Program for the Third MSL Landing Site Workshop

Doubletree Hotel, Monrovia, CA

September 15-17, 2008

 

 

Day 1 – Monday, September 15th

 

Welcome/Introductory Presentations

 

            John Grant                Overview of Process and Goals                                 8:30

            Mike Watkins           Site Selection Process and Schedule                            8:40

            Matthew Golombek  Surface Characteristics Supporting Safety Evals        9:00

 

Habitability and Preservation on Earth and Mars

           

Roger Buick                                                                                                  9:30

Earth's Earliest Record of Life

 

Roger Summons                                                                                           10:00

            Preservation of Organic Biomarkers on Earth

 

Nick Tosca                                                                                                     10:30

Habitability in Saline Environments on Mars

Lisa Pratt                                                                                                       10:45

            Preservation of Organic Matter in Phyllosilicates     

 

Alan Howard                                                                                                 11:15

Geomorphic Criteria for Defining Depositional Setting

 

            John Grotzinger                                                                                           11:45

            MSL Science Goals and Site Evaluation Criteria      

 

[Lunch from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm]

           

Jeff Bada                                                                                                        1:30

Preservation of Organic Matter in Sulfates

 

 

Presentation and Discussion of Candidate MSL Landing Sites:

 

F. Seelos, O. Barnouin-Jha, S. Murchie, A. Regiec

CRISM MSL CDP Overview 

           

Miyamoto Presentations, and  Discussion                                                       1:45-3:45

 

H. Newsom                                                                                                    1:45

The Miyamoto Crater Floor Landing Site

 

J. Bandfield and D. Rogers                                                                          2:15

TES and THEMIS Compositional Analyses of

MSL Landing Sites: Miyamoto site

 

S. Wiseman                                                                                                   2:30

CRISM Analysis of Miyamoto Crater

 

L. Tornabene, G. Orsinski and A. McEwen                                              2:45

The Potential for Chloride Deposits at the Miyamoto site

 

Discussion                                                                                                     3:00

 

South Meridiani Presentations, and Discussion                                          3:45-5:45

 

S. Wiseman and R. Arvidson                                                                       3:45

South Meridiani:  Phyllosilicate / Sulfate-Hematite Contact  

 

L. Crumpler and H. Newsom                                                                      4:15

Geologic Mapping and Fluvial History of South Meridiani

 

D. Fern‡ndez Remolar                                                                                4:30

Chances of Finding Preserved Biological Information at South Meridiani

 

Discussion                                                                                               4:45-5:30

 

[End Day 1 at 5:30]


Day 2 – Tuesday, September 16th - Morning

 

Discussion of MSL Landing Sites Candidates

           

Nili Trough Presentations and Discussion                                                           8:30

 

J. Mustard                                                                                                     8:30

Introduction to the Nili Trough Landing Site 

 

N. Mangold and B. Ehlmann                                                                       8:45

Geologic Setting, Context, and Mineralogy at Nili Trough

 

J. Bandfield

THEMIS and TES Perspectives on Nili trough

 

F. Seelos and O. Barnouin-Jha

CRISM MSL CDP- Nili Fossae Trough

 

J. Mustard                                                                                                     9:05

Mineralogic and Morphologic Diversity in Nili Trough

 

D. Des Marais                                                                                               9:25

Potential Habitability and Biosignature Preservation at the Nili Trough Site

 

J. Mustard                                                                                                     9:40

Summary and Critical Evaluation

 

Discussion                                                                                               9:50-10:30

 

Holden Crater Presentations and Discussion                                                      10:30

 

J. Grant and R. Irwin                                                                                   10:30

The Depositional Setting in Holden Crater    

 

R. Irwin                                                                                                          11:00

Notional Traverses and Science Targets in Holden Crater   

 

K. Whipple and R. Irwin                                                                              11:15

The Holden Bajada: A Target-Rich Landing Site      

 

J. Bandfield

THEMIS and TES Perspective on Holden Crater

 

R. Milliken                                                                                                    11:30

CRISM Results for Holden Crater     

 

Discussion                                                                                             11:45-12:30

 

 [Lunch from 12:30 to 1:30]

 

 

 

 

 

Day 2 Afternoon

 

Eberswalde Crater Presentations and Discussion                                               1:30

 

J. Rice                                                                                                            1:30

Context, Diversity, Habitability and Preservation Potential at Eberswalde  

 

J. Schieber and M. Malin                                                                            1:45

The Depositional Setting at Eberswalde Crater

 

J. Moore                                                                                                         2:10

Depositional Setting and Sedimentary Materials at the Eberswalde Crater Site

 

K. Lewis                                                                                                         2:30

Geomorphic Aspects of Eberswalde Delta and Potential MSL Traverse

 

R. Milliken                                                                                                    2:45

CRISM Results for Eberswalde Crater

 

Discussion                                                                                                 3:00-3:45

 

Mawrth Presentations and Discussion                                                                  3:45

 

J.-P. Bibring, N. Mangold, F. Poulet, D. Loizeau, and J. Michalski      3:45

The Mawrth Vallis Landing Sites  (Bibring)

Context and Chronology of Mawrth (Mangold)

 

J. Bishop, N. McKeown and M. Parente                                                    4:10

Kaolinite Deposits, Aqueous chemistry, and Habitability at Mawrth

 

J. Wray                                                                                                           4:40

Compositional Stratigraphy and Evidence for a Drape deposit

 

E. Noe Dobrea                                                                                               5:00

The Mawrth Vallis Phyllosilicates Within a Regional Context

 

J. Bandfield, Michalski, and S. Ruff

THEMIS, TES Omega data of Mawrth

 

Discussion                                                                                                5:15-6:00

 

[End Day 2 at 6:00]

 

 


Day 3 – Wednesday, September 17th

 

Discussion of MSL Landing Sites Candidates

           

Gale Presentations and Discussion                                                                       8:30

 

K. Edgett and R. Milliken                                                                           8:30

The Gale Crater Landing Site

 

B. Thomson and N. Bridges                                                                        9:10

Stratigraphy at the Gale Crater Landing Site

 

R. Milliken                                                                                                    9:25

THEMIS,TES,and CRISM data of Gale

 

Discussion                                                                                               9:45-10:30

 

 [10:30-10:45 Break]

 

Summary Presentations

 

            John Grant and Matt Golombek                                                                10:45

Summary Discussion and Site Evaluation Process   

 

[Lunch 11:45 to 1:00 pm]      

 

Discussion and Voting

 

Matt Golombek and John Grant                                                        1:00 to 5:00

Site Evaluations, Voting results, and Ranking

 [End of Landing Site Workshop at 5:00 pm]

 

Poster Presentations:

 

C. Fedo, B. Finkelstein, and J. Moersch                                                  

A Non-Deltaic Origin for Deposits in Eberswalde Crater

 

K. Larsen

Radar properties of candidate MSL landing sites from terrestrial delay-Doppler observations.

 

R. Kirk, E. Howington-Kraus, K. Coker, M. Hopkins, D. Cook, T. Sucharski, S. Mattson, and A. Boyd

Meter-Scale Topography and Slopes of Candidate MSL Landing Sites from HiRISE Stereo

 

E. Hauber, K. Gwinner, and R. Jaumann

The landing ellipse and beyond: HRSC and the geological context of MSL landing sites

 

J. Ashley

The Unique Merits of Aqueously Altered Meteorites found on Mars for Aid in Paleoclimate/Habitability Assessment: Advocacy for a Higher-latitude (20 -27 degree) MSL Site Selection

 

N. Bridges

Supporting Materials for the Gale Crater Candidate Landing Site

 

A. Vasavada and the MSL EDL Atmosphere Working Group

Atmospheric and Thermal Characterization of the MSL Landing Sites

 

R. Fergason

Thermal Inertia Maps of Candidate MSL Landing Sites

 

A. Huertas and M. Golombek

Rock Mapping and Distributions of Candidate MSL Landing Sites from HiRISE images

 

R. Beyer

Meter-scale slopes of candidate MSL landing sites from HiRISE point photoclinometry

 

M. Smith, A. Mushkin, A. Gillespie, L. Gilson, and M. P. Golombek

Quantitative Roughness Assessment at Proposed MSL Landing Sites