Skip Navigation
Center Independent Research & Development: GSFC IRAD

Detection of Volatile Crystals Mixed with Regolith (CMIST)

Completed Technology Project
561 views

Project Description

Laboratory model of CMIST.

We have built a brass-board combination contact XRD/X-ray fluorescence (XRF) instrument, CMIST (Chromatic Mineral Identification and Surface Texture), that provides chemical composition as well as unique crystal “texture” analyses to determine crystal locations, sizes, and orientations, including volatiles, for unprepared samples within minutes of initiating a measurement. We will evaluate CMIST's capability to detect volatile crystals.

Contact X-ray diffraction (XRD) is an area of technology development with an advantage over traditional XRD in that no sample preparation (e.g., crushing and sieving) is required. We have built a brass-board contact XRD/X-ray fluorescence (XRF) device, CMIST (Chromatic Mineral Identification and Surface Texture), that provides chemical and unique crystalline “texture” analyses for unprepared samples, revealing surface crystal phases, morphologies, and orientations, including for volatiles. We will evaluate CMIST's capability to detect volatile crystals mixed within regolith, to assess the chemistry of briny crystals and the regolith component.

More »

Anticipated Benefits

Project Library

Primary U.S. Work Locations and Key Partners

Technology Transitions

Light bulb

Suggest an Edit

Recommend changes and additions to this project record.
^