Digital Commons Network^™

Spatial Variations In Family Planning Demand To Limit Childbearing And The Demand Satisfed With Modern Methods In Sub-Saharan Africa, Babayemi O. Olakunde, Jennifer R. Pharr, Daniel A. Adeyinka, Lung-Chang Chien, Rebecca D. Benfield, Francisco S. Sy

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

Background: There is an increasing demand for family planning to limit childbearing in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, limited studies have quantified the spatial variations. This study examined: (i) the spatial patterns in the demand for family planning to limit childbearing and satisfied with modern methods, and (ii) the correlates of the demand for family planning to limit childbearing satisfied with modern methods in SSA.

Methods: This study analyzed secondary data on 306,080 married/in-union women obtained from Demographic Health Surveys conducted between 2010 and 2019 in 33 sub-Saharan African countries. We conducted exploratory spatial data analysis, with countries as the unit …

Covidistress Diverse Dataset On Psychological And Behavioural Outcomes One Year Into The Covid-19 Pandemic, Angélique M. Blackburn, Sara Vestergren, Austin Wang, The Covidistress Ii Consortium

Political Science Faculty Research

During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the COVIDiSTRESS Consortium launched an open-access global survey to understand and improve individuals’ experiences related to the crisis. A year later, we extended this line of research by launching a new survey to address the dynamic landscape of the pandemic. This survey was released with the goal of addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion by working with over 150 researchers across the globe who collected data in 48 languages and dialects across 137 countries. The resulting cleaned dataset described here includes 15,740 of over 20,000 responses. The dataset allows cross-cultural study of psychological wellbeing …

Pm Me The Truth? The Conditional Effectiveness Of Fact-Checks Across Social Media Sites, Austin Horng-En Wang

Political Science Faculty Research

People use multiple social media daily. Some platforms feature public interactions like Facebook, others emphasize private communications such as Line. Although misinformation is rampant on all platforms, literature on fact-checks (FC) focuses primarily on public ones. This article provides an integrated psychological model and argues that FC is less effective on private platforms. People expect to encounter “unwelcome” FCs (incongruent with their beliefs) on public platforms, but selectively approach the “welcome” FC on private platforms. An experiment (n = 601) and a national survey (n = 1060) were implemented to test these hypotheses in the 2020 Taiwan Presidential …

Applications Of Agent-Based Modeling (Abm) In Enhancing Facility Operation And Management, Ali Khodabandelu, Jee Woong Park

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

Agent-based modeling (ABM), as a relatively new simulation technique, has recently gained in popularity in the civil engineering domain due to its uniquely advantageous features. Among many civil engineering applications, ABM has been applied to facility operation and management, such as energy consumption management, as well as the enhancement of maintenance and repair processes. The former studies used ABM to manage energy consumption through simulating human energy-related behaviors and their interactions with facilities, as well as electrical, heating, and cooling systems and appliances, while the latter used ABM to enhance maintenance process through facilitating coordination, negotiation, and decision making between …

An Agent-Based Framework For Investigating Safety-Productivity Tradeoff Of Construction Laborers Considering Risk-Taking Behavioral Heterogeneity, Ali Khodabandelu, Jee Woong Park, Seyedmohsen Kheyrandish

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

Construction laborers and crews play a critical role in achieving a safe and productive construction site. Many past research studies used top-down approaches/perspectives for studying the impact of laborers' performance on overall construction site outputs with limited flexibility in accounting for laborers' various characteristics. However, the recent reap in computational advances allowed applications of bottom-up architectures, which can potentially incorporate heterogeneous characteristics of laborers' individual behavioral and decision-making features effectively. Accordingly, agent-based modeling (ABM), as a tool to leverage a bottom-up methodological approach, has been widely adopted by recent research. Existing literature investigated the influence of changes in laborers' behaviors …

Analysis Of A Long Volumetric Module Lift Using Single And Multiple Cranes, Ali Khodabandelu, Jee Woong Park, Jin Ouk Choi, Mahsa Sanei

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

Industrialized and modular construction is a growing construction technique that can transfer a large portion of the construction process to off-site fabrication yards. This method of construction often involves the fabrication, pre-assembly, and transportation of massive and long volumetric modules. The module weight keeps increasing as the modules become more complete (with infill) to minimize the work at the site and, as higher productivity can be achieved at the fabrication shop. Thus, a volumetric module delivery gets more challenging and risky. Despite its importance, past research paid relatively insufficient attention to the problem related to the lifting of heavy modules. …

Steel Module-To-Concrete Core Connection Methods In High Rise Modular Buildings: A Critical Review, Bishal Poudel, Seungtaek Lee, Jin Ouk Choi

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

Modularization in a high-rise building is different from a small building, as it is exposed to more lateral forces like wind and earthquakes. The integrity, robustness, and overall stability of the modules and their performance is based on the joining techniques and strong structural systems. High lateral stiff construction structures like concrete shear walls and frames, braced steel frames, and steel moment frames are used for the stability of high-rise modular buildings. Similarly, high-rise stick-built buildings have concrete cores and perimeter frames for lateral load strength and stiffness. Methods for general steel-concrete connections are available in many works of literature. …

The Current State And Future Directions Of Industrial Robotic Arms In Modular Construction, Seung Ho Song, Jin Ouk Choi, Seungtaek Lee

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

Industrial robotic arms are widely adopted in numerous industries for manufacturing automation under factory settings, which eliminates the limitations of manual labor and provides significant productivity and quality benefits. The U.S. modular construction industry, despite having similar controlled factory environments, still heavily relies on manual labor. Thus, this study investigates the U.S., Canada, and Europe-based leading modular construction companies and research labs implementing industrial robotic arms for manufacturing automation. The investigation mainly considered the current research scope, industry state, and constraints, as well as identifying the types and specifications of the robotic arms in use. First, the study investigated well-recognized …

Lessons Learned During The Early Phases Of A Modular Project: A Case Study Of Unlv's Solar Decathlon 2020 Project, Jin Ouk Choi, Seungtaek Lee, Eric Weber

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

The U.S. Department of Energy conducts the Solar Decathlon competition as a student-based achievement that encourages sustainable design with energy efficiency and solar energy technologies. In the 2020 competition, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) team designed, fabricated, and constructed a net-zero modular house that applies innovative and highly efficient building technologies. This paper focused on the lessons learned during the early phases of this ongoing modular project. The research methodology included obtaining feedback from key project participants using a well-structured questionnaire. The results showed that the major items/challenges in the project’s planning phase included selecting the modular size, …

Long-Term Wildfire Reconstruction: In Need Of Focused And Dedicated Pre-Planning Efforts, William S. Harris, Jin Ouk Choi, Jaewon Lim, Yong-Cheol Lee

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

Wildfire disasters in the United States impact lives and livelihoods by destroying private homes, businesses, community facilities, and infrastructure. Disaster victims suffer from damaged houses, inadequate shelters, inoperable civil infrastructure, and homelessness coupled with longterm recovery and reconstruction processes. Cities and their neighboring communities require an enormous commitment for a full recovery for as long as disaster recovery processes last. State, county, and municipal governments inherently have the responsibility to establish and provide governance and public services for the benefit and well being of community members. Municipal governments’ comprehensive and emergency response plans are the artifacts of planning efforts that …

On The Mechanism Of Performance Improvement Of Electroactive Polyvinyl Chloride (Pvc) Gel Actuators Via Conductive Fillers, Zachary Frank, Kwang J. Kim

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research

The electromechanical actuation of transparent plasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC) gels with conductive fillers were studied. The effects of functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([Bmim]BF4) ionic liquid (IL) on both the electrical conduction and dielectric processes within PVC gels were investigated, and the differences between the two were clarified. Both CNTs and IL were shown to increase the conductivity of the gels and produce larger electromechanical transduction of a contraction actuator, but only CNTs were shown to increase the electrostatic adhesion force of the PVC gels. The addition of charge carriers to the gel via the inclusion of ILs …

Hands-On Education Module For Modular Construction, 3d Design, And 4d Schedule, Kyle A. Kithas, Jin Ouk Choi

Architecture Faculty Research

A paradigm shift in teaching modular construction in higher education and K-12 is proposed as a means to increase the future adoption of the modular construction technique. To this effect, a new education module is presented to STEM educators. This education module is based on LEGOs and directed towards educators in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. The main objectives of the education module are to increase interest and knowledge of modular construction, acknowledge the benefits of using 3D design with 4D scheduling, and create a simulating hands-on educational opportunity. The education module is designed to allow participants to …

Improving Chronic Illness Self-Management With The Apsáalooke Nation: The Báa Nnilah Project, A Cluster Randomized Trial Protocol, John Hallett, Du Feng, Alma Knows His Gun Mccormick, Sarah Allen, Jillian Inouye, Mark Schure, Shannon Holder, Lucille Other Medicine, Suzanne Held

Nursing Faculty Research

Chronic illness (CI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality for Indigenous people. In Montana, Indigenous communities disproportionately experience CI, a legacy of settler colonialism. For over two decades, Messengers for Health, an Apsáalooke (Crow Indian) non-profit, and Montana State University have partnered to improve community health using a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach. We developed Báa nnilah, an intervention utilizing community strengths, to improve CI self-management. This manuscript describes the protocol for a cluster randomized trial with two arms: an intervention group and a wait list control group, who both participated in the Báa nnilah program. Enrollment occurred …

Best Cities For Affordable Homeownership In The Mountain West, Kelliann Beavers, Olivia K. Cheche, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Housing & Real Estate

This fact sheet highlights data on the best cities for affordable homeownership in the Mountain West, based on the SmartAsset report, “Best Cities to Buy an Affordable Family Home – 2021 Edition.” The report is SmartAsset’s second annual study, following the 2020 report, and includes data on 100 of the largest cities in the United States. This fact sheet highlights the rank, index, down payment-to-income ratio, housing costs as a percent of income, and four-year change in homeownership rate within each of the 15 Mountain West cities included in the original report.

Monetized Competitive Peer-To-Peer Skill-Based Game Play–An Introduction, Becky Harris, Bill Coley, Peter Gan, Anh-Vu Nguyen

International Gaming Institute Faculty Research

The COVID pandemic has changed the world in ways, both large and small, forever. One unexpected way the world changed was when live sports suddenly went dark and esports began experiencing attention from betting audiences that were suddenly starving for content.¹ Esports also received a second glance from gaming regulators. And, though not exactly suddenly (even though it felt like it), approvals for wagering on esports were granted in a variety of jurisdictions, most notably Colorado and Nevada.²

A subset of the larger esports environment, peer-to-peer (P2P) skill-based play is hardly a new concept. You can find it …

Characterizing The Chemical And Microbial Fingerprint Of Unsheltered Homelessness In An Urban Watershed, Daniel Gerrity, Katerina Papp, Eric Dickenson, Meena Ejjada, Erica Marti, Oscar Quinones, Mayra Sarria, Kyle Thompson, Rebecca A. Trenholm

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

Unsheltered homelessness is rapidly becoming a critical issue in many cities worldwide. The worsening situation not only highlights the socioeconomic plight, but it also raises awareness of ancillary issues such as the potential implications for urban water quality. The objective of this study was to simultaneously leverage diverse source tracking tools to develop a chemical and microbial fingerprint describing the relative contribution of direct human inputs into Las Vegas' tributary washes. By evaluating a wide range of urban water matrices using general water quality parameters, fecal indicator bacteria (FIB), human-associated microbial markers [e.g., HF183, crAssphage, and pepper mild mottle virus …

Letter To Nlm About Mesh, Violet Fox, Katie Lobner, Kelleen Maluski, Christian Minter, Chelsea Misquith, Stephanie Roth, Aidy Weeks, Jamia Williams

Library Faculty Research

A letter written to the National Library of Medicine addressing concerns regarding the problematic medical subject heading, "Blacks", other problematic terms, and the process by which they are selected. The letter concludes with recommendations for improvement by the authors and endorsed by several hundred signatories. In total, the letter was signed by 726 library workers from around the world and sent by email to National Library of Medicine representatives on Friday, June 10th, 2022. In addition, it was also shared with the Medical Library Association which distributed it through their website under the op-ed, "Open Letter to NLM Regarding MeSH …

Open Science Practices In Gambling Research Publications (2016–2019): A Scoping Review, Eric R. Louderback, Sally M. Gainsbury, Robert M. Heirene, Karen Amichia, Alessandra Grossman, Bo J. Bernhard, Debi A. Laplante

International Gaming Institute Faculty Research

The replication crisis has stimulated researchers around the world to adopt open science research practices intended to reduce publication bias and improve research quality. Open science practices include study pre-registration, open data, open access, and avoiding methods that can lead to publication bias and low replication rates. Although gambling studies uses similar research methods as behavioral research fields that have struggled with replication, we know little about the uptake of open science research practices in gambling-focused research. We conducted a scoping review of 500 recent (1/1/2016–12/1/2019) studies focused on gambling and problem gambling to examine the use of open science …

A Repeating Fast Radio Burst Associated With A Persistent Radio Source, C.-H. Niu, K. Aggarwal, D. Li, X. Zhang, S. Chatterjee, C.-W. Tsai, W. Yu, C. J. Law, S. Burke-Spolaor, J. M. Cordes, Y.-K. Zhang, S. K. Ocker, J.-M. Yao, P. Wang, Y. Feng, Y. Niino, C. Bochenek, M. Cruces, L. Connor, J.-A. Jiang, S. Dai, R. Luo, G.-D. Li, C.-C. Miao, J.-R. Niu, R. Anna-Thomas, J. Sydnor, D. Stern, W.-Y. Wang, M Yuan, Y.-L. Yue, D.-J. Zhou, Z Yan, W.-W. Zhu, B. Zhang

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Research

The dispersive sweep of fast radio bursts (FRBs) has been used to probe the ionized baryon content of the intergalactic medium1, which is assumed to dominate the total extragalactic dispersion. Although the host-galaxy contributions to the dispersion measure appear to be small for most FRBs2, in at least one case there is evidence for an extreme magneto-ionic local environment3,4 and a compact persistent radio source5. Here we report the detection and localization of the repeating FRB 20190520B, which is co-located with a compact, persistent radio source and associated with a dwarf host galaxy of high specific-star-formation rate at a redshift …

Impacts Of Motor Developmental Delay On The Inter-Joint Coordination Using Kinematic Synergies Of Joint Angles During Infant Crawling, Li Zhang, Chun F. Deng, Yuan Liu, Lin Chen, Naong Xiao, Sheng J. Zhai, Wen S. Hou, Yu X. Chen, Xiao Y. Wu

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Research

Motor developmental delay (MDD) usually affects the inter-joint coordination for limb movement. However, the mechanism between the abnormal inter-joint coordination and MDD is still unclear, which poses a challenge for clinical diagnosis and motor rehabilitation of MDD in infant’s early life. This study aimed to explore whether the joint activities of limbs during infant crawling are represented with kinematic synergies of joint angles, and evaluate the impacts of MDD on the inter-joint coordination using those synergies. 20 typically developing infants, 16 infants at risk of developmental delay, 11 infants at high risk of developmental delay and 13 infants with confirmed …

Smartphone Usage And Studying: Investigating Relationships Between Type Of Use And Self-Regulatory Skills, Kendall Hartley, Lisa Bendixen, Emily Shreve, Dan Gianoutsos

Teaching and Learning Faculty Research

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships between self-regulated learning skills and smartphone usage in relation to studying. It is unclear whether poor learning habits related to smartphone usage are unique traits or a reflection of existing self-regulated learning skills. The self-regulatory skills (a) regulation, (b) knowledge, and (c) management of cognition were measured and compared to the smartphone practices (a) multitasking, (b) avoiding distractions, and (c) mindful use. First-year undergraduates (n = 227) completed an online survey of self-regulatory skills and common phone practices. The results support the predictions that self-regulatory skills are negatively correlated with …

Housing Affordability For Top Occupations In Nevada Metros, 2022, Kristian Thymianos, Elia Del Carmen Solano-Patricio, Ally M. Beckwith, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Housing & Real Estate

This fact sheet combines housing and employment data from the National Housing Conference (NHC) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to examine housing affordability for the 10 most common occupations in the Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV and the Reno-Sparks, NV metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) in Quarter 1 of 2022.

Arts Vibrancy In The Mountain West, 2020, Joshua Padilla, Ally M. Beckwith, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Cities & Metros

This fact sheet highlights data on various arts vibrant communities in the United States from the 2020 Arts Vibrancy Index Report. The growth of arts communities across the country contributes to the increased intensity of the United States’ cultural sector. Using the original data prepared by Southern Methodist University (SMU) Data Arts, this fact sheet focuses on the arts vibrancy of communities in the Mountain West.

Broadened Possibilities: Undocumented Community College Student Course Enrollment After The California Dream Act, Federick Ngo, Juanita K. Hinojosa

Educational Psychology, Leadership, and Higher Education Faculty Research

Some states have enacted inclusive policies that reduce constraints and uncertainty for undocumented students, potentially changing their academic decisions and postsecondary goals. We explore shifts in continuing undocumented community college students’ course-taking before and after the California DREAM Act, which provided access to state financial aid. We use difference-in-differences comparisons with permanent residents, refugees, and U.S. citizens who were unaffected by these policies to examine policy impacts. After its implementation, continuing students increased their enrollment intensity, primarily in degree-applicable and transferable courses, and decreased coursework in career/technical education. This suggests state financial aid may have broadened postsecondary possibilities and made …

Preliminary Planning For Mars Sample Return (Msr) Curation Activities In A Sample Receiving Facility (Srf), Kimberly T. Tait, Francis M. Mccubbin, Caroline L. Smith, Carl B. Agee, Henner Busemann, Barbara Cavalazzi, Viciane Debaille, Aurore Hutzler, Tomohiro Usui, Gerhard Kminek, Michael A. Meyer, David W. Beaty, Brandi L. Carrier, Timothy Haltigin, Lindsay E. Hays, Charles S. Cockell, Daniel P. Glavin, Monica M. Grady, Ernst Hauber, Bernard Marty, Lisa M. Pratt, Aaron B. Regberg, Alvin L. Smith, Roger E. Summons, Timothy D. Swindle, Nicholas J, Tosca, Arya Urdry, Michael A. Velbel, Meenakshi Wadhwa, Frances Westall, Maria-Paz Zorzano

Geoscience Faculty Research

The Mars Sample Return Planning Group 2 (MSPG2) was tasked with identifying the steps that encompass all the curation activities that would happen within the MSR Sample Receiving Facility (SRF) and any anticipated curation-related requirements. An area of specific interest is the necessary analytical instrumentation. The SRF would be a Biosafety Level-4 facility where the returned MSR flight hardware would be opened, the sample tubes accessed, and the martian sample material extracted from the tubes. Characterization of the essential attributes of each sample would be required to provide enough information to prepare a sample catalog used in guiding the preparation …

Science And Curation Considerations For The Design Of A Mars Sample Return (Msr) Sample Receiving Facility (Srf), Brandi L. Carrier, David W. Beaty, Aurore Hutzler, Alvin L. Smith, Gerhard Kminek, Michael A. Meyer, Timothy Haltigin, Lindsey E. Hays, Carl B. Agee, Henner Busemann, Barabara Cavalazzi, Charles S. Cocksell, Vinciane Debaille, Daniel P. Glavin, Monica M. Grady, Ernst Hauber, Bernard Marty, Francis M., Lisa M. Pratt, Aaron B. Regberg, Caroline L. Smith, Roger E. Summons, Timothy D. Swindle, Kimberly T. Taiit, Nocholas J. Tosca, Arya Urdry, Tomohiro Usui, Michael A. Velbel, Meenakshi Wadhwa, Frances Westall, Maria-Paz Zorzano

Geoscience Faculty Research

The most important single element of the “ground system” portion of a Mars Sample Return (MSR) Campaign is a facility referred to as the Sample Receiving Facility (SRF), which would need to be designed and equipped to receive the returned spacecraft, extract and open the sealed sample container, extract the samples from the sample tubes, and implement a set of evaluations and analyses of the samples. One of the main findings of the first MSR Sample Planning Group (MSPG, 2019a) states that “The scientific community, for reasons of scientific quality, cost, and timeliness, strongly prefers that as many sample-related investigations …

The Scientific Importance Of Returning Airfall Dust As A Part Of Mars Sample Return (Msr), Monica M. Grady, Roger E. Summons, Timothy D. Swindle, Frances Westall, Gerhard Kminek, Michael A. Meyer, David W. Beaty, Brandi L. Carrier, Timothy Haltigin, Lindsay E. Hays, Carl B. Agee, Henner Busemann, Barabara Cavalazzi, Charles S. Cockell, Vinciane Debaille, Daniel P. Galvin, Ernst Hauber, Aurore Hutzler, Bernard Marty, Francis M. Mccubbin, Lisa M. Pratt, Aaron B, Regberg, Alvin L. Smith, Caroline L. Smith, Kimberly T. Tait, Nicholas J. Tosca, Arya Udry, Tomohiro Usui, Michael A. Velbel, Meenakshi Wadhwa, Maria-Paz Zorzano

Geoscience Faculty Research

Dust transported in the martian atmosphere is of intrinsic scientific interest and has relevance for the planning of human missions in the future. The MSR Campaign, as currently designed, presents an important opportunity to return serendipitous, airfall dust. The tubes containing samples collected by the Perseverance rover would be placed in cache depots on the martian surface perhaps as early as 2023–24 for recovery by a subsequent mission no earlier than 2028–29, and possibly as late as 2030–31. Thus, the sample tube surfaces could passively collect dust for multiple years. This dust is deemed to be exceptionally valuable as it …

Time-Sensitive Aspects Of Mars Sample Return (Msr) Science, Nicholas J. Tosca, Carl B. Agee, Charles S. Cockell, Daniel P. Glavin, Aurore Hutzler, Bernard Marty, Francis M. Mccubbin, Aaron B. Regberg, Michael A. Velbel, Gerhard Kminek, Michael A. Meyer, David W. Beaty, Brandi L. Carrier, Timothy Haltigin, Lindsay E. Hays, Henner Baumann, Barbara Cavalazzi, Vinviane Debaille, Monica M. Grady, Ernst Hauber, Lisa M. Pratt, Alvin L. Smith, Caroline L. Smith, Roger E. Summons, Timothy D. Swindle, Kimberly T. Tait, Arya Udry, Tomohiro Usui, Meenakshi Wadhwa, Frances Westall, Maria-Paz Zorzano

Geoscience Faculty Research

Samples returned from Mars would be placed under quarantine at a Sample Receiving Facility (SRF) until they are considered safe to release to other laboratories for further study. The process of determining whether samples are safe for release, which may involve detailed analysis and/or sterilization, is expected to take several months. However, the process of breaking the sample tube seal and extracting the headspace gas will perturb local equilibrium conditions between gas and rock and set in motion irreversible processes that proceed as a function of time. Unless these time-sensitive processes are understood, planned for, and/or monitored during the quarantine …

Planning Implications Related To Sterilization-Sensitive Science Investigations Associated With Mars Sample Return (Msr), Michael A. Velbel, Charles S. Cockell, Daniel P. Glavin, Bernard Marty, Aaron B. Regberg, Alvin L. Smith, Nicholas J. Tosca, Meenakshi Wadhwa, Gerhard Kminek, Michael A. Meyer, David W. Beaty, Brandi Lee Carrier, Timothy Haltigin, Lindsay E. Hays, Carl B. Agee, Henner Busemann, Barbara Cavalazzi, Vinciane Debaille, Monica M. Grady, Ernst Hauber, Aurore Hutzler, Francis M. Mccubbin, Lisa M. Pratt, Caroline L. Smith, Roger E. Summons, Timothy D. Swindle, Kimberly T. Tait, Arya Udry, Tomohiro Usui, Frances Westall, Maria-Paz Zorzano

Geoscience Faculty Research

The NASA/ESA Mars Sample Return (MSR) Campaign seeks to establish whether life on Mars existed where and when environmental conditions allowed. Laboratory measurements on the returned samples are useful if what is measured is evidence of phenomena on Mars rather than of the effects of sterilization conditions. This report establishes that there are categories of measurements that can be fruitful despite sample sterilization and other categories that cannot. Sterilization kills living microorganisms and inactivates complex biological structures by breaking chemical bonds. Sterilization has similar effects on chemical bonds in non-biological compounds, including abiotic or pre-biotic reduced carbon compounds, hydrous minerals, …

Final Report Of The Mars Sample Return Science Planning Group 2 (Mspg2), Michael A. Meyer, Gerhard Kminek, David W. Beaty, Brandi L. Carrier, Timothy Haltigin, Lindsay E. Hays, Carl B. Agree, Henner Busemann, Barbara Cavalazzi, Charles S. Cockell, Vinciane Debaille, Daniel P. Glavin, Monica M. Grady, Ernst Hauber, Aurore Hutzler, Bernard Marty, Francis M. Mccubbin, Lisa M. Pratt, Aaron B. Regberg, Alvin L. Smith, Carolina L. Smith, Roger E. Summons, Timothy D. Swindle, Kimberly T. Tait, Nicholas J. Tosca, Arya Udry, Tomohiro Usui, Michael A. Velbel, Meensakshi Wadhwa, Frances Westall, Maria-Paz Zorzano

Geoscience Faculty Research

The Mars Sample Return (MSR) Campaign must meet a series of scientific and technical achievements to be successful. While the respective engineering responsibilities to retrieve the samples have been formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding between ESA and NASA, the roles and responsibilities of the scientific elements have yet to be fully defined. In April 2020, ESA and NASA jointly chartered the MSR Science Planning Group 2 (MSPG2) to build upon previous planning efforts in defining 1) an end-to-end MSR Science Program and 2) needed functionalities and design requirements for an MSR Sample Receiving Facility (SRF). The challenges for the …