Strategic Investments in Instrumentation and Facilities for Extraterrestrial Sample Curation and Analysis (2019) / Chapter Skim
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4 Current Laboratories and Facilities
4 Current Laboratories and Facilities
Pages 34-59
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From page 34... ...
? 4.1 RETRIEVAL, CURATION, AND CHARACTERIZATION OF RETURNED EXTRATERRESTRIAL SAMPLES To understand the significance of existing infrastructure for sample curation and analysis and the tasks associated with retrieving the samples from the spacecraft, initial characterization and curation are first summarized (see Figure 4.1)
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CURRENT LABORATORIES AND FACILITIES 35 Sample Delivery Recovery and initial triage General Initial Characterization Sample nondestructive Curation Facilities description analysis Mission Teams Mission Catalog Curation and Curation teams generation facilities Community Distribution to Community via CAPTEM More Detailed Sample Characterization Specialized Specialized at Distributed nondestructive destructive Characterization Facilities analysis analysis Data and Archiving sample archive FIGURE 4.1 Returned sample processing flowchart NOTE: CAPTEM, Curation and Analysis Planning Team for Extra terrestrial Materials.
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From page 36... ...
In general, long-term archiving of sample materials occurs at a curatorial facility, whereas archiving of observational data is tasked to the laboratories in which those observations were made. 4.2 FACILITIES FOR CURATION, TRIAGING, AND DESCRIPTION OF RETURNED SAMPLES Curation of returned extraterrestrial samples occurs at several facilities around the world, as described in Chapter 2.
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facility, which is described below. With nearly 50 years of experience since the return of the Apollo samples, JSC has been a world leader in curatorial management and has developed a range of techniques, materials, and expertise to handle returned samples.
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. Additional information about curation of lunar, Genesis, and Stardust returned samples is provided in the relevant sections of Chapter 2.
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As all returned samples are considered national and future heritage resources, strict protocols are in place for requesting, transporting, and securing these samples. All requests for samples curated at JSC are vetted first by the relevant curator, and then by the Curation and Analysis Planning Team for Extra Terrestrial Materials (CAPTEM)
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Finding: Allocation of returned samples to laboratories around the world requires careful vetting of requests for samples and special handling during shipment and storage at an analytical facility. 4.4 ANALYTICAL EQUIPMENT 4.4.1 Classifications and Overview of Analytical Instrumentation The scientific goals of sample return missions are broadly defined.
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From page 41... ...
4. Stakeholders and hosting institutions: Sections 4.2 through 4.4 -- the main body of this chapter -- consist of detailed descriptions of the curatorial and analytical facilities relevant to study of returned extraterrestrial materials in the United States and international partners in sample return missions.
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Unique facility -- 5A 5B 5C access open to usersc For example, Molecular For example, synchrotron-or For example, synchrotron-or Foundry, Lawrence neutron-based diffraction or neutron-based spectroscopy Berkeley National tomography techniques techniques Laboratory Mission Relevance MR I MR II MR III MR IV (MR) Classifications Fundamental tools More specialized tools, More specialized Direct mission relevant for all sample required for rock and tools, required for relevance not (Additional mission- return missions metal samples organic, volatile, and established; however, specific information other low-temperature technique may generate provided in comments materials unique data relevant to in Table 4.2, where specific missions applicable)
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4.4.2 NASA Center Analytical Laboratories and Facilities 4.4.2.1 Johnson Space Center JSC has over 200 active research and operational scientists, analysts, and technicians who support the missions of NASA, and of these, approximately 75 are involved in analyses of extraterrestrial materials. JSC is involved in developing planetary science mission concepts and providing Earth imagery to the Earth science community.
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Return Missions Sampling and Specimen Preparation Methods Sample preparation Observations of surfaces, internal 1A Available in most Mechanical perturbations to the structure/substructure; typically MR I laboratories involved with sample: crushing, grinding, cutting, for subsequent scattering, imaging, extraterrestrial material polishing spectroscopy, and other related analysis; more relevant for measurements hard materials Electro Improved surface finish, preparation of 1A Available in most Chemical polishing, electrothinning, thin sections for microscopy/analysis MR I laboratories involved with electrochemical polishing extraterrestrial material analysis; more relevant for hard materials Micro-/nano-manipulation, Positioning of samples for subsequent 1A Relevant for both hard and sample positioning, subsampling and/or analysis MR I soft materials monitoring Robotic sampling, Minimal human intervention in sampling/ 2A, 3A Relevant for both hard and sample-handling, subsampling, selection, positioning for MR II soft materials; robotic and manipulation/positioning subsequent sampling and analysis remote sample handling will be especially important for sensitive samples and planetary protection Laser cutting, lithography, Sampling, positioning, sectioning and 2A, 3A curing, and related photo- related micromechanical manipulation MR II induced methods Ultramicrotomy/wire-saw/ Preparation of ultra-thin sections; 2A, 3A Relevant for both hard and sectioning; typically hard typically for subsequent microscopy/ MR I soft materials particulates in soft matrices analysis Focused ion beam (FIB) Site- and shape-specific sectioning, lift- 2A, 3A More relevant for hard off, milling for scanning transmission MR II materials; and transmission electron microscopy soft materials require (S-TEM)
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(See Materials and Sample Method Purpose Table 4.1) Return Missions Resin embedding, ultramicrotomy, Thin/thick sections of soft matter, soft- 1A, 2A, 3A Relevant for hard sectioning hard interfaces, soft/hard inclusions; MR I materials; soft materials typically for subsequent analysis require specialized cryogenic techniques Plunge-freezing and related Thin vitrified ice sections containing 2A, 3A Relevant for soft materials cryopreservation techniques soft matter, soft/hard inclusions in soft MR III (low temperature/cryo-methods)
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(See Materials and Sample Method Purpose Table 4.1) Return Missions Electron probe microanalysis In situ major and trace element analyses; 1C, 2C (EPMA)
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(See Materials and Sample Method Purpose Table 4.1) Return Missions Piezo-resistive force microscopy Surface and subsurface imaging, analysis 2B, 3B Characterization of (PFM)
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spectroscopy of ultra-thin scales down to 30 nm section of solids Neutron scattering Noninvasive, deep penetrating imaging, 5B, 5C Requires proposal-based spectroscopy/scattering magnetic MR III access to use facilities; measurements sensitive to proton position within structures; helps characterize presence of water and other volatiles Miscellaneous techniques: Specialized capabilities, analysis of MR IV gamma ray imaging, terahertz radioactivity spectroscopy Mass Spectrometry for Chemical and Isotopic Analysis In Situ Techniques Time-of-Flight SIMS (ToF-SIMS) Elemental, isotopic and molecular in situ 2C, 3C Analysis of small samples, analysis at the micron scale, elemental MR I such as interplanetary and and isotopic mapping presolar dust grains, and inclusions in meteorites; molecular and atomic ion species are measured simultaneously; little sample destruction SIMS (large radius -- CAMECA In situ trace element and isotopic analyses 2C, 3C Measurements of volatile 1270, 1280, SHRIMP)
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high-precision isotope ratio measurements a variety of isotope of isotopes through thermal ionization systems (both stable and mass spectrometry; geochronology and radiogenic) ; chronology of source tracing purposes extraterrestrial materials Multicollector inductively coupled Measurements of trace element 2C Relevant for high plasma mass spectrometer (MC- concentrations through isotope dilution, MR II precision analyses of ICP-MS)
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isotope systems (both stable and radiogenic) Gas source mass spectrometry High-precision molecular identification 1C, 2C, 5C Molecular characterization and isotope ratios analysis for organic MR III and isotope ratio analysis matter and gases; may use any of several of organic matter and gases sector, ToF, or Fourier-transform mass spectrometers Gas and liquid chromatography Chemical separation of complex mixtures 1C, 2C, 5C Molecular characterization mass spectrometry of volatile compounds followed by on- MR III and isotope ratio analysis line mass spectrometry; for molecular of organic matter and gases identification and isotope ratio analysis; may use any of several sector, ToF, or Fourier-transform mass spectrometers Atomic absorption mass Destructive analytical chemistry 1C, 2C spectrometry technique to determine the concentration MR III of a species within a gas or liquid solution; can be used to evaluate the concentration of a specific species within a multicomponent solution Instrumental and radiochemical Trace element analyses of whole rock and 4A Used to analyze meteorites neutron activation analysis (INAA)
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maintains three research groups concerned with cosmochemistry and astrobiology, two of which focus primarily on chemical analysis relevant to sample return science (the third is a group focused on geobiology and astrobiology but with no history of study of returned extraterrestrial materials; therefore, it is not included in this review)
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-ICP-MS, TIMS, SIMS, isotope ratio mass spectrometry, and RIMS) , as well as specialized sample preparation equipment (e.g., FIB)
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National Science Foundation Facilities and Infrastructure Programs NSF has invested in the development of state-of-the-art tools for advanced materials research, with direct or indirect applications to extraterrestrial materials characterization through a variety of programs, including within the Directorate for Geosciences, the Division of Materials Research, and in crosscutting programs from the Office 11 U.S. Department of Energy, "User Facilities," https://science.energy.gov/user-facilities/, last updated July 2, 2018.
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, which funds mineral physics research in the Earth sciences, and GSECARS, which provides support for the synchrotron X-ray user facility for Earth sciences at APS. Many of the instruments currently employed for extraterrestrial sample analyses have been partially funded by NSF.15 Other notable NSF programs and facilities relevant to extraterrestrial materials analysis include the National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI)
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, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, and Edgewood Chemical Biological Center, which offer advanced technical capabilities and in-house expertise that may be relevant to handling and analysis of future extraterrestrial materials. The NRL has been involved in analyses of Stardust returned samples.19 Other major or unique capabilities include materials, structures, phenomena, systems and their behavior in the context of high-velocity impact, energetic materials and other military-related specialized capabilities and facilities.
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For example, FFRDCs include the Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analysis, operated by the Southwest Research Institute on behalf of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which may become an important resource should there be radioactive extraterrestrial materials returned in future missions. Other such niche examples can be found on FFDRCs Web portal.24 4.5 OVERVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL FACILITIES The scientific study of extraterrestrial materials, including meteorites, cosmic dust, and returned samples, is a well-established field in more than a dozen countries, with noteworthy centers of excellence in Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland.
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; commercially available common and more specialized mass spectrometry instrumentation -- for example, MC-ICP-MS, TIMS, SIMS, and IRMS;25 large-scale user facilities based at national-scale synchrotron X-ray or neutron beam sources; and unique instrumentation specially built for returned sample analyses -- for example, the Refrigerator Enhanced Laser Analyzer for Xenon (RELAX) instrument at the University of Manchester.
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While each individual laboratory and facility has its unique sets of strengths and weaknesses with regard to human resources, two trends are typical to foreign laboratories' staffing strategies in conjunction with sample return missions and represent weaknesses in these programs. First, compared with the United States, international laboratories have a relatively short heritage of close connection between the research groups spearheading the sample return missions and the research groups involved in the primary characterization of the returned samples.
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CURRENT LABORATORIES AND FACILITIES 59 Conclusion: Future sample return missions are focused on returning and analyzing more challenging materi als (e.g., gases, ices, organic compounds) and will require investment in technologies that are not currently widely utilized by the sample return community.
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