I. G. Mitrofanov’s research while affiliated with Space Research Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences and other places

... Due to the evolution of the lunar spin axis, old cold traps should have more ice than young cold traps. The LCROSS impact site is in a young PSR (it became permanently shadowed only ∼0.9 Ga ago) [22,91], but has a high excess of hydrogen based on LEND data [57,82], which was one of the reasons the location was chosen for the LCROSS experiment. Moreover, the LEND data do not suggest the oldest PSRs (e.g., Shackleton Crater) have the most ice. ...

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Current Theories of Lunar Ice

... Considering the liquids in the Martian subsurface perchlorate brines might form in the shallow subsurface at high northern latitudes [55], where grain size related adsorption plays a strong role, producing up to 0.5-1 wt % adsorbed water in the low and mid-latitudes [56]. Specific analysis by the Dynamic Albedo of Neutron (DAN) instrument onboard NASA's Curiosity rover the abundance of water and chlorine Gale crater was measured, and Water-equivalent hydrogen (WEH) values showed variability between 2 and 3 wt% [57] there. Further indirect indications could come from the influence on impact ejecta distribution both regarding ejection angles and velocities (Aleksandra et al., 2024), and by future seismo-acoustic method to characterize subsurface water on Mars [58]. ...

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FlyRadar –targets for future drone based GPR survey on Mars

... For primary particles to reach the Martian surface, they must exceed the atmospheric cutoff energy, which for protons is ∼ 150 MeV Khaksarighiri et al., 2023;Zhang et al., 2022). These surviving particles interact with regolith nuclei, creating an upward "albedo" radiation field composed of charged particles, as well as neutrons and gamma rays (Appel et al., 2018;Guo, Khaksarighiri, et al., 2021;Martinez Sierra et al., 2023). A recent detailed overview of the Martian radiation environment based on both modeling and observational results can be found in . ...

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Nowcasting Solar Energetic Particle Events for Mars Missions

... It is evident from the distributions presented that some regions share similarities, while others differ from each other in terms of their WEH and AEC values (Czarnecki et al., , 2022Gabriel et al., 2018Gabriel et al., , 2022Kerner et al., 2020;Lisov et al., 2018;Litvak et al., 2014Litvak et al., , 2016Litvak et al., , 2023Mitrofanov et al., 2016). Many GRs have average WEH values ranging between 2 and 3 wt.%, ...

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Water and Chlorine in the Martian Subsurface Along the 27 km Traverse of NASA's Curiosity Rover According to DAN Measurements: 2. Results for Distinct Geological Regions

... So far, the majority of astrobiological studies concentrated on the effect of UV radiation on lichens, whereas the effect of exposure to ionizing radiation was the subject of only a few studies (Brandt et al. 2017;de la Torre Noetzel et al. 2017). Cosmic ionizing radiation on Mars comes from X-rays and energetic particles, including galactic cosmic rays (GCR) and solar energetic particles (SEP) (Semkova et al. 2023). In situ measurements on the Mars surface showed an average dose rate of 0.21+/-0.04 ...

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Ionizing radiation resilience: how metabolically active lichens endure exposure to the simulated Mars atmosphere

... This method reduces redundant drilling pressure and torque generated by the cuttings. ESA funded Italian company Galileo Avionica to develop the DeeDri drilling system, one of the latest drilling robots, which is mounted on the ExoMars rover for 2-m deep regolith sampling (Altieri et al., 2023;Re et al., 2008;Van Winnendael et al., 2005). Unlike typical multi-string sampling systems, this drilling system integrates several sensors within the drill pipe to monitor the borehole wall and drilling conditions. ...

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A Multi-string and Wireline-coring Drilling Robot for Planetary Regolith Sampling

... The lower dose values in the MCNP simulation are due to the spectrum used in the simulation corresponding to a lower altitude and inclination compared to the LEO-DOS mission. Due to the high inclination of the LEO-DOS mission, NS passes through a polar region with low vertical cutoff rigidities, which can cause the generation of more albedo neutrons due to the higher GCR intensity (Dachev et al. 2023). Considering these points, it was concluded that the measured values showed good agreement with the values predicted by the simulation. ...

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Initial Results of Low Earth Orbit Space Radiation Dosimeter on Board the Next Generation Small Satellite-2

... It was particularly abundant in a mudstone from the Maria's Pass location, in the Murray Formation (Morris et al., 2016). The presence of hydrated silica was also confirmed by ChemCam at this location (Rapin et al., 2018;Gabriel et al., 2022) based on the MOC chemistry and analysis of the hydrogen signal. Hydrated silica also occurs in light-toned, fracture-associated halos within sandstones overlying the Murray formation mudstones Yen et al., 2017). ...

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From hydrated silica to quartz: Potential hydrothermal precipitates found in Jezero crater, Mars

... To detect ice at equatorial latitudes is possible only in deep canyons (Mitrofanov et al., 2022a). According to data of neutron logging activated using a neutron pulse generator at MSL, the mass fraction of water along the rover path was from ≤0.5 to ≥6% (Mitrofanov et al., 2022b). ...

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Scientific Instrumentation Complex for the ExoMars-2022 Landing Platform

... The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) spacecraft launched in April 2016 carries the Fine Resolution Epithermal Neutron Detector (FREND) instrument (Mitrofanov et al., 2018). The Liulin-MO dosimeter ) is a FREND module which has provided and is providing in-situ measurements of the radiation environment during the TGO interplanetary travel and at Martian orbit (Semkova et al., , 2022a(Semkova et al., , 2024Krastev et al., 2023;Liu et al., 2023). Since May 2018, Liulin-MO has been investigating the radiation conditions at TGO Mars Science Orbit (MSO). ...

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Radiation environment on TGO Mars orbit during solar particle events in January-October 2024. Corresponding solar eruptions and GOES proton fluxes data