NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
X-Ray Diffraction Reference Intensity Ratios of Amorphous and Poorly Crystalline Phases: Implications for CheMin on the Mars Science LaboratoryThe CheMin instrument on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover Curiosity is an X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) instrument capable of providing the mineralogical and chemical compositions of rocks and soils on the surface of Mars. CheMin uses a microfocus X-ray tube with a Co target, transmission geometry, and an energy-discriminating X-ray sensitive CCD to produce simultaneous 2-D XRD patterns and energy-dispersive X-ray histograms from powdered samples. Piezoelectric vibration of the cell is used to randomize the sample to reduce preferred orientation effects. Instrument details are provided in [1, 2, 3]. Analyses of rock and soil samples by the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) show nanophase ferric oxide (npOx) is a significant component of the Martian global soil [4] and is thought to be one of the major contributing phases that the Curiosity rover will encounter if a soil sample is analyzed in Gale Crater. Because of the nature of this material, npOx will likely contribute to an X-ray amorphous or short-order component of a XRD pattern measured by the CheMin instrument.
Document ID
20130010071
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Morris, R. V.
(NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Achilles, C. N.
(Jacobs Technologies Engineering Science Contract Group Houston, TX, United States)
Chipera, S. J.
(Chesapeake Energy Corp. Oklahoma City, OK, United States)
Ming, D. W.
(NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Rampe, E. B.
(NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Date Acquired
August 27, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2013
Subject Category
Space Sciences (General)
Report/Patent Number
JSC-CN-27906
Meeting Information
Meeting: Lunar and Planetary Science Conference
Location: The Woodlands, TX
Country: United States
Start Date: March 18, 2013
End Date: March 22, 2013
Sponsors: Lunar and Planetary Inst.
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
No Preview Available