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– Profile ---
Abstract:
Expedition One to the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in Utah was the first of
a planned series of special expeditions to Mars-analog research sites around
the world. Geological research focused on three aspects: basin architecture,
sedimentary geology, and regolith. Basin architecture was the province of the
expedition leader, Rocky Persaud. Melissa Battler studied the sedimentary
geology of one particular unit, the Dakota Sandstone, for her honours
project. The author’s main study was the regolith geology of the field area.
Regolith-landform mapping techniques developed in Australia were successful applied
and highly useful. In addition to describing the regolith and landforms, the
techniques proved a useful adjunct to richness and diversity studies of the
soil microbiota, helped assess the Mars analogue value of the area, and
identified the cause of geotechnical problems of the habitat site. The
utility of regolith-landform mapping during Expedition One demonstrates that
detailed mapping and characterization of the regolith should be an integral
part of studying both terrestrial analogs and of Mars itself during both
reconnaissance and detailed exploration phases and the construction of major
infrastructure.
PROFILE: Dr Jonathan Clarke is Director of Field
Research with Mars Society Australia.
A Canberra-based geologist with experience in the mineral and petroleum
industry, academia, and in government surveys, Jonathan now works for
Geoscience Australia.
He has worked in every state of Australia, mostly in the arid
interior. In addition he has practiced geology in New
Zealand, the Philippines,
and the Atacama desert of northern Chile, one of the most Mars-like
areas on earth. Dr Clarke led the Jarntimarra-1 expedition, and took part in
Expedition One in Utah, USA, in 2003. Dr Clarke was, until recently,
Manager of the MARS-OZ project and is leader of Expedition Two, helping to coordinate
and plan the activity from its inception.
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