The Flinders Ranges and its surroundings in South Australia comprise an impressive rugged terrain that rises abruptly from piedmont plains to the east and west and merges into the plains of the Cenozoic Lake Eyre Basi...The Flinders Ranges and its surroundings in South Australia comprise an impressive rugged terrain that rises abruptly from piedmont plains to the east and west and merges into the plains of the Cenozoic Lake Eyre Basin to the north.Folded and faulted Neoproterozoic–Cambrian clastic and carbonate sedimentary rocks of the Adelaide Geosyncline(Adelaide Rift Complex)form the predominant geology of the ranges and record varied depositional environments and metamorphic overprints and have had a complex landscape history,resulting in a diverse regolith.This ancient,arid terrain represents some of the best analogue landscapes and settings in Australia to observe features and processes fundamental to the evolution of the Earth.The strata of the Flinders Ranges record the evolution of terrestrial surface environments and the biosphere through the Cryogenian,Ediacaran and Cambrian periods,including evidence for Neoproterozoic glaciations,orbital and rotational dynamics and asteroid impact.The diverse assemblages of stromatolites,ancient and modern hydrothermal systems,and alteration assemblages provide field laboratories for astrobiological and hyperspectral research and training.For these reasons the northern Flinders Ranges near Arkaroola have been selected as a site for multi-disciplinary Mars analogue research and space education.展开更多
Theoretical analysis has demonstrated that the dispersion relation of chorus waves plays an essential role in the resonant interaction and energy transformation between the waves and magnetospheric electrons.Previous ...Theoretical analysis has demonstrated that the dispersion relation of chorus waves plays an essential role in the resonant interaction and energy transformation between the waves and magnetospheric electrons.Previous quantitative analyses often simplified the chorus dispersion relation by using the cold plasma assumption.However,the applicability of the cold plasma assumption is doubtful,especially during geomagnetic disturbances.We here present a systematic statistical analysis on the validity of the cold plasma dispersion relation of chorus waves based on observations from the Van Allen Probes over the period from 2012 to 2018.The statistical results show that the observed magnetic field intensities deviate substantially from those calculated from the cold plasma dispersion relation and that they become more pronounced with an increase in geomagnetic activity or a decrease in background plasma density.The region with large deviations is mainly concentrated in the nightside and expands in both the radial and azimuthal directions as the geomagnetic activity increases or the background plasma density decreases.In addition,the bounce-averaged electron scattering rates are computed by using the observed and cold plasma dispersion relation of chorus waves.Compared with usage of the cold plasma dispersion relation,usage of the observed dispersion relation considerably lowers the minimum resonant energy of electrons and lowers the scattering rates of electrons above tens of kiloelectronvolts but enhances those below.Furthermore,these differences are more pronounced with the enhancement of geomagnetic activity or the decrease in background plasma density.展开更多
Gabbroic and poikilitic shergottites are intrusive igneous rocks on Mars,providing significant insights into the igneous processes within the Martian crust.However,questions remain regarding the chemical signatures of...Gabbroic and poikilitic shergottites are intrusive igneous rocks on Mars,providing significant insights into the igneous processes within the Martian crust.However,questions remain regarding the chemical signatures of their source reservoirs and the petrogenetic links among shergottites of different subtypes.In this study,we present petrological and mineralogical analyses of the intermediate shergottite Northwest Africa(NWA)12241.Quantitative textural analysis and pyroxene chemistry indicate that,despite minor differences such as the accumulation of intermediate-sized olivine and smaller pyroxene oikocrysts,NWA 12241 has experienced a similar emplacement history as typical poikilitic and gabbroic shergottites.The estimated parent melt of NWA 12241 is consistent with derivation from an intermediate source reservoir,resulting from the mixing of enriched and depleted mantle end-members at depth,prior to magma ascent.Similar emplacement histories of variable poikilitic and gabbroic shergottites suggest the common presence of multiple staging magma chambers with different compositions at the crust–mantle boundary,coupled with prolonged ponding at this depth.Our study highlights that,in addition to magma mixing and assimilation,magmatic differentiation and cooling conditions at shallow depths are crucial processes leading to textural and compositional variations among shergottites of different subtypes.展开更多
We present an analysis of the magnetic mechanism of an X6.4-class confined flare in NOAA Active Region(AR)13590 on 2024 February 22.Despite a pre-existing magnetic flux rope(MFR)embedded within a null-point topology,t...We present an analysis of the magnetic mechanism of an X6.4-class confined flare in NOAA Active Region(AR)13590 on 2024 February 22.Despite a pre-existing magnetic flux rope(MFR)embedded within a null-point topology,the flare produced only a localized jet without an associated coronal mass ejection.Using data from the Solar Dynamics Observatory and nonlinear force-free field extrapolations,we traced the formation and evolution of the MFR,which developed under photospheric shearing motions but remained weakly twisted(with twist number being lower than 1.3)and below the thresholds for kink instability.Meanwhile,the MFR is located at heights where the decay index(n≤1.0)of the overlying field was insufficient to trigger torus instability.Furthermore,we calculated two important parameters measuring the non-potentiality of the AR,one is the ratio of the free energy to the potential-field energy,and the other is the ratio of the non-potential helicity to the square of the magnetic flux.Both the two parameters were significantly lower than critical values for eruptive flares.These factors,combined with the stabilizing influence of the strong overlying field,confined the MFR and limited the eruption to a jet.Our findings highlight the importance of both local magnetic properties and global energy constraints in determining the eruptive potential of solar flares.展开更多
The exploration of asteroids has received increasing attention since the 1990s because of the unique information these objects contain about the history of the early solar system.Quasi-satellites are a population of a...The exploration of asteroids has received increasing attention since the 1990s because of the unique information these objects contain about the history of the early solar system.Quasi-satellites are a population of asteroids that co-orbit closely with,but are outside the gravitational control of,the planet.So far,only five Earth quasi-satellites have been recognized,among which(469219)Kamo’oalewa(provisionally designated as 2016 HO3)is currently considered the most stable and the closest of these.However,little is known about this particular asteroid or this class of near-Earth asteroids because of the difficulties of observing them.China has announced that Tianwen-2,the asteroid sample-return mission to Kamo’oalewa,will be launched in 2025.Here,we review the current knowledge of Kamo’oalewa in terms of its physical characteristics,dynamic evolution,surface environment,and origin,and we propose possible breakthroughs that the samples could bring concerning the asteroid Kamo’oalewa as an Earth quasi-satellite.Confirming the origin of Kamo’oalewa,from its prevailing provenance as debris of the Moon,could be a promising start to inferring the evolutionary history of the Moon.This history would probably include a more comprehensive view of the lunar farside and the origin of the asymmetry between the two sides of the Moon.Comparing the samples from the Moon and Kamo’oalewa would also provide new insights into the Earth wind.展开更多
In this study, we provide a detailed case study of the X-pattern of equatorial ionization anomaly(EIA) observed on the night of September 12, 2021 by the Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk(GOLD) mission. U...In this study, we provide a detailed case study of the X-pattern of equatorial ionization anomaly(EIA) observed on the night of September 12, 2021 by the Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk(GOLD) mission. Unlike most previous studies about the X-pattern observed under the severely disturbed background ionosphere, this event is observed under geomagnetically quiet and low solar activity conditions. GOLD's continuous observations reveal that the X-pattern intensity evolves with local time, while its center's longitude remains constant. The total electron content(TEC) data derived from the ground-based Global Navigation Satellite System(GNSS) network aligns well with GOLD observations in capturing the formation of the X-pattern, extending coverage to areas beyond GOLD's observational reach. Additionally, the ESA's Swarm mission show that both sides of the X-pattern can coincide with the occurrence of small-scale equatorial plasma bubbles(EPBs). To further analyze the possible drivers of the X-pattern, observations from the Ionospheric Connection Explorer(ICON) satellite were used. It shows that the latitudinal expansion(or width) between the EIA crests in two hemispheres is proportional(or inversely proportional) to the upward(or downward) plasma drift velocity, which suggests that the zonal electric field should have a notable influence on the formation of EIA X-pattern. Further simulations using the SAMI2 model support this mechanism, as the X-pattern of EIA is successfully reproduced by setting the vertical plasma drift to different values at different longitudes.展开更多
INTRODUCTION The Chang'e-6 mission recently returned the first sample from the lunar farside. The sampling site was located on a flat basaltic maria that was emplaced at ~2.8 Ga in the Apollo Basin(Zhang Q W L et ...INTRODUCTION The Chang'e-6 mission recently returned the first sample from the lunar farside. The sampling site was located on a flat basaltic maria that was emplaced at ~2.8 Ga in the Apollo Basin(Zhang Q W L et al., 2025;Cui et al., 2024), which formed in the northeastern portion of the South Pole-Aitken(SPA) Basin.展开更多
Atmospheric escape plays a critical role in shaping the long-term climate evolution of Mars.Among the various escape mechanisms,energetic neutral atoms(ENAs)generated through charge exchange between solar wind ions an...Atmospheric escape plays a critical role in shaping the long-term climate evolution of Mars.Among the various escape mechanisms,energetic neutral atoms(ENAs)generated through charge exchange between solar wind ions and exospheric neutrals serve as an important diagnostic for ion-neutral interactions and upper atmospheric loss.This study presents direct observations of hydrogen ENAs(H-ENAs)on the dayside of Mars by using the Mars Ion and Neutral Particle Analyzer(MINPA)onboard China’s Tianwen-1 orbiter.By analyzing H-ENA data during a coronal mass ejection and a stream interaction region from December 29,2021,to January 1,2022,and comparing these data with MAVEN/SWIA(Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN/Solar Wind Ion Analyzer)solar wind measurements,we examine the temporal evolution of H-ENA flux and the associated sputtered escape of atmospheric constituents.The observed H-ENA velocity is consistent with upstream solar wind ions,and the H-ENA-to-ion intensity ratio is used to infer variations in exospheric density,revealing a delayed response to enhanced solar wind activity.Penetrating H-ENA intensities reach up to 5.3×10^(6)s^(−1) cm^(−2),with energy fluxes on the order of(0.5-8.1)×10^(−3) mW/m^(2).The estimated oxygen sputtered escape rate driven by penetrating H-ENAs ranges from 5.5×10^(23)s^(−1) to 5.2×10^(24)s^(−1),comparable to or exceeding previous estimates based on penetrating ions.The findings highlight the need for low-altitude H-ENA observations to better quantify their atmospheric interactions and refine our understanding of nonthermal escape processes at Mars.展开更多
Life exists in the universe and therefore the astrophysical properties of the universe must be such that they allow the origin of life. We connect astrobiology and astrophysics via one astrobiological quantity—the pr...Life exists in the universe and therefore the astrophysical properties of the universe must be such that they allow the origin of life. We connect astrobiology and astrophysics via one astrobiological quantity—the probability of the origin of life. We show how this probability, if it is very low, will allow us to answer profound astrophysical questions such as the type of universe we live in, the fate of our universe, whether neutron stars, white and brown dwarfs evaporate and whether protons decay.展开更多
Shales are a major sink for K into seawater delivered from continental weathering,and are potential recorders of K cycling.High precision K isotope analyses reveal a[0.6%variation in δ^41K values(41K/39K relative to ...Shales are a major sink for K into seawater delivered from continental weathering,and are potential recorders of K cycling.High precision K isotope analyses reveal a[0.6%variation in δ^41K values(41K/39K relative to NIST SRM 3141a)from a set of well characterized postArchean Australian shale(PAAS)samples.By contrast,loess samples have relatively homogenous δ^41K values(-0.5±0.1%),which may represent the average K composition of upper continental crust.Most of the shales analyzed in this study have experienced K enrichment relative to average continental crust,and the majority of them define a trend of decreasing δ^41K value(from-0.5to-0.7%)with increasing K content and K/Na ratio,indicating cation exchange in clays minerals is accompanied by K isotope fractionation.Several shale samples do not follow the trend and have elevated δ^41K values up to-0.1%,and these samples are characterized by variable Fe isotope compositions,which reflect post-depositional processes.The K isotope variability observed in shales,in combination with recent findings about K isotope fractionation during continental weathering,indicates that K isotopes fractionate during cycling of K between different reservoirs,and K isotopes in sediments may be used to trace geological cycling of K.展开更多
A detailed vibrational Raman-lR spectroscopic and diffractional analyses have been performed on basalts from two locations from Tenerife Island: (1) the Arenas Negras volcano which belongs to the historical eruptio...A detailed vibrational Raman-lR spectroscopic and diffractional analyses have been performed on basalts from two locations from Tenerife Island: (1) the Arenas Negras volcano which belongs to the historical eruption not showing visible alteration and (2) Pillow Lavas zone from Anaga Massif which shows a clearly fluid-rock interaction caused by submarine alteration. These places have been extensively studied due to its similarity with the surface of Mars. The analysis is based on the mineral detection of selected samples by a Micro-Raman study of the materials. The complementary techniques have confirmed the mineralogy detected by the Raman measurement. The results show a volcanic environment behavior with primary phases like olivine, pyroxene, and feldsparJplagioclase. Moreover, the presence of accessory minerals or secondary mineralization like phosphate, iron oxides, zeolite or carbonates shows the alteration processes on each outcrop. The variation in the crystallinity and amorphous phases is related to fluid-rock interaction caused by hydrothermal episodes and external weathering processes, which shows several analogies with the ancient volcanic activity from Mars.展开更多
The Maochang bauxite in Guizhou Province is one of the important aluminum ore deposits in southwestern China. Ferruginous spherules, measuring about a few microns across, were found in the transitional layer of the de...The Maochang bauxite in Guizhou Province is one of the important aluminum ore deposits in southwestern China. Ferruginous spherules, measuring about a few microns across, were found in the transitional layer of the deposit. The EDS and XRD results show that the microspherules are composed mostly of iron (hydr)oxide minerals (goethite) with only weak presence of aluminum and silicon. Occasionally, some pyrite micrograins with dissolved surface are found associated with goethite within the spherules. It is thus suggested that microspherules are linked to pyrite oxidization. It is also thought that microbial activities contribute not only to pyrite oxidization, but also to ball-like assemblage of the iron (hydr)oxides. The mechanism of the formation of ferruginous microspherules is also believed to be important in studying geomicrobiology of bauxite.展开更多
The N-NO2 bond dissociation energies (BDEs) for 7 energetic materials were computed by means of accurate density functional theory (B3LYP, B3PW91 and B3P86) with 6-31G** and 6-311G** basis sets. By comparing t...The N-NO2 bond dissociation energies (BDEs) for 7 energetic materials were computed by means of accurate density functional theory (B3LYP, B3PW91 and B3P86) with 6-31G** and 6-311G** basis sets. By comparing the computed energies and experimental results, we find that the B3P86/6-311G** method can give good results of BDE, which has the mean absolute deviation of 1.30kcal/mol. In addition, substituent effects were also taken into account. It is noted that the Hammett constants of substituent groups are related to the BDEs of the N-NO2 bond and the bond dissociation energies of the energetic materials studied decrease when increasing the number of NO2 group.展开更多
The Chang’E-4 mission has been exploring the lunar farside.Two scientific targets of the rover onboard are(1)resolving the possible mineralogy related to the South Pole-Aitken basin and(2)understanding the subsurface...The Chang’E-4 mission has been exploring the lunar farside.Two scientific targets of the rover onboard are(1)resolving the possible mineralogy related to the South Pole-Aitken basin and(2)understanding the subsurface processes at the lunar farside.Publications to date that are based on the reflectance spectra and radar data obtained by the rover have shown a persistent inconsistency about the local stratigraphy.To explain both the abnormal surface topography at the landing site and the unexpected radargram observed by the rover,the Alder crater has been frequently reported to be older than the mare basalts at that landing site.However,this argument is not supported by earlier geological mapping nor recent crater statistics.Resolving this controversy is critical for a full understanding of the geological history of the landing area and for correct interpretations of the scientific data returned.Employing detailed crater statistics,rigorous statistical analyses,and an updated crater chronology function,this study is determined to resolve the relative ages of the Alder crater,Finsen crater,and the mare basalts on the floor of Von Kármán.Our results reveal that while background secondaries and local resurfacing have widely occurred in the study area,affecting age determinations,the statistics are significant enough to conclude that the Alder crater is the oldest among the three targets.This independent constraint is consistent with both the crosscutting relationships of different terrains in this area and global stratigraphic mapping.Our results exclude Alder as a possible contributor of the post-mare deposits at the landing site,appealing for a more systematic stratigraphy study to resolve the provenances of these deposits.展开更多
This paper report paleomagnetic data from late Cretaceous diorite dykes that sub-vertically intrude granodiorites in the eastern Gangdese belt near the city of Lhasa.Our research goals are to provide further constrain...This paper report paleomagnetic data from late Cretaceous diorite dykes that sub-vertically intrude granodiorites in the eastern Gangdese belt near the city of Lhasa.Our research goals are to provide further constraints on pre-collisional structure of the southern margin of Asia and the onset of the India-Asia collision.Magnetite is identified as the main magnetic carrier in our study.The magnetite shows no evidence of metamorphism or alteration as determined from optical and scanning electron microscope observations.A strong mineral orientation is revealed by anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility analysis both for the intruded dykes and the country rocks.The authors interpret this AMS fabric to have formed during intrusion rather than deformation.Fifteen of 23 sites yield acceptable site mean characteristic remanences with dual polarities.A scatter analysis of the virtual geomagnetic poles suggests that the mean result adequately averaged paleosecular variation.The paleomagnetic pole from the Gangdese dykes yields a paleolatitude of 14.3°N±5.8°N for the southern margin of Asia near Lhasa.The paleolatitude corresponds to an in-between position of the Lhasa terrane during about 130‒60 Ma.Furthermore,the mean declination of the characteristic remanent magnetization reveals a significant counterclockwise rotation of 18°±9°for the sampling location since about 83 Ma.In the light of tectonic setting of the dykes,the strike of the southern margin of Asia near Lhasa is restored to trend approximately about 310°,which is compatible with the hypothesis that the southern margin of Eurasia had a quasi-linear structure prior to its collision with India.展开更多
An important population of the dayside Martian ionosphere are photoelectrons that are produced by solar Extreme Ultraviolet and X-ray ionization of atmospheric neutrals.A typical photoelectron energy spectrum is chara...An important population of the dayside Martian ionosphere are photoelectrons that are produced by solar Extreme Ultraviolet and X-ray ionization of atmospheric neutrals.A typical photoelectron energy spectrum is characterized by a distinctive peak near 27 eV related to the strong solar HeⅡ emission line at 30.4 nm,and an additional peak near 500 eV related to O Auger ionization.In this study,the extensive measurements made by the Solar Wind Electron Analyzer on board the recent Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution spacecraft are analyzed and found to verify the scenario that Martian ionosphere photoelectrons are driven by solar radiation.We report that the photoelectron intensities at the centers of both peaks increase steadily with increasing solar ionizing flux below 90 nm and that the observed solar cycle variation is substantially more prominent near the O Auger peak than near the HeⅡ peak.The latter observation is clearly driven by a larger variability in solar irradiance at shorter wavelengths.When the solar ionizing flux increases from 1 mW·m^-2 to 2.5 mW·m^-2,the photoelectron intensity increases by a factor of 3.2 at the HeⅡ peak and by a much larger factor of 10.5 at the O Auger peak,both within the optically thin regions of the Martian atmosphere.展开更多
INTRODUCTION Japan’s first successful lunar landing mission,Smart Lander for Investigating Moon(SLIM),was landed on the Moon on January 19th,2024.SLIM made a precise landing within 100 m of the targeted landing zone(...INTRODUCTION Japan’s first successful lunar landing mission,Smart Lander for Investigating Moon(SLIM),was landed on the Moon on January 19th,2024.SLIM made a precise landing within 100 m of the targeted landing zone(central coordinates 13.316°S,25.251°E),which is located around the Shioli crater(D=270 m,central coordinates as 13.33°S,25.23°E)in the southwestern ejecta of the Theophilus crater(D=98.6 km,central coordinates as 11.45°S,26.28°E).展开更多
In recent studies of the Martian atmosphere,strong diurnal variation in the dust was discovered in the southern hemisphere during major dust storms,which provides strong evidence that the commonly recognized meridiona...In recent studies of the Martian atmosphere,strong diurnal variation in the dust was discovered in the southern hemisphere during major dust storms,which provides strong evidence that the commonly recognized meridional transport process is driven by thermal tides.This process,when coupled with deep convection,could be an important part of the short-term atmospheric dynamics of water escape.However,the potential of this process to alter the horizontal distribution of moist air has not been systematically investigated.In this work,we conducted pre-research on the horizontal transport of water vapor associated with the migrating diurnal tide(DW1)at 50 Pa in the upper troposphere during major dust storms based on the Mars Climate Database(MCD)5.3,a state-of-the-art database for Martian atmospheric research that has been validated as simulating the relevant short-period atmospheric dynamics well.We found westward-propagating diurnal patterns in the global water vapor front during nearly all the major dust storms from Martian years(MYs)24 to 32.Statistical and correlation analyses showed that the diurnal transport of water vapor during global and A-season regional dust storms is dominated by the DW1.The effect of the tidal transport of water vapor varies with the types of dust storms in different seasons.During regional dust storms,the tidal transport induces only limited diurnal motion of the water vapor.However,the horizontal tidal wind tends to increase the abundance of daytime water vapor at mid-to low latitudes during the MY 28 southern summer global dust storm while decreasing it during the MY 25 southern spring global dust storm.The tidal transport process during these two global dust storms can induce opposite effects on water escape.展开更多
We investigated the variations of equatorial plasma bubbles(EPBs)in the East-Asian sector during a strong geomagnetic storm in October 2016,based on observations from the Beidou geostationary(GEO)satellites,Swarm sate...We investigated the variations of equatorial plasma bubbles(EPBs)in the East-Asian sector during a strong geomagnetic storm in October 2016,based on observations from the Beidou geostationary(GEO)satellites,Swarm satellite and ground-based ionosonde.Significant nighttime depletions of F region in situ electron density from Swarm and obvious nighttime EPBs in the Beidou GEO observations were observed on 13 October 2016 during the main phase.Moreover,one interesting feature is that the rare and unique sunrise EPBs were triggered on 14 October 2016 in the main phase rather than during the recovery phase as reported by previous studies.In addition,the nighttime EPBs were suppressed during the whole recovery phase,and absent from 14 to 19 October 2016.Meanwhile,the minimum virtual height of F trace(h’F)at Sanya(18.3°N,109.6°E,MLAT 11.1°N)displayed obvious changes during these intervals.The h’F was enhanced in the main phase and declined during the recovery phase,compared with the values at pre-and post-storm.These results indicate that the enhanced nighttime EPBs and sunrise EPBs during the main phase and the absence nighttime EPBs for many days during the recovery phase could be associated with storm-time electric field changes.展开更多
The prototype for investigations of formation mechanisms and related geological effects of large impact basins on planetary bodies has been the Orientale basin on the Moon.Its widespread secondaries,light plains,and n...The prototype for investigations of formation mechanisms and related geological effects of large impact basins on planetary bodies has been the Orientale basin on the Moon.Its widespread secondaries,light plains,and near-rim melt flows have been well mapped in previous studies.Flow features are also widely associated with secondaries on planetary bodies,but their physical properties are not well constrained.The nature of flow features associated with large impact basins are critically important to understand the emplacement process of basin ejecta,which is one of the most fundamental processes in shaping the shallow crusts of planetary bodies.Here we use multisource remote sensing data to constrain the physical properties of flow features formed by the secondaries of the Orientale basin.The results suggest that such flows are dominated by centimeter-scale fine debris fines;larger boulders are not abundant.The shattering of target materials during the excavation of the Orientale basin,landing impact of ejecta that formed the secondaries,and grain comminution within the flows have substantially reduced particle sizes,forming the fine flows.The discovery of global-wide fine debris flows formed by large impact basins has profound implications to the interpretation of both previously-returned samples and remote sensing data.展开更多
文摘The Flinders Ranges and its surroundings in South Australia comprise an impressive rugged terrain that rises abruptly from piedmont plains to the east and west and merges into the plains of the Cenozoic Lake Eyre Basin to the north.Folded and faulted Neoproterozoic–Cambrian clastic and carbonate sedimentary rocks of the Adelaide Geosyncline(Adelaide Rift Complex)form the predominant geology of the ranges and record varied depositional environments and metamorphic overprints and have had a complex landscape history,resulting in a diverse regolith.This ancient,arid terrain represents some of the best analogue landscapes and settings in Australia to observe features and processes fundamental to the evolution of the Earth.The strata of the Flinders Ranges record the evolution of terrestrial surface environments and the biosphere through the Cryogenian,Ediacaran and Cambrian periods,including evidence for Neoproterozoic glaciations,orbital and rotational dynamics and asteroid impact.The diverse assemblages of stromatolites,ancient and modern hydrothermal systems,and alteration assemblages provide field laboratories for astrobiological and hyperspectral research and training.For these reasons the northern Flinders Ranges near Arkaroola have been selected as a site for multi-disciplinary Mars analogue research and space education.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) through Grant Number 42074193
文摘Theoretical analysis has demonstrated that the dispersion relation of chorus waves plays an essential role in the resonant interaction and energy transformation between the waves and magnetospheric electrons.Previous quantitative analyses often simplified the chorus dispersion relation by using the cold plasma assumption.However,the applicability of the cold plasma assumption is doubtful,especially during geomagnetic disturbances.We here present a systematic statistical analysis on the validity of the cold plasma dispersion relation of chorus waves based on observations from the Van Allen Probes over the period from 2012 to 2018.The statistical results show that the observed magnetic field intensities deviate substantially from those calculated from the cold plasma dispersion relation and that they become more pronounced with an increase in geomagnetic activity or a decrease in background plasma density.The region with large deviations is mainly concentrated in the nightside and expands in both the radial and azimuthal directions as the geomagnetic activity increases or the background plasma density decreases.In addition,the bounce-averaged electron scattering rates are computed by using the observed and cold plasma dispersion relation of chorus waves.Compared with usage of the cold plasma dispersion relation,usage of the observed dispersion relation considerably lowers the minimum resonant energy of electrons and lowers the scattering rates of electrons above tens of kiloelectronvolts but enhances those below.Furthermore,these differences are more pronounced with the enhancement of geomagnetic activity or the decrease in background plasma density.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.42473049,42241108,and 42273040)the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation(No.2024A1515011311)the Open Project for Innovative Platform of Meteoritical Research,Shanghai Science and Technology Museum。
文摘Gabbroic and poikilitic shergottites are intrusive igneous rocks on Mars,providing significant insights into the igneous processes within the Martian crust.However,questions remain regarding the chemical signatures of their source reservoirs and the petrogenetic links among shergottites of different subtypes.In this study,we present petrological and mineralogical analyses of the intermediate shergottite Northwest Africa(NWA)12241.Quantitative textural analysis and pyroxene chemistry indicate that,despite minor differences such as the accumulation of intermediate-sized olivine and smaller pyroxene oikocrysts,NWA 12241 has experienced a similar emplacement history as typical poikilitic and gabbroic shergottites.The estimated parent melt of NWA 12241 is consistent with derivation from an intermediate source reservoir,resulting from the mixing of enriched and depleted mantle end-members at depth,prior to magma ascent.Similar emplacement histories of variable poikilitic and gabbroic shergottites suggest the common presence of multiple staging magma chambers with different compositions at the crust–mantle boundary,coupled with prolonged ponding at this depth.Our study highlights that,in addition to magma mixing and assimilation,magmatic differentiation and cooling conditions at shallow depths are crucial processes leading to textural and compositional variations among shergottites of different subtypes.
基金supported by Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation(2025A1515011353)the Specialized Research Fund for State Key Laboratory of Solar Activity and Space Weather.
文摘We present an analysis of the magnetic mechanism of an X6.4-class confined flare in NOAA Active Region(AR)13590 on 2024 February 22.Despite a pre-existing magnetic flux rope(MFR)embedded within a null-point topology,the flare produced only a localized jet without an associated coronal mass ejection.Using data from the Solar Dynamics Observatory and nonlinear force-free field extrapolations,we traced the formation and evolution of the MFR,which developed under photospheric shearing motions but remained weakly twisted(with twist number being lower than 1.3)and below the thresholds for kink instability.Meanwhile,the MFR is located at heights where the decay index(n≤1.0)of the overlying field was insufficient to trigger torus instability.Furthermore,we calculated two important parameters measuring the non-potentiality of the AR,one is the ratio of the free energy to the potential-field energy,and the other is the ratio of the non-potential helicity to the square of the magnetic flux.Both the two parameters were significantly lower than critical values for eruptive flares.These factors,combined with the stabilizing influence of the strong overlying field,confined the MFR and limited the eruption to a jet.Our findings highlight the importance of both local magnetic properties and global energy constraints in determining the eruptive potential of solar flares.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.42241106 and 42388101).
文摘The exploration of asteroids has received increasing attention since the 1990s because of the unique information these objects contain about the history of the early solar system.Quasi-satellites are a population of asteroids that co-orbit closely with,but are outside the gravitational control of,the planet.So far,only five Earth quasi-satellites have been recognized,among which(469219)Kamo’oalewa(provisionally designated as 2016 HO3)is currently considered the most stable and the closest of these.However,little is known about this particular asteroid or this class of near-Earth asteroids because of the difficulties of observing them.China has announced that Tianwen-2,the asteroid sample-return mission to Kamo’oalewa,will be launched in 2025.Here,we review the current knowledge of Kamo’oalewa in terms of its physical characteristics,dynamic evolution,surface environment,and origin,and we propose possible breakthroughs that the samples could bring concerning the asteroid Kamo’oalewa as an Earth quasi-satellite.Confirming the origin of Kamo’oalewa,from its prevailing provenance as debris of the Moon,could be a promising start to inferring the evolutionary history of the Moon.This history would probably include a more comprehensive view of the lunar farside and the origin of the asymmetry between the two sides of the Moon.Comparing the samples from the Moon and Kamo’oalewa would also provide new insights into the Earth wind.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (Grant No. 2022YFF0503700)the special funds of Hubei Luojia Laboratory (220100011)+1 种基金Chao Xiong is supported by the ISSI-BJ project, “the electromagnetic data validation and scientific application research based on CSES satellite”ISSI/ISSI-BJ project “Multi-Scale Magnetosphere–Ionosphere–Thermosphere Interaction”。
文摘In this study, we provide a detailed case study of the X-pattern of equatorial ionization anomaly(EIA) observed on the night of September 12, 2021 by the Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk(GOLD) mission. Unlike most previous studies about the X-pattern observed under the severely disturbed background ionosphere, this event is observed under geomagnetically quiet and low solar activity conditions. GOLD's continuous observations reveal that the X-pattern intensity evolves with local time, while its center's longitude remains constant. The total electron content(TEC) data derived from the ground-based Global Navigation Satellite System(GNSS) network aligns well with GOLD observations in capturing the formation of the X-pattern, extending coverage to areas beyond GOLD's observational reach. Additionally, the ESA's Swarm mission show that both sides of the X-pattern can coincide with the occurrence of small-scale equatorial plasma bubbles(EPBs). To further analyze the possible drivers of the X-pattern, observations from the Ionospheric Connection Explorer(ICON) satellite were used. It shows that the latitudinal expansion(or width) between the EIA crests in two hemispheres is proportional(or inversely proportional) to the upward(or downward) plasma drift velocity, which suggests that the zonal electric field should have a notable influence on the formation of EIA X-pattern. Further simulations using the SAMI2 model support this mechanism, as the X-pattern of EIA is successfully reproduced by setting the vertical plasma drift to different values at different longitudes.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 42241108, 42273040, 42473049, 42203047)the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (No. 2024A1515011311)。
文摘INTRODUCTION The Chang'e-6 mission recently returned the first sample from the lunar farside. The sampling site was located on a flat basaltic maria that was emplaced at ~2.8 Ga in the Apollo Basin(Zhang Q W L et al., 2025;Cui et al., 2024), which formed in the northeastern portion of the South Pole-Aitken(SPA) Basin.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 42188101, 42274211, 41974170, 42374184, 42122032, and 41974196)the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant Nos. QYZDJSSW-JSC028, XDA15052500, XDA17010301, and XDB41000000)+3 种基金the CNSA (Grant No. D050103)the Specialized Research Fund for State Key Laboratories of Chinathe Specialized Research Fund for Laboratory of Geospace Environment of the University of Science and Technology of Chinasupported by the International Space Science Institute (ISSI) in Bern and Beijing through the ISSI/ISSI-BJ International Team Project titled “Understanding the Mars Space Environment Through Multi-Spacecraft Measurements” (ISSI Team Project No. 23-582 and ISSI-BJ Team Project No. 58)
文摘Atmospheric escape plays a critical role in shaping the long-term climate evolution of Mars.Among the various escape mechanisms,energetic neutral atoms(ENAs)generated through charge exchange between solar wind ions and exospheric neutrals serve as an important diagnostic for ion-neutral interactions and upper atmospheric loss.This study presents direct observations of hydrogen ENAs(H-ENAs)on the dayside of Mars by using the Mars Ion and Neutral Particle Analyzer(MINPA)onboard China’s Tianwen-1 orbiter.By analyzing H-ENA data during a coronal mass ejection and a stream interaction region from December 29,2021,to January 1,2022,and comparing these data with MAVEN/SWIA(Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN/Solar Wind Ion Analyzer)solar wind measurements,we examine the temporal evolution of H-ENA flux and the associated sputtered escape of atmospheric constituents.The observed H-ENA velocity is consistent with upstream solar wind ions,and the H-ENA-to-ion intensity ratio is used to infer variations in exospheric density,revealing a delayed response to enhanced solar wind activity.Penetrating H-ENA intensities reach up to 5.3×10^(6)s^(−1) cm^(−2),with energy fluxes on the order of(0.5-8.1)×10^(−3) mW/m^(2).The estimated oxygen sputtered escape rate driven by penetrating H-ENAs ranges from 5.5×10^(23)s^(−1) to 5.2×10^(24)s^(−1),comparable to or exceeding previous estimates based on penetrating ions.The findings highlight the need for low-altitude H-ENA observations to better quantify their atmospheric interactions and refine our understanding of nonthermal escape processes at Mars.
文摘Life exists in the universe and therefore the astrophysical properties of the universe must be such that they allow the origin of life. We connect astrobiology and astrophysics via one astrobiological quantity—the probability of the origin of life. We show how this probability, if it is very low, will allow us to answer profound astrophysical questions such as the type of universe we live in, the fate of our universe, whether neutron stars, white and brown dwarfs evaporate and whether protons decay.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (Project No. 2017YFC0602801)National Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 41622301, 41873004)+1 种基金supported by the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NNA13AA94A to BLB)the National Science Foundation (1741048-EAR to BLB)
文摘Shales are a major sink for K into seawater delivered from continental weathering,and are potential recorders of K cycling.High precision K isotope analyses reveal a[0.6%variation in δ^41K values(41K/39K relative to NIST SRM 3141a)from a set of well characterized postArchean Australian shale(PAAS)samples.By contrast,loess samples have relatively homogenous δ^41K values(-0.5±0.1%),which may represent the average K composition of upper continental crust.Most of the shales analyzed in this study have experienced K enrichment relative to average continental crust,and the majority of them define a trend of decreasing δ^41K value(from-0.5to-0.7%)with increasing K content and K/Na ratio,indicating cation exchange in clays minerals is accompanied by K isotope fractionation.Several shale samples do not follow the trend and have elevated δ^41K values up to-0.1%,and these samples are characterized by variable Fe isotope compositions,which reflect post-depositional processes.The K isotope variability observed in shales,in combination with recent findings about K isotope fractionation during continental weathering,indicates that K isotopes fractionate during cycling of K between different reservoirs,and K isotopes in sediments may be used to trace geological cycling of K.
基金supported by the MICINN with the Project AYA-2008-04529 for the development of the Raman-LIBS combined spectrometer for the ESA-Exo Mars Mission.E.Lalla wish to thank MICINN for the FPI grants(BES-2009-024992)
文摘A detailed vibrational Raman-lR spectroscopic and diffractional analyses have been performed on basalts from two locations from Tenerife Island: (1) the Arenas Negras volcano which belongs to the historical eruption not showing visible alteration and (2) Pillow Lavas zone from Anaga Massif which shows a clearly fluid-rock interaction caused by submarine alteration. These places have been extensively studied due to its similarity with the surface of Mars. The analysis is based on the mineral detection of selected samples by a Micro-Raman study of the materials. The complementary techniques have confirmed the mineralogy detected by the Raman measurement. The results show a volcanic environment behavior with primary phases like olivine, pyroxene, and feldsparJplagioclase. Moreover, the presence of accessory minerals or secondary mineralization like phosphate, iron oxides, zeolite or carbonates shows the alteration processes on each outcrop. The variation in the crystallinity and amorphous phases is related to fluid-rock interaction caused by hydrothermal episodes and external weathering processes, which shows several analogies with the ancient volcanic activity from Mars.
文摘The Maochang bauxite in Guizhou Province is one of the important aluminum ore deposits in southwestern China. Ferruginous spherules, measuring about a few microns across, were found in the transitional layer of the deposit. The EDS and XRD results show that the microspherules are composed mostly of iron (hydr)oxide minerals (goethite) with only weak presence of aluminum and silicon. Occasionally, some pyrite micrograins with dissolved surface are found associated with goethite within the spherules. It is thus suggested that microspherules are linked to pyrite oxidization. It is also thought that microbial activities contribute not only to pyrite oxidization, but also to ball-like assemblage of the iron (hydr)oxides. The mechanism of the formation of ferruginous microspherules is also believed to be important in studying geomicrobiology of bauxite.
基金The project was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 10774039)
文摘The N-NO2 bond dissociation energies (BDEs) for 7 energetic materials were computed by means of accurate density functional theory (B3LYP, B3PW91 and B3P86) with 6-31G** and 6-311G** basis sets. By comparing the computed energies and experimental results, we find that the B3P86/6-311G** method can give good results of BDE, which has the mean absolute deviation of 1.30kcal/mol. In addition, substituent effects were also taken into account. It is noted that the Hammett constants of substituent groups are related to the BDEs of the N-NO2 bond and the bond dissociation energies of the energetic materials studied decrease when increasing the number of NO2 group.
基金the B-type Strategic Priority Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.XDB41000000)the Science and Technology Development Fund of Macao(0042/2018/A2)+1 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41773063)the pre-research Project on Civil Aerospace Technologies(No.D020201 and D020202)that is funded by Chinese National Space Administration.
文摘The Chang’E-4 mission has been exploring the lunar farside.Two scientific targets of the rover onboard are(1)resolving the possible mineralogy related to the South Pole-Aitken basin and(2)understanding the subsurface processes at the lunar farside.Publications to date that are based on the reflectance spectra and radar data obtained by the rover have shown a persistent inconsistency about the local stratigraphy.To explain both the abnormal surface topography at the landing site and the unexpected radargram observed by the rover,the Alder crater has been frequently reported to be older than the mare basalts at that landing site.However,this argument is not supported by earlier geological mapping nor recent crater statistics.Resolving this controversy is critical for a full understanding of the geological history of the landing area and for correct interpretations of the scientific data returned.Employing detailed crater statistics,rigorous statistical analyses,and an updated crater chronology function,this study is determined to resolve the relative ages of the Alder crater,Finsen crater,and the mare basalts on the floor of Von Kármán.Our results reveal that while background secondaries and local resurfacing have widely occurred in the study area,affecting age determinations,the statistics are significant enough to conclude that the Alder crater is the oldest among the three targets.This independent constraint is consistent with both the crosscutting relationships of different terrains in this area and global stratigraphic mapping.Our results exclude Alder as a possible contributor of the post-mare deposits at the landing site,appealing for a more systematic stratigraphy study to resolve the provenances of these deposits.
基金financially supported by the National Science Foundation of China(92055205,41672223)the start-up funding from Sun Yat-sen University(74110-18841244).
文摘This paper report paleomagnetic data from late Cretaceous diorite dykes that sub-vertically intrude granodiorites in the eastern Gangdese belt near the city of Lhasa.Our research goals are to provide further constraints on pre-collisional structure of the southern margin of Asia and the onset of the India-Asia collision.Magnetite is identified as the main magnetic carrier in our study.The magnetite shows no evidence of metamorphism or alteration as determined from optical and scanning electron microscope observations.A strong mineral orientation is revealed by anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility analysis both for the intruded dykes and the country rocks.The authors interpret this AMS fabric to have formed during intrusion rather than deformation.Fifteen of 23 sites yield acceptable site mean characteristic remanences with dual polarities.A scatter analysis of the virtual geomagnetic poles suggests that the mean result adequately averaged paleosecular variation.The paleomagnetic pole from the Gangdese dykes yields a paleolatitude of 14.3°N±5.8°N for the southern margin of Asia near Lhasa.The paleolatitude corresponds to an in-between position of the Lhasa terrane during about 130‒60 Ma.Furthermore,the mean declination of the characteristic remanent magnetization reveals a significant counterclockwise rotation of 18°±9°for the sampling location since about 83 Ma.In the light of tectonic setting of the dykes,the strike of the southern margin of Asia near Lhasa is restored to trend approximately about 310°,which is compatible with the hypothesis that the southern margin of Eurasia had a quasi-linear structure prior to its collision with India.
基金supported by the B-type Strategic Priority Program No.XDB41000000funded by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the pre-research project on Civil Aerospace Technologies No.D020105funded by China's National Space Administration(CNSA).The authors also acknowledge support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)through grants 41904154,41525015,and 41774186.
文摘An important population of the dayside Martian ionosphere are photoelectrons that are produced by solar Extreme Ultraviolet and X-ray ionization of atmospheric neutrals.A typical photoelectron energy spectrum is characterized by a distinctive peak near 27 eV related to the strong solar HeⅡ emission line at 30.4 nm,and an additional peak near 500 eV related to O Auger ionization.In this study,the extensive measurements made by the Solar Wind Electron Analyzer on board the recent Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution spacecraft are analyzed and found to verify the scenario that Martian ionosphere photoelectrons are driven by solar radiation.We report that the photoelectron intensities at the centers of both peaks increase steadily with increasing solar ionizing flux below 90 nm and that the observed solar cycle variation is substantially more prominent near the O Auger peak than near the HeⅡ peak.The latter observation is clearly driven by a larger variability in solar irradiance at shorter wavelengths.When the solar ionizing flux increases from 1 mW·m^-2 to 2.5 mW·m^-2,the photoelectron intensity increases by a factor of 3.2 at the HeⅡ peak and by a much larger factor of 10.5 at the O Auger peak,both within the optically thin regions of the Martian atmosphere.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.42241108,42302263,62227901)the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Science(No.XDB41000000).
文摘INTRODUCTION Japan’s first successful lunar landing mission,Smart Lander for Investigating Moon(SLIM),was landed on the Moon on January 19th,2024.SLIM made a precise landing within 100 m of the targeted landing zone(central coordinates 13.316°S,25.251°E),which is located around the Shioli crater(D=270 m,central coordinates as 13.33°S,25.23°E)in the southwestern ejecta of the Theophilus crater(D=98.6 km,central coordinates as 11.45°S,26.28°E).
基金This work is supported by the B-type Strategic Priority Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(grant XDB41000000)the pre-research project on Civil Aerospace Technologies of the China National Space Administration(grant D020105).T.L.and J.C.acknowledge support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China through grants 41525015 and 41774186 to J.C.,and grants 41674149 and 41974175 to T.L.X.Z.acknowledges support from the National Science Foundation(grant AST1740921).J.L.acknowledges support from the Open Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Geospace Environment.Z.W.acknowledges support from the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation(grant 2019A1515110815)the Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration(grant LDSE201803).We would like to thank the MCD teams for making the MCD 5.3 data sets available online at http://www-mars.lmd.jussieu.fr/mars/access.html.
文摘In recent studies of the Martian atmosphere,strong diurnal variation in the dust was discovered in the southern hemisphere during major dust storms,which provides strong evidence that the commonly recognized meridional transport process is driven by thermal tides.This process,when coupled with deep convection,could be an important part of the short-term atmospheric dynamics of water escape.However,the potential of this process to alter the horizontal distribution of moist air has not been systematically investigated.In this work,we conducted pre-research on the horizontal transport of water vapor associated with the migrating diurnal tide(DW1)at 50 Pa in the upper troposphere during major dust storms based on the Mars Climate Database(MCD)5.3,a state-of-the-art database for Martian atmospheric research that has been validated as simulating the relevant short-period atmospheric dynamics well.We found westward-propagating diurnal patterns in the global water vapor front during nearly all the major dust storms from Martian years(MYs)24 to 32.Statistical and correlation analyses showed that the diurnal transport of water vapor during global and A-season regional dust storms is dominated by the DW1.The effect of the tidal transport of water vapor varies with the types of dust storms in different seasons.During regional dust storms,the tidal transport induces only limited diurnal motion of the water vapor.However,the horizontal tidal wind tends to increase the abundance of daytime water vapor at mid-to low latitudes during the MY 28 southern summer global dust storm while decreasing it during the MY 25 southern spring global dust storm.The tidal transport process during these two global dust storms can induce opposite effects on water escape.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41831070,41974181)supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(42004136)+7 种基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41804150)the Project of Stable Support for Youth Team in Basic Research Field,CAS(YSBR-018)the B-type Strategic Priority Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDB41000000)the Open Research Project of Large Research Infrastructures of CAS-“Study on the interaction between low/mid-latitude atmosphere and ionosphere based on the Chinese Meridian Project”the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2020T130628 and 2019M662170)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(WK2080000130)the Joint Open Fund of Mengcheng National Geophysical Observatory(No.MENGO202010)the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation(2021A1515011216)。
文摘We investigated the variations of equatorial plasma bubbles(EPBs)in the East-Asian sector during a strong geomagnetic storm in October 2016,based on observations from the Beidou geostationary(GEO)satellites,Swarm satellite and ground-based ionosonde.Significant nighttime depletions of F region in situ electron density from Swarm and obvious nighttime EPBs in the Beidou GEO observations were observed on 13 October 2016 during the main phase.Moreover,one interesting feature is that the rare and unique sunrise EPBs were triggered on 14 October 2016 in the main phase rather than during the recovery phase as reported by previous studies.In addition,the nighttime EPBs were suppressed during the whole recovery phase,and absent from 14 to 19 October 2016.Meanwhile,the minimum virtual height of F trace(h’F)at Sanya(18.3°N,109.6°E,MLAT 11.1°N)displayed obvious changes during these intervals.The h’F was enhanced in the main phase and declined during the recovery phase,compared with the values at pre-and post-storm.These results indicate that the enhanced nighttime EPBs and sunrise EPBs during the main phase and the absence nighttime EPBs for many days during the recovery phase could be associated with storm-time electric field changes.
基金the B-type Strategic Priority Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences,Grant No.XDB41000000the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41773063,41525015 and 41830214)+1 种基金the Science and Technology Development Fund of Macao(0042/2018/A2)the Pre-research Project on Civil Aerospace Technologies(No.D020101)of CNSA.
文摘The prototype for investigations of formation mechanisms and related geological effects of large impact basins on planetary bodies has been the Orientale basin on the Moon.Its widespread secondaries,light plains,and near-rim melt flows have been well mapped in previous studies.Flow features are also widely associated with secondaries on planetary bodies,but their physical properties are not well constrained.The nature of flow features associated with large impact basins are critically important to understand the emplacement process of basin ejecta,which is one of the most fundamental processes in shaping the shallow crusts of planetary bodies.Here we use multisource remote sensing data to constrain the physical properties of flow features formed by the secondaries of the Orientale basin.The results suggest that such flows are dominated by centimeter-scale fine debris fines;larger boulders are not abundant.The shattering of target materials during the excavation of the Orientale basin,landing impact of ejecta that formed the secondaries,and grain comminution within the flows have substantially reduced particle sizes,forming the fine flows.The discovery of global-wide fine debris flows formed by large impact basins has profound implications to the interpretation of both previously-returned samples and remote sensing data.