| タイトル | Rock Size-Frequency Distributions at the Mars Exploration Rover Landing Sites: Impact Hazard and Accessibility |
| 著者（英） | Golombek, M. P.; DiMaggio, E. N.; Matijevic, J. R.; Schroeder, R. D. |
| 著者所属（英） | Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. |
| 発行日 | 2003-01-01
2003 |
| 言語 | eng |
| 内容記述 | The Viking and Mars Pathfinder landing sites and a wide variety of rocky locations on the Earth show size-frequency distributions that follow an exponential when expressed in cumulative fractional area covered by rocks of a given diameter or larger versus diameter plots. Mars lander rock distributions have been fit by an equation of the form: Fk(D) = k exp [-q(k) D], where Fk(D) is the cumulative fractional area covered by rocks of diameter D or larger, k is the total area covered by all rocks, and an exponential q(k) = 1.79 + 0.152/k, which governs how abruptly the area covered by rocks decreases with increasing diameter. These distributions form a family of noncrossing curves that flatten out at small rock diameter at a total rock abundance of 5-40%. Model rock size-frequency distributions indicate a low probability of impacting hazardous rocks during MER landing. Rocks large enough to analyze and abrade by the rover should be plentiful within an easy Sol's drive. |
| NASA分類 | Lunar and Planetary Science and Exploration |
| 権利 | Copyright, Distribution under U.S. Government purpose rights |
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