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A Comprehensive Framework for Assessing Terrestrial Analogue Field Sites for Ocean Worlds
  • +33
  • Jennifer C. Stern,
  • Heather Graham,
  • Bradley Burcar,
  • Emily Sarah Martin,
  • Aaron Craig Noell,
  • Kevin Peter Hand,
  • Jeff Bowman,
  • Peter Terence Doran,
  • Virginia P. Edgcomb,
  • James F Holden,
  • Alta E Howells,
  • Michael James Malaska,
  • Brook Leanne Nunn,
  • Jani Radebaugh,
  • Laura Rodriguez,
  • Schuyler Rae Borges,
  • Dina Bower,
  • Samuel W. Courville,
  • Melisa Diaz,
  • Benjamin Hockman,
  • Julie A Huber,
  • Justin D. Lawrence,
  • Trista Vick-Majors,
  • Conor A. Nixon,
  • John R. Spear,
  • Amanda Vissing Steckel,
  • Anezina Solomonidou,
  • Nicholas Charles Schmerr,
  • Britney Elyce Schmidt,
  • Matthew Schrenk,
  • Lauren M Seyler,
  • Amy Smith,
  • Catherine Colello Walker,
  • Patrick Liam Whelley,
  • Natalie S. Wolfenbarger,
  • Steven Douglas Vance
Jennifer C. Stern
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Heather Graham
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
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Bradley Burcar
NASA Headquarters
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Emily Sarah Martin
Smithsonian Institution, National Air and Space Museum
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Aaron Craig Noell
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
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Kevin Peter Hand
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
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Jeff Bowman
University of California, San Diego
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Peter Terence Doran
Louisiana State University
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Virginia P. Edgcomb
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
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James F Holden
University of Massachusetts Amherst
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Alta E Howells
NASA Ames Research Center
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Michael James Malaska
Jet Propulsion Lab
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Brook Leanne Nunn
University of Washington
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Jani Radebaugh
Department of Geosciences
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Laura Rodriguez
Lunar and Planetary Institute
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Schuyler Rae Borges
Department of Astronomy and Planetary Sciences - Northern Arizona University
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Dina Bower
University of Maryland, College Park
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Samuel W. Courville
Arizona State University
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Melisa Diaz
The Ohio State University
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Benjamin Hockman
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
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Julie A Huber
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
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Justin D. Lawrence
Honeybee Robotics
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Trista Vick-Majors
Michigan Technological University
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Conor A. Nixon
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
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John R. Spear
Colorado School of Mines
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Amanda Vissing Steckel
University of Colorado Boulder
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Anezina Solomonidou
Hellenic Space Center
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Nicholas Charles Schmerr
University of Maryland, College Park
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Britney Elyce Schmidt
Georgia Institute of Technology
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Matthew Schrenk
Michigan State University
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Lauren M Seyler
Stockton University
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Amy Smith
Bard College at Simon's Rock
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Catherine Colello Walker
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
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Patrick Liam Whelley
Goddard Space Flight Center (NASA)
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Natalie S. Wolfenbarger
Stanford University
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Steven Douglas Vance
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
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Abstract

Field studies at terrestrial analogue sites represent an important contribution to the science of ocean worlds. The value of the science and technology investigations conducted at field analogue sites depends on the relevance of the analogue environment to the target ocean world. We accept that there are no perfect analogues for many of the unique environments represented by ocean worlds but suggest that a one-to-one matching of environmental characteristics and conditions is not crucial to the success or impact of the work. Instead, we must instead determine which processes and parameters are required to map directly to the target ocean world environment with high fidelity to address the science question or engineering challenge. Where there are discrepancies between the model and target environment, we must fully understand how those limitations impact the applicability of the study, and mitigate these where possible using alternative approaches. Here we present a two-step approach to 1) identify the most crucial processes and parameters associated with a given science question and 2) assess the fidelity of these processes and parameters at a proposed field site to those expected for the target ocean world. We demonstrate this approach in a test case evaluating three types of ocean world analogue environments with respect to a science question. Our proposed framework will not only enhance the scientific rigor of field research but also provide access to a broader range of field sites relevant to ocean worlds processes, enabling a greater diversity of ocean and geological science researchers.