Mars Mud Volcanism
Mud volcanism has been suggested to occur in the northern lowlands, southern highlands, and equatorial regions of Mars. While orbital remote sensing tools such as the Context Camera (CTX) and the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) have been valuable tools in the study of this geologic phenomenon, outstanding questions remain regarding the compositional characteristics of proposed Martian mud volcanoes. Our paper focused on a global examination of the mineralogy of purported mud volcanoes on Mars using data from the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) has been published in the journal Icarus!
Igneous vs. Mud Volcanism on Mars
Debate regarding the interpretation of pitted cones on the surface of Mars as the result of igneous or mud volcanism is ongoing. An ideal location to study these competing hypotheses is Hephaestus Fossae, located near the Martian dichotomy boundary. We have taken advantage of multiple orbital remote sensing datasets from the Context Camera (CTX), Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM), and High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE), as well a statistical analysis method, to investigate cones in the Hephaestus Fossae region. Our paper has been published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets!
Mars Analytical Modeling
Mud volcanism is a geologic process known to operate in subaerial and subaqueous environments on Earth. Multiple orbital remote sensing datasets have been used to suggest the presence of mud volcanoes on the surface of Mars. Despite the value of previous investigations in elucidating the characteristics of these subsurface sediment mobilization products on the Martian surface, significant knowledge gaps remain. I investigated the emplacement of putative Mars mud volcanism products, to constrain the composition and rheology of these features, at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The analytical modeling methods I used have previously been applied to volcanic domes on Ceres, Europa, and Venus. I also tested model results using topography data from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera currently orbiting Mars on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft.
Human Exploration of Mars
The assessment of potential landing sites and exploration zones on the surface of Mars for human missions has already begun. One candidate landing site for the first human mission to Mars, Columbus Crater, exhibits aqueous mineral diversity, a flat basin floor, and groundwater/mineral interaction evidence for biosignature potential. As a component of our examination of Columbus Crater as a potential human mission landing site, we used digital terrain model (DTM) data from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) to investigate terrain traversability. Our study also included a supplemental mineralogy investigation using near-infrared (~ 1.0 – 3.9 µm) spectroscopy data from the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM). We presented our findings at the NASA Astrobiology Institute 20th Birthday Celebration.
I have also participated in field studies courses as both an undergraduate and graduate student