#LPSC2025 abstracts dropped!
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/technical_program/
First on the #JezeroDeltaScience list: stratigraphy analysis of Bright Angel on both channel "shores". Interesting clues and puzzles on the southern side.
Jones et al: "Is the Bright Angel formation a valley-confined lacustrine succession?"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/1984.pdf
🧵 1/34
New hashtag: #JezeroRimScience
A summary of the rim climb and what's happening outside the crater. Also "official" names for features, although figures are rather small.
Mayhew et al: "Strategic approach and first results from the Jezero crater rim campaign"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/2718.pdf
🧵 2/n
This one is mostly a gateway to other incoming abstracts, but it has plenty of names for features and abrasions that may have not been mentioned before or hard to place on the map. Also, there's that "suspended in time" rock @65dBnoise , with plenty of LCP 😉
https://mastodon.social/@65dBnoise/113442507860943682
Ravanis et al: "Diverse Igneous Rocks Observed During the Mars2020 Crater Rim Campaign in Jezero Crater Using Mastcam-Z Multispectral Data"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/2678.pdf
This one was surprisingly interesting and info-rich on what is to come for #JezeroRimScience
Tornabene & Osinski: "Exploring the Complexity of Mars' Ancient Crust on the Jezero Crater Rim"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/2829.pdf
The approximate area included in fig. 3 here marked in MUTED and with CTX camera imagery. #PerseveranceRover is currently at the far left (north on the map) and fig. 2 is a subset further south.
https://muted.wwu.de/?x=77.335&y=18.434&z=36581&ch=185.8&cp=-86.0&cr=180.0&d=102&b1=18.3559&b2=18.4693&b3=77.244&b4=77.2955
The HIRISE photo used
https://ode.rsl.wustl.edu/mars/indexproductpage.aspx?product_id=ESP_081956_1985_COLOR&product_idGeo=42054984
🧵 4/n
More #JezeroRimScience : hypothesizing on the impact statigraphy of the inner rim. Focused around Turquino and including a preliminary DCS analysis of #CrystalCreekJezero
Horgan, Alwmark (Lund University) et al: "A Possible Impactite Stratigraphy on the Jezero Inner Crater Rim Explored by #PerseveranceRover"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/2636.pdf
Borrowing some context from reference [14] Osinski et al, non-paywalled in the wayback machine:
https://web.archive.org/web/20210205222119/http://www.planetary.brown.edu/pdfs/Osinski%20et%20al_2018.pdf
🧵 5/n
Interrupting my sequential traverse of abstracts; one thing lead to another and I ended up looking at the #LeopardSpots (+ "poppy seeds") papers, with "strong" wording for potential biosignatures.
Look at the much longer author list of this first one:
Hurowitz et al: "The Detection of a Potential Biosignature by #PerseveranceRover"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/2581.pdf
A total of 4 related presentations in the Astrobiology session
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/technical_program/?session_no=405
🧵 6/n #JezeroDeltaScience
These are strong words 😉
Tice et al: "Physical and Chemical Constraints on Biotic and Abiotic Formation Mechanisms of "Poppy Seeds" and "#LeopardSpots"..."
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/2133.pdf
🧵 7/n #JezeroDeltaScience
This one looks at the opposite shore of Neretva, where things are complicated by unsure stratigraphy (see post nr 1 in this thread). Also there's a lacking detection of organics. Abiotic processes are deemed "possible"
Broz et al :"Green Reduction Spots in Red Beds of the Bright Angel Formation and Implications for Biosignature Preservation Potential"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/1706.pdf
🧵 8/n #JezeroDeltaScience #LeopardSpots #ReddestRock #MalgosaCrest
Another temporary jump, maybe @65dBnoise & @PaulHammond51 are interested in this new DEM? There's a link to the data but didn't work for me, maybe won't be released until the conference.
Bland et al : "HiRISE Digital Elevation Model and Orthoimage Mosaics in Support of Perseverance Operations and MSR"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/1627.pdf
🧵 9/n
Back to #JezeroRimScience, continuing from post nr 5 in the thread. Paper on what SuperCam detected on the inner rim ridges, multitude of possible explanations, more work needed.
Bedford et al: "Geological Diversity in the Jezero Crater Rim Investigated with SuperCam: Insights into Impact Processes on Mars"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/2495.pdf
Companion poster:
Quantin-Nataf et al: "Alteration diversity observed in the inner part of Jezero Crater Rim"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/2189.pdf
🧵 10/n
More on the high-silica rocks story, with references again to AEGIS_0910A (https://mastodon.social/@sharponlooker/112073687379681538). The whole paper is quotable, so I just hand-picked some extracts from the discussion. This is the first time I see them referring to Turquino and surroundings as a "suspected inverted fracture
network"
Beck et al: "From Hydrated Silica to Quartz: Potential Hydrothermal Precipitates Found in Jezero"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/1306.pdf
🧵 11/n
Orbital analysis of #PerseveranceRover current stomping grounds. The proposed layered unit (nr 4) is compared to Bright Angel.
Gwizd et al: "Orbital Perspectives on the Witch Hazel Hill Region: Evidence for Structural Deformation of Possible Noachian Basement Material"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/1760.pdf
🧵 12/n
A summary of the samples collected and to be collected by the rover.
Herd et al: "The Samples Collected by #PerseveranceRover: Enabling Decadal Science"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/1665.pdf
🧵 13/n
Summary of prep groups & activity for MSR 🤞
Carrier et al: "#MarsSampleReturn Science Planning Updates"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/2278.pdf
🧵 13/n
New iteration on coatings from some of the same team that investigated the #JezeroPlaster
Garczynski et al: "Summary of Rock Coating Observations on Mars from Past Rover Missions"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/2769.pdf
"Coatings on Mars form / Purple hues on ancient stone / Past climate revealed"
🧵 14/n
#Nesquehonite #AmherstPoint #PelicanPoint
Srivastava et al: "In Situ Observation of Hydrated Carbonate in Jezero"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/1595.pdf
"The study reports the first in situ occurrence of hydrated carbonate on Mars..."
🧵 15/n
Poster on MSR planning
Harrington et al: "#MarsSampleReturn: Considerations for the Curation of Astromaterials from a Restricted Planet"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/2377.pdf
"Technology development and feasibility studies for the proper curation of martain samples are underway. This research and technology development will be critical to inform the design of the Sample Receiving Facility and the concept of operations. "
🧵 16/n
Poster on #FreyaCastle / "zebra rock". Not sure if we can see which one is #KautzCreek without the #PDSAnalystNotebook perhaps.
Klidaras et al: "The Enigma of "Zebra Rock": A Banded Rock Discovered on the Jezero Crater Rim"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/2014.pdf
"Gaze through ancient lines / Secrets buried deep in time / Zebra stripes of Mars."
🧵 17/n
Poster for a new iteration of analysis of light-toned float rocks, and a suggested formation scenario. #spinel #kaolinite
Royer et al : "Mineral Diversity of Light-Toned Float Rocks in Jezero Crater as Seen by SuperCam"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/1872.pdf
🧵 18/n
#JezeroDeltaScience #JezeroRimScience #JezeroBrightRocks
[EDIT]: final paper at https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-024-01837-2
Poster on very preliminary RIMFAX analysis of the Crater Rim campaing.
Cardarelli et al: "RIMFAX Ground Penetrating Radar Observations of Subsurface Structures in the Crater Rim of Jezero"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/2888.pdf
🧵 19/n
Interesting usage of #CuriosityRover 's RMI. Personally I found the unchanged dark streak most amazing.
Le Mouélic et al: "Gale's Yardang Unit Revealed by ChemCam Remote Microscopic Imager"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/1842.pdf
"We describe the imaging campaign of the Yardang unit in Gale crater on Mars by the ChemCam instrument onboard the Curiosity rover. Different morphologies are progressively observed as the rover is getting closer of this geological unit."
🧵 20/n
Vasavada & Fraeman: "#CuriosityRover: Status, Sulfur Surprise, and a Sneak Peak at Extended Mission 5"
"NASA's MSL recently explored a canyon carved by ancient flowing water and discovered native sulfur for the first time on Mars. A proposed fifth Extended Mission aims to understand the fate of habitability at and below the surface"
🧵 21/n
Poster on the mid and upper delta traverse. A tad incomplete, I'd rather wait for the final paper for better understanding. At least, a verification that the Margin Unit predates the delta/fan.
Russell et al : "RIMFAX GPR Observations of the Jezero Crater Western Fan and Transition to Margin Unit"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/2455.pdf
🧵 22/n
Another really interesting poster that needs more work. It does already give good time-constraints for Bright Angel, although I could not find anywhere that BA would post-date the fan, as its conference summary says (maybe they mean the deformation folding).
Barnes et al : "Late Deformation of the Bright Angel Formation in Western Neretva Vallis"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/2311.pdf
🧵 23/n
Iteration on #SlopeStreaks, the figure is from the origin paper (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2024.116270)
Heyer et al: "Albedo Analysis of Martian Dust Devil-Induced Slope Streaks and Tracks"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/1063.pdf
🧵 24/n
Sharmili et al: "Exploring the Depositional and Erosional Morphology of Jezero Crater’s Western Fan Using Coupled Numerical Models of Sediment Deposition and Erosion"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/1193.pdf
"Based on the two coupled numerical models, the present study uncovers the potential scenario for the preservation of the Jezero Crater's western fan by erosion-resistant boulder deposits (capping unit), maintaining its shape over billions of years."
🧵 25/n
@stim3on ‼️ et al : "Photogrammetric Processing of MSL Images: A Case Study at the Mont Mercou Outcrop in Gale Crater"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/2074.pdf
"We present a new pipeline to generate digital outcrop models (DOM) from Curiosity rover images and generated a new high resolution DOM of the Mont Mercou outcrop."
Low-res model: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/mont-mercou-gale-crater-on-mars-c626b4a2a1eb4051b6050b37cbb6597a
🧵 26/n
Lin et al : "Phenocryst Provenance from the Deep Interior Revealed by the Séítah Olivine in Jezero Crater"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/1299.pdf
"Using refined terrestrial models of magma cooling, we analyzed the evolution of the Séítah parent magma and concluded that the olivine crystals are subsurface phenocrysts."
🧵 27/n
Chide et al : "Search for In Situ Signatures of Electric Activity on Mars"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/1427.pdf
"Signatures relevant of triboelectric discharges are observed in #PerseveranceRover SuperCam microphone data. It demonstrates the existence of electric activity in the atmosphere of Mars. Implications for this electric activity are discussed."
🧵 28/n
Schwenzer et al: "Martian Atmosphere: Trapped, Adsorbed and Exchanged; Trapped, Adsorbed, and Sampled — Considerations for #MarsSampleReturn"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/1581.pdf
"MSR will be a huge step towards understanding the Martian system in its entirety. A major factor for Martian habitability is its atmosphere. To fully understand the Martian surface environments, a pure atmospheric sample is paramount."
🧵 29/n
There are four papers on the pure-sulphur deposit found by #CuriosityRover on #GedizVallis on the second half of this session:
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/technical_program/?session_no=604
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/1366.pdf
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/1208.pdf
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/1476.pdf
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/1949.pdf
🧵 30/n
A jump back to Neretva and thread post nr 6 ( https://mastodon.social/@sharponlooker/113985129537205094 ), this time with strong measurements of organics.
Murphy and Uckert, et al : "Spatially Resolved Complex Organic Matter Detected in an Ancient River Valley in Jezero"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/2241.pdf
"We report the detection of macromolecular carbon (MMC) by Deep-UV Raman spectroscopy in multiple ancient riverbed rock targets in Jezero crater"
🧵 31/n
On the team's MCZ mosaics and their planned complete release to https://mastcamz.asu.edu/mars-images/panoramas-mosaics/
Bell III et al : "Landscape Mosaics Acquired in #JezeroCrater by the Mastcam-Z Investigation on #PerseveranceRover"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/1719.pdf
🧵 32/n
#TitanMoon ‼️ Excellent summary of the geology around the Huygens probe landing site. Works well with that great processing of the descent images by D. Machacek (https://mastodon.social/@sharponlooker/113833784242139494).
@mike_malaska et al : "Geological History of the Huygens Landing Site, Titan"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/2237.pdf
🧵 33/n
Predicting a higher number of contact binary KBOs thanks to #NewHorizons observations from its privileged vantage point.
@simonbp et al : "Measuring the Shapes of Kuiper Belt Objects with New Horizons Photometry"
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/1646.pdf
🧵 34/n
@65dBnoise I wouldn't say there is an orchestrated effort more than it is why Perseverance is where it is and doing what is doing. MSR is a "Decadal priority", and there's got to be continuing science on what needs to be done should the samples arrive safe.
That there's more of these references on those papers documenting what the rover is finding, of course could be seen as a way of "hyping", but also the normal course of science ("oh, that's interesting, we need more data" 😉)
@sharponlooker
No, my observation (seeking confirmation) is only about the increase in mentions of the necessity of the MSR, not of the findings of the rover, which of course do increase as the rover continues to produce data.
I wouldn't say they're hyping it. I see an "orchestrated effort" as a good thing, a strong indication of consensus, with the scientific community converging and taking a stance on the importance of the MSR mission. Some have expressed doubts about that in conferences.
@sharponlooker
Here is a presentation where project scientist Ken Farley refers specifically to those doubts in length, and which I think initiated the confluence of support in those papers:
Triboelectric discharge.... Nice find :)
@sharponlooker
This proves my long held suspicion that no consideration has been given to studying the electromagnetic spectrum directly with RF receivers.
The simplest possible VLF receiver, or even the already existing UHF radios, could provide orders of magnitude more *direct* data than a microphone in the vicinity of a dust devil and PSU relaxation curves in Earth simulations can. But we haven't seen that opportunity being explored. 😐
@tsturm preliminary paper describing all the RMI observations, so they don't go into that.
I don't think you have to invoke fluids for those, and if there would be replenishment, I'd expect visible changes, even at this resolution. But as you say, with so much dust, wind and dust devils, how does it look so pristine after that much time...
V Martín
simonbp
65dBnoise
Paul Hammond
Thomas Sturm