover mechanisms. There is a single drive motor that adjusts the focus of the camera and opens/closes the dust cover of the lens. Undesired infrared radiation is blocked by a coating that is on the inside of the sapphire window of the camera. This blocking mechanism helps keeps away any radiation that would make it difficult for scientists to establish the identity of the minerals. The MAHLI has been such an effective tool that scientists are looking to use it for the following:

•Closeups of rocks

•Night imaging

•Observing seasonal frost; monitoring changes in frost over night

•Drill hole imaging

•Sample observation imaging

•Acquiring video sequences (e.g., grain movement on surface)

•Rover problem diagnosis imaging

Engineering group: Katherine A. Garcia and Jesus Bohorquez.

A Mars First! Curiosity drills into bedrock

At the center of this image from NASA’s Curiosity Rover is the hole in a rock called “John Klein” where the rover conducted its first sample drilling on Mars.

NASA's Curiosity rover made history by drilling into a Martian rock to collect samples, making it the first time any robot has ever performed this complicated tactic on the surface of another planet. The drilling took place in February 8th and they used a drill located at the end of the rover’s robotic arm; it made a hole about 0.63 inches wide and 2.5 inches deep into a sedimentary rock. NASA’s associate administrator for the agency's science mission directorate, Jon Grunsfeld, has been quoted as saying that "this is the biggest milestone accomplishment for the Curiosity team since the sky crane landing last August, another proud day for America". “We'll take the powder we acquired and swish it around to scrub the internal surfaces of the drill bit assembly," said JPL's Scott McCloskey, they thought the rock held evidence about long-gone wet environments. Over the next couple of days, the laboratory will utilize the instruments necessary to analyze the rock powder acquired from the drill and they want to use ground controllers to command the robotic arm to investigate further on the sample taken from the sediment. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory ordered the first in depth drilling and believes the picked up enough material from the rock to meet the goal of hardware cleaning and sample drop-off. Before the rock powder is analyzed; some will be used to find traces of material that may have been placed onto the hardware while the rover was still on Earth. Then NASA will use the arm of the rover to transfer the powder out of the drill into the scoop, which will allow them the chance to see the acquired sample. The rock Curiosity drilled is called "John Klein" in memory of a Mars Science Laboratory deputy project manager who died in 2011. Drilling for a sample is the last new activity for NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Project, which is using the car-size Curiosity rover to investigate whether an area within Mars' Gale Crater has ever offered an environment favorable for life.

Sources: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/

Chemistry Group: Melina Borghi and Melissa Cruz.

Curiosity is Finally Seeing the Light!

Close-up of the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI)

NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has recently used for the first time the camera positioned on its arm to take photos at night, equipped with white lights and ultraviolet lights this camera brings a new perspective to the research. Scientists developed the rover's Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) instrument to get a closer look during the nighttime at rocks such as "Sayunei," in an area where Curiosity's front-left wheel had scuffed the rock to provide fresh, dust-free materials to examine. This is very relevant because this rock is close to where the rover team plans to start the drilling process in the upcoming weeks. This means that with the nighttime camera fully functional, the team can drill at anytime of the day. The MAHLI, an adjustable-focus color camera, includes its own LED (light-emitting diode) illumination sources. The MAHLI Principal Investigator Ken Edgett of Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego explores the meaning of the camera, as "the purpose of acquiring observations under ultraviolet illumination was to look for fluorescent minerals." Source:http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1416

Engineering Group: Jesus Bohorquez, Katherine Garcia.

Metal in Mars? Curiosity’s MasCam Feeds Our Curiosity

Scientific collaborators for Curiosity’s Jet propulsion Laboratory were startled at the sight of what seemed to be a piece of a shiny metallic rock projecting out into the surface of the Red Planet. The unusual appearance of this unexpected object needed a human point of comparison and therefore has been said to resemble a door handle or hood ornament. Yet, this unusual event has been approached and studied in a very realistic manner. Curiosity’s team has assumed it may be a photographical illusion of their MasCam Chemistry camera or a natural effect of erosion, not a metallic part of something left behind. It is only logical to assume that this amazing detail extending out of Mar’s surface is only a projection due to wind erosion as the other rocks surrounding the area are eroded as well, though not so finely. Yet, it’s the fact that the rock beneath the projection is less resistant to wind that allows the rock on top to emerge. Fundamentally, since it is fine-grained, it is more likely to be a harder rock and consequently more resistant to the average winds of the area. And while the wind cannot erode it, it is also the wind that polishes it and may have given it its metallic appearance. Resoruces: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/news/msl20130211.html

Chemistry group: Valentina Leon, Marlenis Rey, Carmen Echavarria.

Where did the atmospheric gases and water on Mars go?

A closeup of rocks in Yellowknife Bay on Mars. Image courtesy MSSS/Caltech/NASA

There is evidence to that effect that Mars had both water and a gaseous atmosphere in the past. These hospitable conditions did not continue because of the gravity the planet was too weak to sustain them. On July 31st, 2008 reporters from NASA said “We have water in Mars”. This is the first time water had been detected, a hypotheses that had been long held. However, the water and gaseous atmosphere once found in Mars has disappeared. Current condition reports from Mars describe an environment with low temperatures and pressures. Any liquid water would immediately freeze and sublime. We know from Earth’s history that without water, life cannot exist. These findings of water historically on Mars means that life would be perhaps somewhere hidden on Mars. Think about it,bit by bit, piece by piece we will be a step further to understanding Mars incognita: is there life on Mars?

Meander in Scamander Vallis, as seen by Mariner 9. Such images implied that large amounts of water once flowed on the surface of Mars.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/130115-curiosity-mars-drill-water-space-science/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_on_Mars

Students, Biology Group: Dayana Gonzalez, Teresa Blanco.

Is a Calcium Carbonated Mars, the Secret to it all?

On January 18th 2013, the Mars Laboratory department of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, led by Justin Makin, announced Curiosity’s discovery of Calcium Carbonate in Yellow Knife Bay. Curiosity’s first drill activity provided with evidence of CaCO3 in the veins of rocks where the drilling took place. For life of on Earth, calcium is a relevant element. Chalk, which consists mainly of calcium carbonate, is used in practically all of America’s classrooms and it has been used as a fertilizer to promote agriculture. However, this abundant substance could possibly be the clue to the mystery of the past existence of water in Mars. On Earth, carbonate rocks only occur through chemical means or with aid of living organisms both of which require water. Also, these carbonates could have concealed the fossils of ancient bacteria that once existed in the Red Planet. According to a previous statement of scientist Ken Nealson JPL, “If you were lucky enough to find some carbonates in the layered terrains on Mars, scientists would get very excited…” This is now a reality! It is now safe to hypothesize that maybe at one point Mars was not the deserted place it now is because on Earth, calcium carbonate can be found on the sea floor but it can also be found on the shells of marine creatures. And while Earth can only serve as a point of reference, as both planets are quite different, and since Mar’s atmosphere only contains CO2, scientist still expect the water that possibly flowed in Mars to be liquid as well.

Sources: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/, http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/index.html

Chemistry group: Carmen Echavarria, Valentina Leon, Marlenis Rey.

Preparing to dig

The percussion drill in the turret of tools at the end of the robotic arm of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has been positioned in contact with the rock surface in this image from the rover's front Hazard-Avoidance Camera (Hazcam). Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech (www.jpl.nasa.gov)

The rover’s arm with the drill has been positioned on a patch of flat, veined rock called "John Klein" which lies inside the Gale Crater. The rover was commanded to press down on the rock to prepare for upcoming days. This test was carried out on January 27 and it was so engineers could make sure that the pressure applied matched their predictions.

Now the next stop is overnight which will assure engineers that the drill will be able to withstand the change in temperature. Mars climate has a huge change in temperature from noon to midnight. Temperatures rise as high as 0 degrees Celsius and drop as low as 65 degrees Celsius below freezing. This big change in temperature causes the rover’s arm to grow and shrink one tenth of an inch. These are is a small test which helps us understand the effect of temperature on the hardware without actually putting the hardware at risk.

So now we wait for the results of the test and hope that one day Curiosity will be ready to dig into the red planet.

Engineering Group: Eduardo J. Lopez,Dasmany Deniz, Ariel Castro

Innocent ‘till proven alive: The Martian Dilemma.

Percival Lowell, Map of Mars, 1895 Depauw University http://libguides.depauw.edu/content.php?pid=358241&sid=2930109

Figure 1: Martian canals as depicted by Percival Lowell. CREDIT: Public domain (Image featured on www.space.com)

At the beginning of December, it was highly speculated by NASA scientists that Curiosity had made some ground-breaking discovery. The lead mission investigator, John Grotzinger, said: "We're getting data from SAM … this data is gonna be one for the history books. It's looking really good."However, in less than four days, NASA officials took their time to diminish the value of these ‘theories’ stating that at this early stage of the process, the idea that there would be ground-breaking discoveries being done now, was incorrect. In an article featuring in www.space.com, Clara Moskowitz elaborates on five of the greatest overhyped facts about Mars by past explorations on the planet, and consequent speculations. The first most overhyped “fact” was the Martian canals. It was theorized that these canals were dug by living organisms, which established some sort of possibility towards life on Mars. Apparently, later technology proved them to simply be optical illusions.

Our second most overhyped “fact” was the existence of flowing water on the planet. On July, 2000 NASA did happen to announce information that supported this, but to present day, including now through the Curiosity observation, this evidence is apparently not supported. It is, though, believed that water once did flow on the Red Planet’s surface. Our third overhyped “fact” is related to the face of Mars. Let’s observe the following picture:

Figure 2: This picture, taken from www.space.com,features outlines of faces on the surface of the red planet. These faces were later theorized to, one more time, be optical illusions, but irrefutable evidence as to what they are still remain uncertain.

The fourth overhyped “fact” is associated with a mysterious meteorite that landed in Antarctica tens of thousands years ago, which was basically a piece of the red planet. This sample was studied and determined to possess magnetite, a compound which on earth are associated with microbial life. Also, carbonate minerals were found, indicating existence of water about 16 million years ago. This piece of rock, however, still faces skepticism from many scientists. The fifth and last most overhyped piece of information according to this source is the possibility of microbes on Mars. Even though previous space missions have yielded evidence of chemical reactions of metabolic origin in the Red planet, scientists established that microbes would not necessarily be the source of them. These theories, and the skepticism associated with them don’t stand irrefutable, once again, but they create the basis to the typical behavior exhibited by scientists when faced with a probable discovery. It is a scientist’s job to possess a fair level of skepticism until sufficient proof is yielded. This is just information in retrospect to see how NASA may or may not react to the suggested ground-breaking news that would ‘’go to the history books’’, as stated by the Curiosity mission lead investigator. More to come in the future…

Reference: http://www.space.com/18723-most-overhyped-mars-discoveries.html

Biology group: Jorge Alcina and Glenn Havee.