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Backscatter Mossbauer Spectrometer (BaMS) for extraterrestrial applicationsMossbauer spectroscopy is a nuclear gamma resonance technique particularly well suited to the study of materials that contain iron (Fe-57). It can provide information on the oxidation state of iron as well as the type and proportion of iron-containing mineral species in a sample of interest. Iron Mossbauer spectroscopy (FeMS) has been applied to samples believed to have come from Mars (SNC meteorites) and has been helpful in refining the choice among putative Martian surface materials by suggesting a likely nanophase component of the Martian regolity. FeMS spectrum of a Martial analogue material (Hawaiian palagonite) is shown; it is dominated by ferric-bearing phases and shows evidence of a nanophase component. FeMS has also been applied to lunar materials. It can be used to measure the maturity of lunar surface material and has been proposed as a prospector for lunar ilmenite, an oxygen resource mineral. Several years ago we suggested a backscatter Mossbauer spectrometer (BaMS) for a Mars rover mission. Backscatter design was selected as most appropriate for in-situ application because no sample preparation is required. Since that time, we have continued to develop the BaMS instrument in anticipation that it would eventually find a home on a NASA planetary mission. Gooding proposed BaMS as a geochemistry instrument on MESUR. More recently, an LPI workshop has recommended that BaMS be included in a three-instrument payload on the next (1996?) lunar lander.
Document ID
19940025270
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Agresti, D. G.
(Alabama Univ. Birmingham., United States)
Shelfer, T. D.
(Alabama Univ. Birmingham., United States)
Pimperl, M. M.
(Alabama Univ. Birmingham., United States)
Wills, E. L.
(Alabama Univ. Birmingham., United States)
Shen, M. H.
(Alabama Univ. Birmingham., United States)
Morris, R. V.
(NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
June 15, 1993
Publication Information
Publication: JPL, Proceedings of the Workshop on Microtechnologies and Applications to Space Systems
Subject Category
Instrumentation And Photography
Accession Number
94N29774
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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