A SysML tool for generating Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) concept of operations timelines is described. The NASA Artemis program calls for long-duration missions and traverses at the Lunar polar regions. In contrast to equatorial regions with a 14-day/14-night diurnal solar exposure, some polar geographies may have shorter daylit or shadowed conditions that could affect solar recharging, battery sizes, and power management. The solar illuminated conditions constantly change depending on the current location of the rover, date, and time. In addition, communication access to the vehicle depends on relative Lunar and Earth orbits and position of artificial satellites or relay systems. A SysML model-based tool has been developed that organizes LTV events and activities into swimlanes showing participation of various operations and planning teams, communications relay systems, data-gathering instruments, and vehicle subsystems for the purpose of establishing relationships in decision-making nodes and functions. The tool tracks various rover and environmental parameters and simulates energy use over time. Based on a chosen traverse path, starting date, and time, the tool is capable of accessing Lunar terrain and lighting databases to provide information on how long a particular patch of landscape will remain illuminated, to assist planning teams with optimization of timing, velocity, and progress of the traverse. As the tool simulates various use cases, it automatically generates a timeline of events and a profile of energy use.

Life detection in the solar system relies on the unambiguous identification of signatures of life and habitability. Organic molecules are essential to life as we know it, and yet many organic compounds are ubiquitous in the solar system and can be synthesized abiotically; thus, their presence alone is not indicative of life. On Earth, chemical signatures of life's processes are often left behind in minerals through the biologically induced formation of secondary minerals or intermediary organic complexes. In natural rocks biomolecules and organic species often co-occur with minerals, and their overlapping peaks can create difficulties in interpretation. In the process of identifying the minerals and organic species in our basaltic samples we noticed signatures for cyanates co-occurring with organic molecules. Cyanates are an overlooked group of nitrogen compounds in which C is bonded to N (e.g., OCN− or SCN−) that often co-occur with urea and ammonium in environments where microorganisms are present. These compounds are common in many terrestrial and oceanic environments and play an important role in biogeochemical nitrogen cycling. In natural systems, these compounds form as the result of multiple biogeochemical pathways, often from the interaction of microbes with a chemically active environment. These interactions leave behind signatures in the form biotic breakdown products such as urea or ammonium and organic reaction byproducts that are observable with spectroscopic methods. To explore these relationships, we used field-portable Raman spectrometers and laboratory micro-Raman imaging to characterize and compare samples collected from two different terrestrial basaltic environments, a lava tube on Mauna Loa, Hawaii, dominated by the precipitation of sulfate minerals and a geothermal stream at Hveragil, Iceland dominated by the precipitation of carbonate minerals. The Raman (RS) measurements were complemented by laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), Long-wave Infrared (IR) LIBS, with the addition of gas chromatograph mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to identify cyanate compounds, biomolecules, and other nitrogenous compounds related to the breakdown or production of cyanate in host basalts and secondary precipitates. The RS data suggest that the reason for RS cyanate signatures in the carbonate samples could be due to luminescence artifacts while those detected in the host basalts may be due to hydrolysis chemistry. The cyanate signatures detected in the lava tube samples dominated by sulfates do not seem to be luminescence artifacts but may in fact be evidence of an active microbial nitrogen cycle. Our results inform the spectroscopic detection of cyanates in planetary analog environments and the challenges in their identification. Further work is needed to understand their potential as biosignatures on other planetary bodies.

Lava tubes are key targets in the search for life on Mars. Their basaltic walls provide protection from radiation and changing environmental conditions, which could enable life or preservation of previous life in an otherwise harsh environment. We can understand the potential for Martian life in lava tubes by studying the habitability of analog environments on Earth. In this study, we present the first characterization of the microbial life inside a pristine Mauna Loa lava tube. This study is the first to combine 16S SSU rRNA sequencing and whole genome shotgun sequencing to map the taxonomic makeup and functional potential of any lava tube community in Hawaii, enabling a deep understanding of the types of microbes that thrive in this unique environment and the metabolisms they use. We find a surprisingly high degree of niche partitioning over small spatial scales and discuss implications for life detection strategies. Based on recent bioinformatic advancements in metagenomics, we also assemble dozens of high-quality metagenome assembled genomes from the microbes living in the lava tubes, including several novel species.

The lunar poles are of high interest to human and robotic exploration for their exploration potential to host volatiles useful for scientific and commercial purposes in cold permanently shadowed regions and for the rare highly-illuminated regions that can support exploration efforts. We investigate if the complex and dynamic lighting is amenable to long traverses between these sparsely-distributed, distant sites of interest. We use accurate high-resolution topographic maps of the south polar region to compute the traverse paths, and we simulate the time-varying illumination conditions along these over long time periods to determine whether such trips are possible while remaining nearly entirely sunlit. We find that long-distance sunlit pathways are possible but long in duration. These can be further optimized, and potentially significantly shortened given specific survival capabilities, such as driving through short periods of shadows.

Lunar surface activities during Apollo and terrestrial analogue lunar mission simulations have commonly focused on traverses that prioritize surface observations and sample collection activities. Along the way, geophysical measurements are often made. However, they are not necessarily made in a way that optimizes information about the physical subsurface properties, which is something that geophysics can provide. In 2010, NASA simulated a high-quality multiweek human lunar rover traverse analogue mission in the San Francisco volcanic field in Arizona. The traverse route and associated science station locations were selected based on addressing surface observation and sampling tasks. Geophysical studies were not included in the simulation. We returned to the same field area and obtained data on 19 active seismic refraction geophone lines from the science station locations accessed during the simulation. We analyzed the data to calculate 1D seismic velocity profiles for each of the lines. Results revealed up to seven distinct seismically defined material types, including a nearly ubiquitous veneer of regolith of variable thickness at the surface. Results also provided depth and thickness of the seven material types in the first 60 m of the subsurface at each of the science station locations. These cannot be obtained by geologic observations of the outcrops. Systematic interpretation of the area's overall subsurface stratigraphy was not feasible due to the geophysically nonsystematic nature of the original traverse's prioritization of the science station locations. The added geophysical understanding of a region could drive additional geologic investigations to locate samples of otherwise unknown material through the location of surface exposures or coring. This emphasizes the importance of synchronizing geologic and geophysical research requirements during lunar traverse planning and execution to optimize addressing scientific and utilization questions.

Volcanic flood basalt eruptions have been linked to or are contemporaneous with major climate disruptions, ocean anoxic events, and mass extinctions throughout at least the last 400 M years of Earth's history. Previous studies and recent history have shown that volcanically‐driven climate cooling can occur through reflection of sunlight by H2SO4 aerosols, while longer‐term climate warming can occur via CO2 emissions. We use the Goddard Earth Observing System Chemistry‐Climate Model to simulate a 4‐year duration volcanic SO2 emission of the scale of the Wapshilla Ridge member of the Columbia River Basalt eruption. Brief cooling from H2SO4 aerosols is outweighed by dynamically and radiatively driven warming of the climate through a three orders of magnitude increase in stratospheric H2O vapor.

We report the draft genome sequence of a putative new genus and species, Siliceabacter maunaloa, in the family Solirubrobacteraceae. The members of this family of Actinobacteria are generally Gram positive and mesophilic. Found within a Hawaiian lava tube, this microbe illuminates the types of prokaryotes inhabiting secondary minerals in subsurface basaltic environments.

Here, we present the draft genome for a new putative species, Gaiellasilicea maunaloa , most closely related to Gaiella occulta , within the phylum Actinobacteria. This group contains Gram-negative, aerobic mesophilic species. This metagenome-assembled genome (MAG) contributes to knowledge of life in volcanic environments and may inform investigations of life beyond Earth.

The Hawai'i Space Exploration Analog and Simulation (HI-SEAS) project is a NASA-funded research program operating long-duration planetary analog surface mission simulations on Mauna Loa volcano, Hawai'i. During missions lasting from 4 to 12 months, crews of six analog astronaut participants live and work in an isolated habitat, communicating with a remote mission support team via a 20-min time delay. The main purpose of HI-SEAS is to study team effectiveness and adaptation over time in isolated, confined, and high autonomy mission scenarios. Among other duties, Crewmembers are tasked with routinely conducting geological fieldwork requiring extravehicular activity (EVA) in the environment surrounding the habitat. They must determine how they will accomplish these tasks, conduct the tasks themselves, and report results by a due date set by the remote science team. Here we describe the design, task parameters, and performance outcomes of HI-SEAS geology EVA tasks from four 6-person missions. We describe the assigned tasks, how the crews carried out their assignments, and the results of their work in terms of six performance metrics for each task: 1) number of days required for completion; 2) number of crewmembers participating; 3) number of EVAs required; 4) total EVA time required; 5) difference between required and planned EVA times; and 6) performance score evaluating how well crew met the task objective. We find weak evidence of a decrease in geology task performance during the third quarter of missions M2-M4. This dataset provides insights into varying crew performance over time for different mission durations.

Earth and Space Science Open Archive PosterOpen AccessYou are viewing the latest version by default [v1]Flood Basalt Volcanic Climate Disruptions: Dynamical and Radiative Feedbacks on SO2 EmissionsAuthorsScottGuzewichiDLukeOmaniDJacobRichardsoniDPatrickWhelleySandraBastelbergerKelseyYoungiDJacobBleacherRaviKopparapuiDThomasFauchezSee all authors Scott GuzewichiDCorresponding Author• Submitting AuthorNASA Goddard Space Flight CenteriDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-1149-7385view email addressThe email was not providedcopy email addressLuke OmaniDNASA Goddard Space Flight CenteriDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5487-2598view email addressThe email was not providedcopy email addressJacob RichardsoniDUniversity of South FloridaiDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-1736-8907view email addressThe email was not providedcopy email addressPatrick WhelleyNASA Goddard Space Flight Centerview email addressThe email was not providedcopy email addressSandra BastelbergerETH Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurichview email addressThe email was not providedcopy email addressKelsey YoungiDNASA Goddard Space Flight CenteriDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-3979-2549view email addressThe email was not providedcopy email addressJacob BleacherNASA Goddard Space Flight Centerview email addressThe email was not providedcopy email addressRavi KopparapuiDNASA Goddard Space Flight CenteriDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5893-2471view email addressThe email was not providedcopy email addressThomas FauchezUSRA / NASA Goddard Space Flight Centerview email addressThe email was not providedcopy email address

The Late Amazonian volcanic plains east of Olympus Mons contain numerous channels and fossae. Channel formation hypotheses have included volcanic processes, flowing water, or a combination of both. To evaluate these hypotheses, we conducted detailed geomorphological and facies mapping at two sites containing channels and fossae representative of features in the region. Based on our mapping and morphological analyses using high resolution topography and images from HiRISE and CTX data, we classified channels into three types, and fossae into two types. Channel Type 1 and Type 2 are consistent with the morphology of lava channels, however, we found no evidence of channel formation due to thermo-mechanical erosion. Additionally, we calculated the potential for lava to achieve turbulent flow within our two study sites and found it unlikely. Channel Type 3 is consistent with fluvial bedrock erosion, likely sourced from erupted groundwater that entrained regolith into lahar-like flows. Fossae are classified as linear (Type L) or arcuate and branched (Type A). Type L fossae are interpreted to be surface fractures associated with dike emplacement, whereas Type A fossae are interpreted to be surface fractures due to sill emplacement, which may have melted buried ice deposits and generated meltwater floods. Type 1 and Type 2 channels are associated with Type L fossae and fissure-fed effusive eruptions of lava. In contrast, Type 3 channels are co-located with Type A fossae, and are likely due to outbursts of groundwater possibly related to sill emplacement. We attribute the formation and distribution of channels and fossae throughout the plains east of Olympus Mons to be a consequence of the region’s evolving states of stress, which are predominantly influenced by the loading of Olympus Mons.

Several large paterae in Arabia Terra are suggested to be calderas that produced colossal explosive eruptions (i.e., supereruptions). If these features are indeed explosive calderas, dispersion modeling suggests extensive ash deposits should be common throughout the region. However, such deposits have not previously been linked with the suggested calderas. Here, we describe layered deposits containing minerals both consistent with and diagnostic of altered volcanic ash throughout Arabia Terra. These deposits include Al‐dominant minerals such as montmorillonite, imogolite, and allophane among others. Altered ash deposits are found to thin (from 1‐km to 100‐m thickness) away from the suggested calderas. We estimate that the volcanic ash observed in Arabia Terra is the result of between 1,000 and 2,000 individual explosive eruptions over 500‐million years. Our observations support the hypothesis that Arabia Terra hosted supereruptions in the late Noachian‐early Hesperian that repeatedly blanketed the region with layers of ash.

Introduction: Terrestrial volcanic fields provide excellent analogs for studying lava tubes, and can be used for the refinement of geophysical prospecting techniques and data analysis methods for application to future lunar prospecting of similar features. Geophysical techniques, such as magnetometry, will be able to help identify the presence, scale, and extent of caves or tubes connected to mare pits. [1] Lunar lava tubes can provide shelter from radiation, micrometeoroids, and large thermal extremes; simplifying the various engineering requirements for both human and robotic systems. [2, 3] In this study, we analyze terrestrial surveys and model magnetic signatures of lava tubes to show that it is possible to use ground-level magnetic surveys to obtain initial first order geometric characterization of lava tubes within basaltic lava flows. Field Sites: Our field site, Lava Beds National Monument, California, USA, encompasses a multitude of lava tubes, lava flows, and cinder cone volcanos associated with the Medicine Lake shield volcano. [4, 5] This study examines three intact sections of the Modoc Crater lava tube system; Incline, Skull, and Ship Caves. Field Measurements: For this study, ground level magnetic surveys of the total magnetic field strength, were obtained by walking parallel lines, at 3 to 5-meter intervals. These lines run perpendicular to the length of the lava tubes. Additionally, Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) 3-D surveys of both the interior and ground level topography over the lava caves were conducted. [6, 7] These data capture surface details, and provide location and geometry of the lava tubes. Example of these types of surveys is shown in Figure 1. Analysis and Modeling: Our analysis consists of correlating the magnetic anomalies produced by the lava tube to the cross-sectional area and depth of the tube for 1-meter thick cross-tube profiles along the length of the tube. The relationship between these is then used to calculated the best-fit equivalent magnetic susceptibility for these lava tubes. This equivalent magnetic susceptibility is then used to calculate a forward model of the ground level magnetic signature produced by a 3-dimensional model of each lava tube, constructed from the LiDAR mapping of the tube structure, for comparison to the observed data. [8] Operational Implications: For lunar surface exploration, a number of prospecting, science, and hardware related elements will need to be balanced to successfully achieve mission objectives. Elements such as data density, location, and resolution, as well as terrain accessibility can be simulated by modifying terrestrial data sets to mimic operational conditions of the lunar surface. The ability of the resulting analysis to resolve the required geologic detail can then be assessed. Conclusions: We have collected ground level magnetic and 3-dimensional LiDAR survey data sets on three lava tubes within the Modoc Crater lava tube system. We show that the strongest negative magnetic anomaly readings can be proportionally correlated to the cross-sectional area and depth of the lava tube. By combining this information with other geophysical data (e.g. ground penetrating radar, seismic, gravity, EM), additional geomorphic understanding of a lava tube’s structure is likely possible. [9] Additionally, the LiDAR surveys can enable forward modeling to evaluate the possible remanent magnetic signatures produced by large scale lava tubes that are thought to exist on the Moon. [10, 11] Finally, our terrestrial data sets can be modified to simulate the analytical impacts from various lunar surface exploration operational constraints. Acknowledgements: Funding provided by the NASA PSTAR program grants: NNX15AL87G & NNX16AK11G. NASA SSERVI grant #80NSSC19M0216 (GEODES) supports ongoing analysis. References: [1] Wagner, R., Robinson (2014), Icarus, 237, 5260. [2] Horz, F. (1985) Lunar Bases and Space Activities of the 21st Century, 405-412. [3] Young, K. et al. (2018) LPSC 49, Abstract # 2504. [4] Larson, C. & Larson J. (1990) Lava Beds Caves. [5] NPS Lava Beds (2017) https://www.nps.gov/labe/ planyourvisit/upload/GEOLOGY.pdf. [6] Whelley, P. et al. (2018, November). GSA Annual Meeting, USA-2018. [7] Garry, W.B. et al. (2017) GSA Cordilleran Section Meeting, Abstract 25-3. [8] Bell, E. et al. (2018) LPSC 49, Abstract # 2412. [9] Esmaeili, S., et al. (2020) JGR: Planets, doi: 10.1029/2019JE006138. [10] Blair, D. et al. (2017) Icarus, 282, 47–55. [11] Hemingway, D., & Tikoo, S. (2018) JGR: Planets, 123(8), 2223–2241. Figure 1: Example data. Top: Aerial view of smoothed interpolated magnetic anomalies (black = tube outline). Bottom: 3D point cloud model (black = ground level, blue = lava tube) Skull Cave

Basaltic lava flows are common on the surface of the Earth and other terrestrial bodies. However, inflation—including a combination of initially rapid molten core thickening and gradual crustal growth—must be accounted for to enable accurate reconstructions of eruption parameters from observed lava flow morphologies. The shape of an inflated lava flow can change significantly over time. Therefore, incorrectly attributing the flow's final thickness to its dimensions in an initially fully molten state will yield excessively high flow rates, erroneous rheological properties, and unreasonably short eruption durations. To develop improved criteria for identifying inflated lava flows, we examined the McCartys lava flow field in New Mexico, USA. This locality provides an example of how pāhoehoe‐like lava lobes can coalesce and coinflate to form interconnected lava‐rise plateaus with internal inflation pits. These structures were examined using a combination of field observations, low‐altitude kite‐based imaging, and quantitative geomorphology using high‐resolution (1.47 cm/pixel) orthomosaics and stereo‐derived digital terrain models. These observations were used to identify characteristics and diagnostics of inflation, thereby facilitating the interpretation of comparable landforms on other planetary surfaces. Lava‐cooling models were also used to estimate the lava emplacement duration of the ~20‐m‐thick flows by demonstrating that the ~8‐m‐thick upper crust exposed within inflation clefts in the southern part of the McCartys lava flow field would have required 1.2–2.5 years of continuous lava supply to form. This places a minimum bound on the total eruption duration, and implies that comparably thick inflated flows on Mars required years to form.

Since the end of the Apollo missions to the lunar surface in December 1972, humanity has exclusively conducted scientific studies on distant planetary surfaces using teleprogrammed robots. Operations and science return for all of these missions are constrained by two issues related to the great distances between terrestrial scientists and their exploration targets: high communication latencies and limited data bandwidth. Despite the proven successes of in-situ science being conducted using teleprogrammed robotic assets such as Spirit, Opportunity, and Curiosity rovers on the surface of Mars, future planetary field research may substantially overcome latency and bandwidth constraints by employing a variety of alternative strategies that could involve: 1) placing scientists/astronauts directly on planetary surfaces, as was done in the Apollo era; 2) developing fully autonomous robotic systems capable of conducting in-situ field science research; or 3) teleoperation of robotic assets by humans sufficiently proximal to the exploration targets to drastically reduce latencies and significantly increase bandwidth, thereby achieving effective human telepresence. This third strategy has been the focus of experts in telerobotics, telepresence, planetary science, and human spaceflight during two workshops held from October 3–7, 2016, and July 7–13, 2017, at the Keck Institute for Space Studies (KISS). Based on findings from these workshops, this document describes the conceptual and practical foundations of low-latency telepresence (LLT), opportunities for using derivative approaches for scientific exploration of planetary surfaces, and circumstances under which employing telepresence would be especially productive for planetary science. An important finding of these workshops is the conclusion that there has been limited study of the advantages of planetary science via LLT. A major recommendation from these workshops is that space agencies such as NASA should substantially increase science return with greater investments in this promising strategy for human conduct at distant exploration sites.