Extraterrestrial Mossbauer spectroscopy: more than 3 years of Mars exploration and developments for future missions

Citation

Schröder C, Klingelhoefer G, Morris RV, Rodionov DS, Fleischer I & Blumers M (2008) Extraterrestrial Mossbauer spectroscopy: more than 3 years of Mars exploration and developments for future missions. Hyperfine Interactions, 182 (1-3), pp. 149-156. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10751-008-9719-4

Abstract
After almost 4 years of operating on the surface of Mars, Mössbauer spectroscopy has become a mature technique for robotic planetary exploration. The combination of quantitative information about the distribution of Fe among its oxidation and coordination states, identification of Fe-bearing phases, and relative distribution of Fe among those phases provides valuable contributions to the search for past water activity, the assessment of past environmental conditions, and the suitability for life of the two NASA Mars Exploration Rover landing sites. Experience from the Mars Exploration Rover Mission highlights needs for improvement of the instruments for future missions such as the Russian Phobos-Grunt and the European ExoMars rover.

Keywords
Mars Exploration Rover; ExoMars; Phobos-Grunt; Jarosite; Iron geochemistry; Exobiology

Journal
Hyperfine Interactions: Volume 182, Issue 1-3

People

Dr Christian Schroeder

Senior Lecturer, Biological and Environmental Sciences