CMU Student Asked to Help Pick Mars Landing Sites

In response to a research presentation, a Central Michigan University geology student was asked to help determine where the next twin Mars Exploration Rovers will land.

Because of studies she presented at the annual meeting of the Geological Society of America last fall, Deidre LaClair of Standish, Mich., was asked to attend the final decision workshop in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 8 to 10, 2003.

"The workshop is designed to determine which areas on Mars will be safe for the landers and which will provide the best opportunity to find water-related minerals and structures, which might indicate past life on Mars," said LaClair. "I will be able to give my opinion and help in the final decision."

LaClair and faculty adviser Kathleen Benison co-presented "Acid Sedimentary Environments on Mars?: Possible Terrestrial Analogs" at the annual meeting of the Geological Society of America last fall in Denver, Colo. The study is about how extremely acid and salty lakes and groundwaters on Earth may be good models for possible Martian environments.

LaClair's research is considered by geologists to be "truly significant and innovative work," according to Benison, CMU College of Science and Technology.

"Deidre's invitation to serve on the Mars rover panel was a direct result of her talk at the annual meeting," said Benison. "The panel chairman was in the audience and talked to her after the presentation and invited her to serve on the panel. She is surely the youngest person who has served on such a panel. It is a real honor for her.

"She has demonstrated the vital role that undergraduate research can play, not only at CMU but also to the international scientific community," said Benison.

The rovers are scheduled to launch in early summer 2003 and are expected to arrive on Mars in January 2004.

"This study determined that channel features on Mars could have been created by acidic waters," said LaClair.

LaClair and Benison also presented "Acid Sedimentary Environments on Mars?: The Physical Sedimentology" comparing the effects of dilute water and varying strengths of sulfuric acid on sediment.

LaClair's research was funded through a CMU undergraduate summer scholar award, undergraduate research grant, the geology department and a Petroleum Research Fund grant. CMU's Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, the College of Science and Technology and the geology department also provided support for travel.

In addition,
* LaClair and Benison have sent a manuscript describing the terrestrial acid lakes as possible analogs for Mars environments to press with the journal Astrobiology.
* Benison, K.C., Hein, M.C., and LaClair, D.A., 2001, Comparative sedimentology applied to extremely acidic saline systems: Abstracts with Programs, Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Boston, Massachusetts.
* 2001 presentation by Deidre A. LaClair, geology senior thesis project: "Entrainment, transportation, and deposition of sediments by acid waters: models for Martian and terrestrial systems."
* LaClair will present "Could Some Craters on Mars Have Acid Water Origins?" at the Lunar and Planetary Sciences Conference in Houston in March.