Measuring Water Content and Desorption Isotherms in Soil Simulants Under Martian Conditions

Theoretical predictions as well as recent spacecraft observations indicate that large quantities of ice is present in the high latitudes upper decimeters to meters of the Martian regolith. At shallower depths and warmer locations small amounts of H₂O, either adsorbed or free, may be present transiently. We seek to simulate Mars surface conditions and to observe the effects of temperature cycling (diurnal and seasonal scale) on the water content profiles of several soil simulants. To model the upper Martian regolith, we begin by using crushed JSC Mars-1 palagonite with particles in the 50 micron to sub-micron size range. Spheres of pure silica in the 10 to 40 mm range may also be used to study the effects of grain surface morphology and composition. Simulants with various water contents are brought to Mars pressures and monitored. A line source heat-pulse probe is being prepared to monitor water content profiles in real-time and to be calibrated against water content samples measured with thermogravimetric (TG) analysis. Initial experiments will allow us to monitor water content; more refined investigations will permit the determination of desorption isotherms.