Difference between revisions of "Team:UNIK Copenhagen/Soil"

Line 21: Line 21:
 
<br><br>
 
<br><br>
  
−
To test this we use the JSC-Mars-1-simulant soil which is as close as you get to actual Martian soil without leaving Earth. The image below shows the similarities between the two. The dotted line portrays actual measurements of the soil form the surface of Mars, while the solid line is the reflectivity spectra for JSC-Mars-1 simulant. Especially in the lower wavelengths the similarity is seen to be high. </p>
+
 
 +
<h2>What is JSC Mars-1 Simulant Soil?</h2>
 +
 
 +
JSC Mars-1 is a Martian soil stimulant that has been developed for the study of Mars both in the context of education and scientific research. The simulant is made from soil found on Pu'u Nene: a cinder cone on the Island of Hawaii. It was chosen for a number of reasons:
 +
 
 +
<li> It's spectral analogue to the bright regions on Mars
 +
<li>It has been characterized vigorously by other scientists
 +
<li>A large quantity is available for collection </li>
 +
 
 +
JSC Mars-1 has been characterized using a number of techniques, both chemical and physical, and then compared to our knowledge of martian soil collected by various rovers on the surface of Mars. </p>
 
   
 
   
 
<div id="imagebox">
 
<div id="imagebox">
 
<div class="imageboxshadow">
 
<div class="imageboxshadow">
 
<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/2/2c/UNIK_Copenhage_JSCsoil.png" width=52%></div>
 
<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/2/2c/UNIK_Copenhage_JSCsoil.png" width=52%></div>
−
Similarity between JSC-Mars-1-Simulant and Martian soil</div>
+
Fig 1: Graphing similarity between JSC-Mars-1-Simulant and Martian soil</div>
 +
<br><br>
 +
 
 +
<div id="imagebox">
 +
<div class="imageboxshadow">
 +
<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/e/e0/UNIK_Copenhagen_Table1.png" width=52%></div>
 +
Table 1: Showing chemical composition of JSC Mars-1 simuant vs Martian soil</div>
 +
<br><br>
 +
 
 +
<div id="imagebox">
 +
<div class="imageboxshadow">
 +
<img src="https://2015.igem.org/File:UNIK_Copenhagen_Table2.png" width=52%></div>
 +
Table 2</div>
 
<br><br>
 
<br><br>
 
   
 
   
Line 37: Line 58:
 
</video>
 
</video>
 
<br></br>
 
<br></br>
 +
 +
 +
<h2>Outline of Soil Experiment</h2>
 +
  
  

Revision as of 18:46, 16 September 2015


Can moss grow on Martian soil?

Testing if moss can survive in soil similar to Martian soil is an interesting experiment for two reasons: 1) Although it would be possible to bring a media for the moss to grow in, it would save launch mass if the moss could grow in the soil already present on Mars. 2) Mars soil contains perchlorate which is poisonous and moss could potentially be used to detoxify the martian soil and make it safe for astronauts.

What is JSC Mars-1 Simulant Soil?

JSC Mars-1 is a Martian soil stimulant that has been developed for the study of Mars both in the context of education and scientific research. The simulant is made from soil found on Pu'u Nene: a cinder cone on the Island of Hawaii. It was chosen for a number of reasons:
  • It's spectral analogue to the bright regions on Mars
  • It has been characterized vigorously by other scientists
  • A large quantity is available for collection
    • JSC Mars-1 has been characterized using a number of techniques, both chemical and physical, and then compared to our knowledge of martian soil collected by various rovers on the surface of Mars.

    Fig 1: Graphing similarity between JSC-Mars-1-Simulant and Martian soil


    Table 1: Showing chemical composition of JSC Mars-1 simuant vs Martian soil


    Table 2


    JSC-Mars-1-simulant soil comes from the sadle area between the volcanoes Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa on Big Island Hawaii. Team member Christina Toldbo went there to visit - check out the video below.



    Outline of Soil Experiment