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#1 2015-11-01 09:54:17
- Void
- Member
- Registered: 2011-12-29
- Posts: 7,881
Kenetic and Combustion Probe method.
It has occured to me that I might suggest a method to probe for subsurface materials using Kenetic and Combustion processes.
Background. Already, using orbital assets around Mars, new holes dug by recent impacts, displays the presence off materials under a "soil" layer. In some cases ice has been exposed at high latitudes. Also in Elysium Planitia (Tip of hat to Mr. RobertDyck), a recent impact:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/det … d=PIA19127
This impact does not appear to reveal ice. I have been fairly negitive on RobertDyck's proposal of a sea at Elysium Planitia, although I would really love it to be one. However, I have reconsidered. My argument about the craters not being "Splutty", can be invalidated, if the craters were there before the outflow occured. Those craters could have formed dry, before the outflow. In that case the craters could have acted like dikes, and kept water out of them, but indeed the outflow could have filled that basin, and the ice therefore perhaps exist.
But I want to then test for that existance. The insight probe maybe will tell. However I am not certain that they are going to put it down on the "Ice Floes" of the proposed frozen sea. In fact, they may be prohibited to since it might be a location where Martian life could be supposed to still exist, if only in suspended (Frozen) state.
So, for that I propose the use of "Kenetic and Combustion processes" to give evidence of substances below the surface layers of places such as the suspected frozen sea.
I originally was thinking of impacting a chunk of Magnesium. My logic was that if there was ice reached by the Magnesium, then you would get a chemical reaction, and the results of that would likely be exhibited in a plume. If there was not water, then the Magnesium would do a different processs and that plume would therefore be different. I presumed that the results might be detectible from orbit.
A similar rocket process might be ALICE:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ALICE_(propellant)
Kenetic weapons prefer Tungsten rods apparently.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinetic_bombardment
So typically probes to the surface of Mars involve a soft landing, which is very complex, and then after that robotic manipulation and perhaps mobility as well. Those are very expensive and unreliable.
I suggest that reversing the method, you must have a "Probe" (Rod) that will partially burn through the atmosphere, but will still deliver a payload to the surface.
No need to get into Martian orbit. No parachute. Just poke a hole in the ground.
Accuracy will be a problem but that sea if it exists should be rather large.
I think that sterilization will be much easier for a probe such as this, allowing it's use in otherwise prohibited areas.
So, the probe is to put fuel:
https://www4.uwm.edu/usa/safety/chem/co … metals.cfm
into the subsurface of Mars which may contain Oxidizers.
It also is to provide a high temperature source of ignition:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinetic_bombardment
And this may result in a plume in the air and then a plume on the ground which might reveal what chemical reactions occurred.
Of course you would need post impact instrumentation from orbit and/or local to view the results to reach a conclusion.
I am hoping that cost for results will be minimized.
Last edited by Void (2015-11-01 10:13:24)
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#2 2015-11-01 10:02:00
- Void
- Member
- Registered: 2011-12-29
- Posts: 7,881
Re: Kenetic and Combustion Probe method.
The previous post was a basic idea.
I will offer some alternatives here:
If probe resources in orbit of Mars needed supplement perhaps this device or a similar one with a propulsion device could be used to try to fly directly into the "Plume" just after the impact. Or it might fly low and take a picture of the plume while it is airborne, or take a picture of the plume which is deposited on the ground. It will not have to be able to land or take off to do useful science, which will then simplify it.
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong/f … plane.html
Last edited by Void (2015-11-01 10:03:15)
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