Characterization of the martian surface via orbital investigations is proposed here. We will be analyzing data collected by the mars reconnaissance orbiter (MRO) that is currently in orbit at mars.…

This federal contract award is a $288,250 Cooperative Agreement between the Seti Institute and NASA's Shared Services Center. The contract is for the "Characterization of the Martian Surface via Orbital Investigations," which involves analyzing data from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's CRISM instrument to study the formation of phyllosilicates and sulfates on Mars. The objective is to provide insights into the geochemical environment and climate on Mars. This contract supports NASA's strategic plans for exploring and characterizing the Martian surface. The Seti Institute, a non-profit research organization, is the prime contractor and has previously performed technical support services for NASA's Office of Planetary Protection. This award does not utilize any socioeconomic set-aside designations.

Characterization of the martian surface via orbital investigations is proposed here. We will be analyzing data collected by the mars reconnaissance orbiter (MRO) that is currently in orbit at mars. This cooperative agreement is for work funded to DR. Bishop as a CO-i on the crism (compact reconnaissance imaging spectrometer for mars) team, where DR. Bishop is leading the spectral identification tasks related to hydrated minerals and surface alteration. We propose to investigate the form and character of the phyllosilicates and sulfates present on mars in order to provide constraints on the geochemical environment and climate on mars during their formation. DR. Bishop will lead identification of phyllosilicates and sulfates using vnir hyperspectral crism image cubes. The objective of this study is to characterize the processes that occurred on mars to form hydrated phases at locations including mawrth valles, IUS chasma, gale crater, terra tyrrhena, noctis labyrinthus, and juventae chasma. Martian surface mineralogy provides clues to the geochemical history and climate, and minerals such as phyllosilicates and sulfates are key indicators of water on mars. This project supports NASA s strategic plan in terms of exploring and characterizing the surface of mars as part of the planetary science component of strategy 1.1 and the agency s exploration initiative in strategy 1.2.