[P-PS05] Mars

11:30 AM - 11:45 AM JST(2:30 AM - 2:45 AM UTC)

[PPS05-12] Characterization of Martian Regolith: Toward 2020s Mars Exploration Missions

*Tomohiro USUI¹, Akihiko Yamagishi², Takehiko Sato³, Hideaki Miyamoto⁴, Shingo Kameda⁵, Kazuhisa Fujita³, Yasuhito Sekine⁴, Shogo Tachibana⁶, Sei-ichro Watanabe⁷ (1.Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2.Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Science, 3.ISAS, JAXA, 4.The University of Tokyo, 5.Rikkyo University, 6.Hokkaido University, 7.Nagoya University)

Keywords:

Mars,regolith

Mars once had surficial liquid water (paleo-ocean/lake) and shows a promising sign of current subsurface water/ice. The existence of hydrosphere and cryosphere makes Mars the unique accessible habitable planet next to the Earth. The water-rock interaction between the lithosphere and hydrosphere/cryosphere through the history of Mars has produced a variety of surface rocks (regolith) containing sheet-silicates, phosphates, sulfates, and carbonates, which are closely linked to climate and the potential for life on Mars. This study characterizes the physico-chemical properties (chemical composition, mineral abundance, reflectance feature, and geometric distribution) of Martian regoliths. We further present a way to leverage the database on Martian regoliths as a tool for interpreting remote sensing analyses by onboard instruments (e.g. Life Detection Microscope) for Mars exploration missions in 2020s.