Examinando por Autor "Castro, K."

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ExoMars Raman Laser Spectrometer: A Tool for the Potential Recognition of Wet-Target Craters on Mars
(Mary Ann Liebert Publishers, 2020-03-02) Veneranda, M.; López Reyes, G.; Manrique, J. A.; Medina García, J.; Ruiz Galende, P.; Torre Fdez, I.; Castro, K.; Lantz, C.; Poulet, F.; Dypvik, H.; Werner, S. C.; Rull, F.; Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI); Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO); European Research Council (ERC); López Reyes, G. [0000-0003-1005-1760]; Ruiz, P. [0000-0003-0181-3532]; Manrique, J. A. [0000-0002-2053-2819]; Unidad de Excelencia Científica María de Maeztu Centro de Astrobiología del Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial y CSIC, MDM-2017-0737
In the present work, near-infrared, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, Raman, and X-ray diffractometer techniques have been complementarily used to carry out a comprehensive characterization of a terrestrial analogue selected from the Chesapeake Bay impact structure (CBIS). The obtained data clearly highlight the key role of Raman spectroscopy in the detection of minor and trace compounds, through which inferences about geological processes occurred in the CBIS can be extrapolated. Beside the use of commercial systems, further Raman analyses were performed by the Raman laser spectrometer (RLS) ExoMars Simulator. This instrument represents the most reliable tool to effectively predict the scientific capabilities of the ExoMars/Raman system that will be deployed on Mars in 2021. By emulating the analytical procedures and operational restrictions established by the ExoMars mission rover design, it was proved that the RLS ExoMars Simulator can detect the amorphization of quartz, which constitutes an analytical clue of the impact origin of craters. Beside amorphized minerals, the detection of barite and siderite, compounds crystallizing under hydrothermal conditions, helps indirectly to confirm the presence of water in impact targets. Furthermore, the RLS ExoMars Simulator capability of performing smart molecular mappings was successfully evaluated.
Acceso Abierto
Multi-analytical characterization of an oncoid from a high altitude hypersaline lake using techniques employed in the Mars2020 and Rosalind Franklin missions on Mars
(Elsevier, 2023-07-17) Huidobro, J.; Madariaga, J. M.; Carrizo, D.; Laserna, Javier; Rull, F.; Martínez Frías, Jesús; Aramendia, J.; Sánchez García, Laura; García Gómez, Laura; Vignale, Federico A.; Farías, María Eugenia; Veneranda, M.; Población, Iratxe; Cabalín, Luisa María; López Reyes, G.; Coloma, Leire; García Florentino, Carlos; Arana, G.; Castro, K.; Delgado Pérez, Tomás; Alvarez Llamas, César; Fortes, Francisco Javier; Manrique, J. A.; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN); Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI)
In this work, a geological sample of great astrobiological interest was studied through analytical techniques that are currently operating in situ on Mars and others that will operate in the near future. The sample analyzed consisted of an oncoid, which is a type of microbialite, collected in the Salar Carachi Pampa, Argentina. The main peculiarity of microbialites is that they are organo-sedimentary deposits formed by the in situ fixation and precipitation of calcium carbonate due to the growth and metabolic activities of microorganisms. For this reason, the Carachi Pampa oncoid was selected as a Martian analog for astrobiogeochemistry study. In this sense, the sample was characterized by means of the PIXL-like, SuperCam-like and SHERLOC-like instruments, which represent instruments on board the NASA Perseverance rover, and by means of RLS-like and MOMA-like instruments, which represent instruments on board the future ESA Rosalind Franklin rover. It was possible to verify that the most important conclusions and discoveries have been obtained from the combination of the results. Likewise, it was also shown that Perseverance rover-like remote-sensing instruments allowed a first detailed characterization of the biogeochemistry of the Martian surface. With this first characterization, areas of interest for in-depth analysis with Rosalind Franklin-like instruments could be identified. Therefore, from a first remote-sensing elemental identification (PIXL-like instrument), followed by a remote-sensing molecular characterization (SuperCam and SHERLOC-like instruments) and ending with an in-depth microscopic analysis (RLS and MOMA-like instruments), a wide variety of compounds were found. On the one hand, the expected minerals were carbonates, such as aragonite, calcite and high-magnesium calcite. On the other hand, unexpected compounds consisted of minerals related to the Martian/terrestrial surface (feldspars, pyroxenes, hematite) and organic compounds related to the past biological activity related to the oncoid (kerogen, lipid biomarkers and carotenes). Considering samples resembling microbialites have already been found on Mars and that one of the main objectives of the missions is to identify traces of past life, the study of microbialites is a potential way to find biosignatures protected from the inhospitable Martian environment. In addition, it should be noted that in this work, further conclusions have been obtained through the study of the results as a whole, which could also be carried out on Mars.
Acceso Abierto
SuperCam Calibration Targets: Design and Development
(Springer Link, 2020-11-26) Manrique, J. A.; López Reyes, G.; Cousin, Agnes; Rull, F.; Maurice, S.; Wiens, R. C.; Madariaga, M. B.; Gasnault, O.; Aramendia, J.; Arana, G.; Beck, P.; Bernard, S.; Bernardi, P.; Bernt, M. H.; Berrocal, A.; Beyssac, O.; Caïs, P.; Castro, K.; Clegg, S. M.; Cloutis, E.; Dromart, G.; Drouet, C.; Dubois, B.; Escribano, D.; Fabre, C.; Fernández, A.; Forni, O.; García Baonza, V.; Gontijo, I.; Johnson, J. R.; Laserna, Javier; Lasue, J.; Madsen, Soren N.; Mateo Marti, Eva; Medina García, J.; Meslin, P.; Montagnac, G.; Moros, J.; Ollila, A. M.; Ortega, Cristina; Prieto-Ballesteros, Olga; Reess, J. M.; Robinson, S.; Rodríguez, Joseph; Saiz, J.; Sanz Arranz, Aurelio; Sard, I.; Sautter, V.; Sobron, P.; Toplis, M.; Veneranda, M.; Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI)
SuperCam is a highly integrated remote-sensing instrumental suite for NASA’s Mars 2020 mission. It consists of a co-aligned combination of Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), Time-Resolved Raman and Luminescence (TRR/L), Visible and Infrared Spectroscopy (VISIR), together with sound recording (MIC) and high-magnification imaging techniques (RMI). They provide information on the mineralogy, geochemistry and mineral context around the Perseverance Rover. The calibration of this complex suite is a major challenge. Not only does each technique require its own standards or references, their combination also introduces new requirements to obtain optimal scientific output. Elemental composition, molecular vibrational features, fluorescence, morphology and texture provide a full picture of the sample with spectral information that needs to be co-aligned, correlated, and individually calibrated. The resulting hardware includes different kinds of targets, each one covering different needs of the instrument. Standards for imaging calibration, geological samples for mineral identification and chemometric calculations or spectral references to calibrate and evaluate the health of the instrument, are all included in the SuperCam Calibration Target (SCCT). The system also includes a specifically designed assembly in which the samples are mounted. This hardware allows the targets to survive the harsh environmental conditions of the launch, cruise, landing and operation on Mars during the whole mission. Here we summarize the design, development, integration, verification and functional testing of the SCCT. This work includes some key results obtained to verify the scientific outcome of the SuperCam system.