![Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs](../../assets/md5images/c8d35991e3c821f53809b32caadf6933.png)
Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs
Publication Date
5-1-2015
Abstract
The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover is utilizing laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) instrumentation to determine compositions of rocks shot in Gale crater, Mars, from a distance of 1.56-7 meters. At the same time, martian breccia meteorite Northwest Africa (NWA) 7034 was analyzed with the ChemCam engineering model laboratory LIBS instrument at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) at a 1.6 m standoff distance under 7 Torr CO2. Each LIBS location was pulsed with 150 shots at 3 Hz and 13.5 mJ/pulse. Comparison of NWA 7034 LIBS results with the bulk composition acquired with electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) show agreement within LIBS instrument error. Comparison of NWA 7034 data with targets from Gale shows chemical and textural similarities. This study helps bridge the gap between Mars in situ and martian meteorite data by using LIBS data to determine compositions of heterogeneous rock samples outside the compositional range previously observed on Mars.
Degree Name
Earth and Planetary Sciences
Level of Degree
Masters
Department Name
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
First Committee Member (Chair)
Agee, Carl
Second Committee Member
McCubbin, Francis
Third Committee Member
Scuderi, Louis
Project Sponsors
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, New Mexico Space Grant, National Science Foundation
Language
English
Keywords
Mars, NWA 7034, LIBS, MSL
Document Type
Thesis
Recommended Citation
Gordon, Suzanne. "Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy of martian breccia Northwest Africa 7034: comparison with Mars Science Laboratory results." (2015). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/eps_etds/31