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The Effect of a Strong Stellar Flare on the Atmospheric Chemistry of an Earth-like Planet Orbiting an M Dwarf
Walkowicz, Lucianne M.; Segura, Antígona; Hawley, Suzanne +2 more
Main sequence M stars pose an interesting problem for astrobiology: their abundance in our galaxy makes them likely targets in the hunt for habitable planets, but their strong chromospheric activity produces high-energy radiation and charged particles that may be detrimental to life. We studied the impact of the 1985 April 12 flare from the M dwar…
The Mawrth Vallis Region of Mars: A Potential Landing Site for the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Mission
Mangold, Nicolas; Bibring, Jean-Pierre; Poulet, François +11 more
The primary objective of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission, which will launch in 2011, is to characterize the habitability of a site on Mars through detailed analyses of the composition and geological context of surface materials. Within the framework of established mission goals, we have evaluated the value of a possible landing site i…