ABOUT

It’s the Solid Samples (ITSS) database is a collection of multidisciplinary analyses of planetary analog (terrestrial) samples and meteorite and lunar samples (by approved allocation) resident at the Johnson Space Center, the Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science (ARES) Division. 

Samples include:

  1. Remnants of the collection of rocks and minerals (Wards Scientific) previously acquired for training of Apollo astronauts.
  2. Rocks, minerals, and reference (e.g., Clay Mineral Society) samples acquired when individuals retired (or moved on) from NASA.
  3. Samples collected during multiple field campaigns (from 1995) to Hawaiian volcanos and surrounding regions primarily on the Big Island of Hawai’i (e.g., Maunakea, Maunaloa, and Kilauea volcanos and the Ka’u Desert).
  4. Martian and non-martian meteorite samples allocated for study by the Meteorite Working Group or contributed by colleagues.
  5. Lunar rock and soil samples allocated to R.V. Morris by the Lunar Sample Curator in accordance with the Lunar Sample Allocation Guidebook (2007).
  6. Commercial samples, primarily synthetic equivalents of geologically relevant compositions (e.g., hydrated Mg-sulfates).
  7. Natural samples altered by laboratory-equivalents of geogenic (not anthropogenic) activity.
  8. Samples contributed by the planetary science community for more than 50 years.

The ITSS database is largely centered on analysis of rocks (i.e., coherent, multi-component assemblages) and not “pure” mineral specimens.

Structure

The ITSS database is structured around sample-origin and analysis-instrument names. Each data record name begins with one of the following 4-character prefixes which define, in broad categories, sample origin:

  1. Erth: Terrestrial samples.
  2. Mars: Martian meteorites.
  3. Metr: Non-Martian meteorites, but not lunar meteorites.
  4. Moon: Lunar samples, including lunar meteorites.
  5. Synt: Synthetic samples, including commercial products and terrestrial, martian and non-martian meteorites that have been studied after chemical or mineralogical altered from their original state in laboratory experiments. The above 4 prefixes are retained in the data record for size fractions derived by sieving of unconsolidated samples and rock powders obtained by mechanical grinding.

After the prefix are parent name and daughter text to provide as much information as possible about the sample in a single text string. The parent name is normally an alphanumeric that includes, but not limited to, any combination of sample collection location and date, geologic feature, mineralogy, and chemistry. Daughter text includes, as relevant information, size and magnetic fraction, sample treatment, step number in a traverse, and analysis location number. Completing the data record string are instrument name, number of repeated measurements average (if applicable), instrument environmental conditions, and date (normally analysis date). The naming scheme can generate long record names, but the approach was taken because, recognizing that there are many samples in multiple data sets, we found it improves user facility in recognizing the relevance of any particular sample measurement. The default length of a data record text string in Windows 11 is limited to 260 characters including drive letter, folders, filename, and extension.

Analysis methods

The ITSS database includes multidisciplinary, coordinated analyses. Each record in the data base includes an instrument name and data acquisition date (except as noted per instrument), and analysis conditions (normally laboratory air at ~25 C), as discussed above. The database includes results from the following measurement techniques:

  • Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD).
  • Major element chemistry.
  • Visible, near-IR (VNIR) reflectance spectroscopy.
  • Deep UV (DUV) Raman spectroscopy.
  • DUV fluorescence spectroscopy.
  • Thermal analysis.
    • Thermal gravimetry (TG).
    • Differential scanning colometry (DSC).
    • Evolved gas analysis (EGA).
  • Mössbauer spectroscopy.

Instrument names embedded in data records are given the section on instrument descriptions and analysis methodology

Instruments and Procedures

Acknowledgement to our sponsors and contributors

We thank NASA Research and Analysis Programs and NASA Landed and Rover Missions over the last 50 years that included as an essential element acquisition and analysis of solid geologic samples from the Earth, Moon, and martian and non-martian meteorites. We thank multiple colleagues for contributing samples for a specific analysis but succumbed to multidisciplinary analyses over the years. The ITSS database if funded in part by the ISFM Program to the Mission Enabling Work Package at the NASA Johnson Space Center. We thank the Open Planetary Science Initiative (OPScI) and the Open Data Repository (ODR) for providing the database framework.

Scroll to Top