R. V. Morris
A5086253195- Planetary Science and Exploration
- Astro and Planetary Science
- Space Exploration and Technology
- Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
- Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
- Geochemistry and Geologic Mapping
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- Geological and Geochemical Analysis
- Space Science and Extraterrestrial Life
- Geomagnetism and Paleomagnetism Studies
- Iron oxide chemistry and applications
- Clay minerals and soil interactions
- Geochemistry and Elemental Analysis
- Laser-induced spectroscopy and plasma
- Spaceflight effects on biology
- Scientific Research and Discoveries
- Nuclear Physics and Applications
- Hydrocarbon exploration and reservoir analysis
- Mineralogy and Gemology Studies
- Spacecraft and Cryogenic Technologies
- Magnetic and Electromagnetic Effects
- Biocrusts and Microbial Ecology
- Minerals Flotation and Separation Techniques
- Marine and environmental studies
- Methane Hydrates and Related Phenomena
Johnson Space Center
2016-2025
Northeastern University
2025
Los Alamos National Laboratory
2025
Jacobs (United States)
2017-2024
Ysbyty Gwynedd Hospital NHS Trust
2022
St George Hospital
2022
Shoalhaven District Memorial Hospital
2022
Cornell University
2000-2021
Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
2004-2021
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
1974-2021
The Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) is a hyperspectral imager on the Orbiter (MRO) spacecraft. CRISM consists of three subassemblies, gimbaled Optical Sensor Unit (OSU), Data Processing (DPU), and Gimbal Motor Electronics (GME). CRISM's objectives are (1) to map entire surface using subset bands characterize crustal mineralogy, (2) mineralogy key areas at high spectral spatial resolution, (3) measure seasonal variations in atmosphere. These addressed major types...
The Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) investigation on Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) is aimed at determining (1) the composition of surface minerals, rocks, and ices; (2) temperature dynamics atmosphere; (3) properties atmospheric aerosols clouds; (4) nature polar regions; (5) thermophysical materials. These objectives are met using an infrared (5.8‐ to 50‐μm) interferometric spectrometer, along with broadband thermal (5.1‐ 150‐μm) visible/near‐IR (0.3‐ 2.9‐μm) radiometers. MGS TES instrument...
Sedimentary rocks at Eagle crater in Meridiani Planum are composed of fine-grained siliciclastic materials derived from weathering basaltic rocks, sulfate minerals (including magnesium and jarosite) that constitute several tens percent the rock by weight, hematite. Cross-stratification observed outcrops indicates eolian aqueous transport. Diagenetic features include hematite-rich concretions crystal-mold vugs. We interpret to be a mixture chemical sediments with complex diagenetic history....
Mössbauer spectra measured by the Opportunity rover revealed four mineralogical components in Meridiani Planum at Eagle crater: jarosite- and hematite-rich outcrop, soil, olivine-bearing basaltic a pyroxene-bearing rock (Bounce rock). Spherules, interpreted to be concretions, are dispersed throughout outcrop. Hematitic soils both within outside crater dominated spherules their fragments. Olivine-bearing soil is present region. Bounce probably an impact erratic. Because jarosite hydroxide...
Spirit landed on the floor of Gusev Crater and conducted initial operations soil‐covered, rock‐strewn cratered plains underlain by olivine‐bearing basalts. Plains surface rocks are covered wind‐blown dust show evidence for enrichment soluble species as vein void‐filling materials coatings. The is result a minor amount transport deposition aqueous processes. Layered granular deposits were discovered in Columbia Hills, with outcrops that tend to dip conformably topography. interpreted be...
Sedimentary rocks at Yellowknife Bay (Gale crater) on Mars include mudstone sampled by the Curiosity rover. The samples, John Klein and Cumberland, contain detrital basaltic minerals, calcium sulfates, iron oxide or hydroxides, sulfides, amorphous material, trioctahedral smectites. smectite has basal spacing of ~10 angstroms, indicating little interlayer hydration. Cumberland both ~13.2 angstroms. larger suggests a partially chloritized magnesium facilitating H2O retention. Basaltic minerals...
Abstract— Using new techniques to examine the products of space weathering lunar soils, we demonstrate that nanophase reduced iron (npFe 0 ) is produced on surface grains by a combination vapor deposition and irradiation effects. The optical properties soils (both measured modeled) are shown be highly dependent cumulative amount npFe , which varies with different starting materials energetics parts solar system. intermediate albedo asteroids, abundant S‐type asteroids in particular, directly...
The Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has investigated the landing site in Eagle crater and nearby plains within Meridiani Planum. soils consist of fine-grained basaltic sand a surface lag hematite-rich spherules, spherule fragments, other granules. Wind ripples are common. Underlying thin soil layer, exposed small impact craters troughs, flat-lying sedimentary rocks. These rocks finely laminated, rich sulfur, contain abundant sulfate salts. Small-scale cross-lamination some locations...
Phoenix Ascending The mission landed on Mars in March 2008 with the goal of studying ice-rich soil planet's northern arctic region. included a robotic arm, camera attached to it, capacity excavate through ice layer beneath scoop up and water samples, deliver them combination other instruments—including wet chemistry lab high-temperature oven combined mass spectrometer—for chemical geological analysis. Using this setup, Smith et al. (p. 58 ) found at depths 5 15 centimeters, Boynton 61...
The Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) investigation of the Science Laboratory (MSL) addresses chemical and isotopic composition atmosphere volatiles extracted from solid samples. SAM is designed to contribute substantially mission goal quantitatively assessing habitability as an essential step in search for past or present life on Mars. a 40 kg instrument suite located interior MSL's Curiosity rover. instruments are quadrupole mass spectrometer, tunable laser 6-column gas chromatograph all...
The ChemCam instrument suite on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover Curiosity provides remote compositional information using first laser-induced breakdown spectrometer (LIBS) a planetary mission, and sample texture morphology data micro-imager (RMI). Overall, supports MSL with five capabilities: classification of rock soil characteristics; quantitative elemental compositions including light elements like hydrogen some to which LIBS is uniquely sensitive (e.g., Li, Be, Rb, Sr, Ba);...
The Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) instrument on the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) mission has discovered a remarkable accumulation of crystalline hematite (α‐Fe 2 O 3 ) that covers an area with very sharp boundaries approximately 350 by 350–750 km in size centered near 2°S latitude between 0° and 5°W longitude (Sinus Meridiani). Crystalline is uniquely identified presence fundamental vibrational absorption features 300, 450, >525 cm −1 absence silicate fundamentals 1000 region....
The Mars Exploration Rover Spirit and its Athena science payload have been used to investigate a landing site in Gusev crater. is hypothesized be the of former lake, but no clear evidence for lacustrine sedimentation has found date. Instead, dominant lithology basalt, geologic processes are impact events eolian transport. Many rocks exhibit coatings other characteristics that may minor aqueous alteration. Any sediments exist at this location within apparently buried by lavas undergone...
Mineral deposits on the martian surface can elucidate ancient environmental conditions planet. Opaline silica (as much as 91 weight percent SiO2) have been found in association with volcanic materials by Mars rover Spirit. The are present both light-toned soils and bedrock. We interpret these to formed under hydrothermal therefore be strong indicators of a former aqueous environment. This discovery is important for understanding past habitability because environments Earth support thriving...
Samples from the Rocknest aeolian deposit were heated to ~835°C under helium flow and evolved gases analyzed by Curiosity’s Sample Analysis at Mars instrument suite. H 2 O, SO , CO O major released. Water abundance (1.5 3 weight percent) release temperature suggest that is bound within an amorphous component of sample. Decomposition fine-grained Fe or Mg carbonate likely source much . Evolved coincident with Cl, suggesting oxygen produced thermal decomposition oxychloride compound. Elevated...
Spectral and other physicochemical properties were determined for a suite of submicron powders hematite (α‐Fe 2 O 3 ), maghemite (γ‐Fe magnetite (Fe 4 goethite (α‐FeOOH), lepidocrocite (γ‐FeOOH). The spectral reflectivity measurements made between 0.35 2.20 μm over the temperature interval about −110° 20°C. Other mean particle diameter, shape, chemical composition, crystallographic phase, magnetic properties, Mössbauer properties. Only have significant departures from stoichiometric phase;...
Decades of speculation about a warmer, wetter Mars climate in the planet's first billion years postulate denser CO2-rich atmosphere than at present. Such an should have led to formation outcrops rich carbonate minerals, for which evidence has been sparse. Using Exploration Rover Spirit, we now identified magnesium-iron (16 34 weight percent) Columbia Hills Gusev crater. Its composition approximates average globules martian meteorite ALH 84001. The probably precipitated from carbonate-bearing...
The Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES) on Opportunity investigated the mineral abundances and compositions of outcrops, rocks, soils at Meridiani Planum. Coarse crystalline hematite olivine-rich basaltic sands were observed as predicted from orbital TES spectroscopy. Outcrops aqueous origin are composed 15 to 35% by volume magnesium calcium sulfates [a high-silica component modeled a combination glass, feldspar, sheet silicates (approximately 20 30%)], hematite; only minor...
The Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity scooped samples of soil from the Rocknest aeolian bedform in Gale crater. Analysis with Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) x-ray diffraction (XRD) instrument revealed plagioclase (~An57), forsteritic olivine (~Fo62), augite, pigeonite, minor K-feldspar, magnetite, quartz, anhydrite, hematite, ilmenite. phases are present at, or near, detection limits. also contains 27 ± 14 weight percent amorphous material, likely containing multiple Fe 3+ -...
H 2 O, CO , SO O S, HCl, chlorinated hydrocarbons, NO, and other trace gases were evolved during pyrolysis of two mudstone samples acquired by the Curiosity rover at Yellowknife Bay within Gale crater, Mars. O/OH-bearing phases included 2:1 phyllosilicate(s), bassanite, akaganeite, amorphous materials. Thermal decomposition carbonates combustion organic materials are candidate sources for . Concurrent evolution hydrocarbons suggests presence oxychlorine phase(s). Sulfides likely...
The Mössbauer spectrometer on Spirit measured the oxidation state of Fe, identified Fe‐bearing phases, and relative abundances Fe among those phases for surface materials plains in Columbia Hills Gusev crater. Eight were identified: olivine, pyroxene, ilmenite, magnetite, nanophase ferric oxide (npOx), hematite, goethite, a 3+ ‐sulfate. Adirondack basaltic rocks are nearly unaltered (Fe /Fe T < 0.2) with from pyroxene (Ol > Px), minor npOx magnetite. (Peace Backstay), moderately...
Research Article| November 01, 2008 Opaline silica in young deposits on Mars R.E. Milliken; Milliken * 11Jet Propulsion Laboratory/California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, California 91109, USA *E-mail: ralph.milliken@jpl.nasa.gov. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar G.A. Swayze; Swayze 22U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, Colorado 80225, Arvidson; Arvidson 33Department Earth and Planetary Sciences, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri...