2010 Annual Research Report

 

Scott Mest completed his second year (of two years of seed funding) awarded for his proposal submitted to the 2008 Planetary Geology and Geophysics Program. This project involves evaluating the geologic history of the lunar South Pole by producing a geologic map, modeling basin ejecta to understand impact history and stratigraphy, and determining unit ages from crater size frequency distributions and standard geologic relationships.

 

Mest is currently working with D. Crown and L. Bleamaster on several of their funded research projects, and incorporating related data and observations from his post-doctoral work (described below) into these studies. Mest is involved with two of Crown’s projects. The first is to assist in Crown’s PGG-funded project to map the geology and geomorphology of Waikato and Reull Valles (covered by 3 MTM Quadrangles) located northeast of Hellas basin. Geologic mapping of these quadrangles has been completed; unit descriptions have been written, crater size-frequency distribution statistics have been calculated, a Correlation of Map Units chart has been developed, and the accompanying map text has been written. Final edits of the text are being conducted by Dr. Crown and Mest and submission of these map materials to the USGS for review is expected to be in March prior to the annual Planetary Geologic Mappers Meeting.

 

The second project is assisting with Crown’s PGG-funded project to map an area northwest of Hellas basin. He is able to incorporate much of the Mars-related impact crater work that he did during his post-doctoral tenure. The third project involves assisting L. Bleamaster on his MDAP-funded project to characterize impact craters and other sedimentary basins in several areas surrounding the Hellas basin.

 

This year saw successes with three proposals to conduct new research. First, Mest received full funding for his LASER proposal entitled “Scientific Characterization of Lunar Regions of Interest: Preparation for NASA’s Return to the Moon”, which will include scientific contributions from Dr. Aileen Yingst (Co-Investigator, PSI), and Dr. Noah Petro (Co-Investigator, GSFC) and Dr. Jacob Bleacher (Collaborator, GSFC). This research will involve characterizing the geology and surface properties around each of the 50 Regions of Interest (ROIs) identified by Constellation, assessing the relative scientific "value" of each ROI with respect to their ability to address key scientific goals identified by the lunar science and exploration community, and utilizing the geologic results to establish a baseline for assessing the scientific value of potential landing sites that NASA and mission planners could use as they evaluate and select safe and scientifically important sites.

 

Second, Mest is a Co-Investigator on a proposal recently selected for funding by NASA in the Dawn at Vesta Participating Scientists program. The research team is headed by Dr. Aileen Yingst of PSI, and also includes Co-Investigator Daniel Berman (PSI). The proposal, entitled “Geologic Mapping of the Surface of Vesta”, will conduct geologic mapping (using the image, spectral and topographic datasets onboard Dawn) of the surface at several scales as the spacecraft approaches Vesta. The objectives of this proposal include providing constraints on models of internal evolution by characterizing and mapping the stratigraphy of potential volcanic units on the surface, providing constraints on the timing and sequence of impact events by characterizing the relationships, spatial associations and boundaries between craters and other surface materials, and characterizing the extent and distribution of units that are potentially high-priority targets for subsequent higher-resolution imaging.

 

Finally, Mest is Co-Investigator on a proposal recently selected for funding by NASA in the LASER program. This research team is headed by Dr. Noah Petro of Code 698 at NASA GSFC, and in addition to Mest includes Co-Investigators Dr. Jacob Bleacher (Code 698, GSFC), Dr. Lisa Gaddis (USGS Flagstaff, AZ), and Dr. Brent Garry (CEPS, NASM, Smithsonian Institution), and Collaborator Dr. Andrew Abercromby (Wyle Laboratories, Inc./NASA JSC). The proposal is entitled “Digitization and Analysis of Apollo Surface Traverses and Comparison with Current Field Analog Studies” and involves developing a “one-stop” resource of information for each Apollo landing site by digitizing traverses and compiling surface data.

 

Papers

Mest, S.C., D.A. Crown, and W. Harbert (2010) Watershed modeling in the Terra Tyrrhena region of Mars, J. Geophys. Res., 115, E09001, doi:10.1029/2009JE003429.

 

Abstracts 

Barlow, N.G., S.C. Mest, D. Buckingham, B. Salimkumar, J.M. Boyce, L. Gaddis, T. Hare, and R.G. Strom (2010) A new database of lunar impact craters, 1^st Planetary Crater Consortium Meeting, September 22-24, Flagstaff, AZ.

 

Capitoli, E, and S. Mest (2010) Volumetric analysis of the Reull Vallis fluvial system in the eastern Hellas region of Mars: Investigation into the contributions of water, Joint Meeting of the Northeastern and Southeastern Sections, Geological Society of America, Abstract 10-21, Baltimore, MD.

 

Capitoli, E.J., and S.C. Mest (2010) Volumetric analysis of the Reull Vallis fluvial system in the eastern Hellas region of Mars: Investigation into the contributions of water, First International Conference on Mars Sedimentology and Stratigraphy, Abstract 6017, El Paso, TX.

 

Clark, P.E., J. Bleacher, S. Mest, and N. Petro (2010) Comparison of geological field work for similar investigations at different landing sites and for different architectures at the same landing sites, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, XLI, Abstract 1261, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston (CD-ROM).

 

Crown, D.A., L.F. Bleamaster III, S.C. Mest, J.F. Mustard, and M. Vincendon (2010) Geologic mapping of the NW rim of Hellas Basin, Mars: Evidence for an ancient buried landscape, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, XLI, Abstract 1888, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston (CD-ROM).

 

Mest, S.C., and D.A. Crown (2010) Geologic mapping of the Reull Vallis source area in southern Hesperia Planum, Mars, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, XLI, Abstract 1945, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston (CD-ROM).

 

Mest, S.C., D.C. Berman, and N.E. Petro (2010) Geologic mapping of impact crater floor deposits near the lunar south pole, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, XLI, Abstract 2363, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston (CD-ROM).

 

Shankar, B., G. Osinski, I. Antonenko, P.J. Stooke, and S. Mest (2010) Multispectral study of the Schrödinger impact basin, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, XLI, Abstract 2542, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston (CD-ROM).