<p> The study of terrestrial meteorite impact craters and of impacted meteorites expands our understanding of cratered rocky surfaces throughout the solar system. Terrestrial craters uniquely expand upon data from remote imaging and planetary surface exploration by providing analogs for understanding the buried sub-surface portions of impact structures, while impacted meteorites provide examples of a much wider range of surface and subsurface impactite materials than we can directly sample thus far through solar system exploration. </p><p> This report examines three facets of the impact record preserved in terrestrial impact craters and in meteorites. First, it looks at the macroscopic structure of the Sutters Mill meteorite, a brecciated regolithic CM chondrite that preserves a three-dimensional record of the one of the most primitive known impact gardened surfaces in the solar system. The report details distinct lithologies preserved in the meteorite and the ways in which these lithologies reflect impact and alteration processes, with the intention of contextualizing and illuminating the wider body of recently published instrumental work on the stone by the current authors and others. Second, this dissertation presents a detailed analysis of the origin and nature of unique sub-spherical `round rocks' commonly associated with the surface exposed sediments at the proposed Weaubleau impact structure, in west-central Missouri. Third, and finally, the dissertation looks at the nature of impact evidence for small impact pits and craters on earth. Unambiguously proving the impact origin of sub-kilometer terrestrial impact craters has presented significant historical challenges. A systematic analysis of field reports for all widely recognized sub-km terrestrial craters addresses both the nature of compelling evidence for impact origin for structures in this size range and the adequacy of the existing record of evidence for currently recognized structures.</p>

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2004. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 103-106).

<p> Mid-infrared emissivity spectra are an extremely useful tool for determining bulk surface composition of planetary bodies. Our current interpretation of these spectra relies primarily on studies of spectra acquired in a terrestrial environment, which do not exhibit the same behavior as spectra measured on the surface of airless bodies like the Moon. From previous studies, we know that the environmental conditions in which mid-infrared spectra are measured affect the position and spectral contrast of spectral features used in compositional identification and analysis. The unique thermal environment within the upper 100s of microns of lunar regolith results in an anisothermal emissivity spectrum that cannot be directly compared to typical isothermal spectral libraries. It is also known that physical attributes of the material, such as particle size, will affect spectral features; however, this has not been studied in an airless environment. The second chapter of this dissertation is therefore dedicated to understanding the changes to mid-infrared spectra acquired under a simulated lunar environment due to particle size variation. </p><p> An additional aspect of the lunar environment not seen on Earth is the process of space weathering. Space weathering is the amalgamation of exposure to solar and cosmic radiation as well as micrometeoroid bombardment resulting in physical, chemical, and optical alteration of lunar regolith. For this work, I focus on the resulting albedo decrease in mature regolith, i.e., regolith that has been exposed to space weathering for a substantial period of time. In Chapter 3, I focus on the mid-infrared spectral changes due to albedo on pure minerals measured under a simulated lunar environment, and Chapter 4 describes the effect of albedo on emissivity data from the Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment, the only current mid-infrared instrument in orbit around the Moon. </p><p> From this work, I determine that both particle size and albedo affect mid-infrared emissivity spectral features in ways that complicate mineral identification and show how our laboratory work can enable better interpretation of spectra from the Moon, as well as other airless bodies within our Solar System.</p><p>

<p> The University of North Dakota Space Studies Internet Observatory was used to observe the transits of hot Jupiter exoplanets. Targets for this research were selected from the list of currently confirmed exoplanets using the following criteria: radius > 0.5 Rjup, discovered since 2011, orbiting stars with apparent magnitude > 13. Eleven transits were observed distributed across nine targets with the goal of performing differential photometry for parameter refinement and transit timing variation analysis if data quality allowed. Data quality was ultimately insufficient for robust parameter refinement, but tentative calculations of mid-transit times were made of three of the observed transits. Mid-transit times for WASP-103b and WASP-48b were consistent with predictions and the existing database.</p><p>

<p> A detailed structural map of the central uplift of Martin Crater in western Thaumasia Planum, Mars, reveals highly folded and fractured geology throughout the 15-km diameter uplift. The stratigraphy in the central uplift of the crater has been rotated to near vertical dip and imaged by high-definition cameras aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). These unique factors allow individual geologic beds in Martin Crater to be studied and located across the length of the uplift. </p><p> Bedding in Martin Crater primarily strikes SSE-NNW and dips near vertically. Many units are separated by a highly complex series of linear faults, creating megablocks of uplifted material. Faulting is dominantly left-slip in surface expression and strikes SW-NE, roughly perpendicular to bedding, and major fold axes plunge toward the SW. Coupled with infrared imagery of the ejecta blanket, which shows an &ldquo;exclusion zone&rdquo; northeast of the crater, these structural indicators provide strong support for a low-angle impactor (approximately 10&ndash;20&deg;) originating from the northeast. </p><p> Acoustic fluidization is the prevailing theoretical model put forth to explain complex crater uplift. The theory predicts that uplifted megablocks in craters are small, discrete, separated and highly randomized in orientation. However, megablocks in Martin Crater are tightly interlocked and often continuous in lithology across several kilometers. Thus, the model of acoustic fluidization, as it is currently formulated, does not appear to be supported by the structural evidence found in Martin Crater.</p><p>

No description available.

abstract: Previous workers hypothesized that lunar Localized Pyroclastic Deposits (LPDs) represent products of vulcanian-style eruptions, since some have low proportions of juvenile material. The objective of the first study is to determine how juvenile composition, calculated using deposit and vent volumes, varies among LPDs. I used Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera Narrow Angle Camera (LROC NAC) digital terrain models (DTMs) to generate models of pre-eruption surfaces for 23 LPDs and subtracted them from the NAC DTMs to calculate deposit and vent volumes. Results show that LPDs have a wide range of juvenile compositions and thinning profiles, and that there is a positive relationship between juvenile material proportion and deposit size. These findings indicate there is greater diversity among LPDs than previously understood, and that a simple vulcanian eruption model may only apply to the smallest deposits. There is consensus that martian outflow channels were formed by catastrophic flooding events, yet many of these channels exhibit lava flow features issuing from the same source as the eroded channels, leading some authors to suggest that lava may have served as their sole agent of erosion. This debate is addressed in two studies that use Context Camera images for photogeologic analysis, geomorphic mapping, and cratering statistics: (1) A study of Mangala Valles showing that it underwent at least two episodes of fluvial activity and at least three episodes of volcanic activity during the Late Amazonian, consistent with alternating episodes of flooding and volcanism. (2) A study of Maja Valles finds that it is thinly draped in lava flows sourced from Lunae Planum to the west, rendering it analogous to the lava-coated Elysium outflow systems. However, the source of eroded channels in Maja Valles is not the source of the its lava flows, which instead issue from south Lunae Planum. The failure of these lava flows to generate any major channels along their path suggests that the channels of Maja Valles are not lava-eroded. Finally, I describe a method of locating sharp edges in out-of-focus images for application to automated trajectory control systems that use images from fixed-focus cameras to determine proximity to a target. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Geological Sciences 2018

<p> The Kuiper belt is a population of small bodies located outside Neptune's orbit. The observed Kuiper belt objects (KBOs) can be divided into several subclasses based on their dynamical structure. I construct models for these subclasses and use numerical integrations to investigate their long-term evolution. I use these models to quantify the connection between the Kuiper belt and the Centaurs (objects whose orbits cross the orbits of the giant planets) and the short-period comets in the inner solar system. I discuss how these connections could be used to determine the physical properties of KBOs and what future observations could conclusively link the comets and Centaurs to specific Kuiper belt subclasses. </p><p> The Kuiper belt's structure is determined by a combination of long-term evolution and its formation history. The large eccentricities and inclinations of some KBOs and the prevalence of KBOs in mean motion resonances with Neptune are evidence that much of the Kuiper belt's structure originated during the solar system's epoch of giant planet migration; planet migration can sculpt the Kuiper belt's scattered disk, capture objects into mean motion resonances, and dynamically excite KBOs. Different models for planet migration predict different formation locations for the subclasses of the Kuiper belt, which might result in different size distributions and compositions between the subclasses; the high-inclination portion of the classical Kuiper belt is hypothesized to have formed closer to the Sun than the low-inclination classical Kuiper belt. I use my model of the classical Kuiper belt to show that these two populations remain largely dynamically separate over long timescales, so primordial physical differences could be maintained until the present day. </p><p> The current Kuiper belt is much less massive than the total mass required to form its largest members. It must have undergone a mass depletion event, which is likely related to planet migration. The Haumea collisional family dates from the end of this process. I apply long-term evolution to family formation models and determine how they can be observationally tested. Understanding the Haumea family's formation could shed light on the nature of the mass depletion event.</p>

<p>Earth and Mars have nearly the same axial tilt, so seasons on these two bodies progress in a similar manner. During fall and winter on Mars, the primarily CO₂ atmosphere (~95% by volume) condenses out onto the poles as ice. Approximately 25% of the entire Martian atmosphere condenses, and then sublimes in the spring, making this cycle a dominant driver in the global climate. Because the water and dust cycles are coupled to this CO₂ cycle, we must examine seasonal CO₂ processes to understand the global (seasonal) distribution of H₂O on Mars. The density of the ice may indicate whether it condensed in the atmosphere and precipitated as &ldquo;snow&rdquo; or condensed directly onto the surface as &ldquo;slab&rdquo;. Variations in density may be controlled by geographic location and surface morphology. The distribution and variations in densities of seasonal deposits on the Martian poles gives us insight to the planet&rsquo;s volatile inventories. Here we analyze density variations over time on Mars&rsquo; Northern Polar Seasonal Cap (NPSC) using observational data and energy balance techniques. </p><p> We calculate the bulk density of surface CO₂ ice by dividing the column mass abundance (the mass of CO₂ per unit area) by the depth of the ice cap at a given location. We use seasonal rock shadow measurements from High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) images to estimate ice depth. The length of a rock&rsquo;s shadow is related to its height through the solar incidence angle and the slope of the ground. </p><p> From differences in the height of a rock measured in icy vs. ice-free images, we estimate the depth of surface ice at the time of the icy observation. Averaging over many rocks in a region yields the ice depth for that region. This technique yields minimums for ice depth and therefore maximums for density. </p><p> Thermal properties of rocks may play an important role in observed ice depths. Crowns of ice may form on the tops of rocks with insufficient heat capacity to inhibit ice condensation, and may cause an artificial increase in shadow length. This increases the apparent height of a rock and thus decreases the apparent surface ice depth. Additionally, moats may form around rocks with sufficient heat capacity to sublime ice as it is deposited. Moating will also artificially increase the shadow lengths (decreasing apparent surface ice depth). We correct for these effects in our depth-estimation technique. </p><p> We balance incoming solar flux with outgoing thermal radiation from Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) observations to calculate the column mass abundance. TES thermal bolometer atmospheric albedo and temperature observations are a good proxy to the surface bond albedo and effective surface temperature. These parameters are needed to balance the incoming and outgoing flux. </p><p> Mars&rsquo; atmosphere is tenuous so we assume homogeneous radiance from the surface to the top of the atmosphere, no lateral diffusion of heat, and that any excess heat goes into subliming surface ice in our flux balance. Using a Monte Carlo model, we integrate the net flux until reaching the time where Cap Recession Observations indicate CO₂ has Ultimately Sublimed (the CROCUS date) to obtain the column mass abundance. </p><p> We study seasonal ice at three distinct geomorphic units: plains, dune fields, and craters. Two plains regions, four dunes regions, and two crater regions are analyzed over springtime sublimation. Data for these regions spanned three Mars Years. </p><p> Our results indicate that the evolution of seasonally deposited CO₂ ice on the Northern Polar Cap of Mars is highly dependent on complex relationships between various processes. The grain size, dust contamination, water doping, and density vary dramatically over time. The initially deposited material varies according to local geomorphic features and topography, as well as latitude and longitude. The inter-annual variability of ice may play a role in its evolution over sublimation, but likely plays a smaller role than anticipated. Low normalized initial and time-averaged densities suggest that NPSC deposits are initially low and remain relatively low throughout spring. These densities are very similar to estimates made by previous studies. Thus, we conclude that the NPSC is indeed pervaded by low density deposits. These deposits densify over time, but rarely reach typical characteristics for pure slab ice. </p>

abstract: This dissertation examines two topics of emerging interest in the field of organic geochemistry. The topic of the first portion of the dissertation is cold organic geochemistry on Saturn's moon Titan. Titan has an atmosphere and surface that are rich in organic compounds. Liquid hydrocarbons exist on the surface, most famously as lakes. Photochemical reactions produce solid organics in Titan's atmosphere, and these materials settle onto the surface. At the surface, liquids can interact with solids, and geochemical processes can occur. To better understand these processes, I developed a thermodynamic model that can be used to calculate the solubilities of gases and solids in liquid hydrocarbons at cryogenic temperatures. The model was parameterized using experimental data, and provides a good fit to the data. Application of the model to Titan reveals that the equilibrium composition of surface liquids depends on the abundance of methane in the local atmosphere. The model also indicates that solid acetylene should be quite soluble in surface liquids, which implies that acetylene-rich rocks should be susceptible to chemical erosion, and acetylene evaporites may form on Titan. In the latter half of this dissertation, I focus on hot organic geochemistry below the surface of the Earth. Organic compounds are common in sediments. Burial of sediments leads to changes in physical and chemical conditions, promoting organic reactions. An important organic reaction in subsurface environments is decarboxylation, which generates hydrocarbons and carbon dioxide from simple organic acids. Fundamental knowledge about decarboxylation is required to better understand how the organic and inorganic compositions of sediments evolve in response to changing geochemical conditions. I performed experiments with the model compound phenylacetic acid to obtain information about mechanisms of decarboxylation in hydrothermal fluids. Patterns in rates of decarboxylation of substituted phenylacetic acids point to a mechanism that proceeds through a ring-protonated zwitterion of phenylacetic acid. In contrast, substituted sodium phenylacetates exhibit a different kinetic pattern, one that is consistent with the formation of the benzyl anion as an intermediate. Results from experiments with added hydrochloric acid or sodium hydroxide, and deuterated water agree with these interpretations. Thus, speciation dictates mechanism of decarboxylation. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Geological Sciences 2012