CryoMars23, 29th-30th June, University of Sheffield
From the 29th-30th June postgraduate research students Ethan Finch and Nadia Laila Butt, along with Dr. Jon Tandy, attended the two-day CryoMars23 conference at the University of Sheffield. CryoMars is a UK-based conference bringing together the research communities investigating the Martian and terrestrial cryospheres and processes relating to these regions. For the conference, Nadia and Ethan presented work looking at the experimental uses of Martian planetary simulant materials in furthering our understanding of Mars through both characterisation of these materials and the application of studies with these simulants to data currently obtainable from Mars orbiter missions.
Nadia presented her work characterising a variety of Martian simulant materials using a range of mechanochemistry techniques. This work will aid in the scientific understanding of the response of these materials to potential environments encountered on Mars. Additionally, the advancement of this understanding will further advance research into the in-situ resource utilisation for future crewed missions to Mars to aid with long-term survival and habitation.
Ethan presented a poster at the conference looking at the study of small-scale experimental crater formation in JSC Mars-1 and water-ice mixture targets to make morphological comparisons between these laboratory craters and those found in the high north-polar region of Mars. This may aid in constraining the level of ice present within the near-surface portion of this region. To read more about this work and to download Ethan’s poster click here.