Sampling and Studying Permafrost in Alaska and on Mars: Mars Arctic Regions Science Field Experience for Secondary Teachers (MARSFEST)

Details Sampling and Studying Permafrost in Alaska and on Mars: Mars Arctic Regions Science Field Experience for Secondary Teachers (MARSFEST) Sampling and Studying Permafrost in Alaska and on Mars: Mars Arctic Regions Science Field Experience for Secondary Teachers (MARSFEST)

Dec 2006

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006agufmed13a1211k&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2006, abstract #ED13A-1211

Computer Science

Learning

0702 Permafrost (0475), 0830 Teacher Training, 5462 Polar Regions, 6225 Mars

Scientific paper

Both neutron and gamma ray data from the Gamma Ray Spectrometer (GRS) instrument suite aboard the 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft provide compelling evidence for the presence of water ice buried within the upper few tens of centimeters of Mars at high latitudes.^{1-3} In May 2008, the Phoenix Mars Lander mission will arrive at the northern high latitudes of Mars to ground-truth the presence of this water ice. The mission will use a robotic arm to deliver samples of permafrost to several instruments on the deck of the spacecraft for detailed chemical and microscopic analyses. Two primary science objectives at the landing site are to study the history of water in all its phases and to characterize soil habitability.4 As part of the Education and Public Outreach efforts for both the Phoenix and Odyssey missions, 20 secondary science teachers from across the U.S. and Canada were selected to spend a week in Summer 2006 immersed in arctic region science around Fairbanks, Alaska. The focal point of the experience involved investigations conducted at the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) Permafrost Tunnel.5 Teacher participants combined remote sensing and in situ observations of permafrost regions, conducted sample collection and analyses to investigate research questions generated by participants at the Permafrost Tunnel, explored comparisons between the terrestrial and Martian arctic, and completed inquiry- based classroom curriculum activities related to Mars and arctic science. A video documentary of the field experience is being produced by the NASA Mars Public Engagement program for education and public outreach purposes. The ten teacher teams involved in the workshop will now serve as educational ambassadors for the Phoenix Mars Lander mission over the next two years through to the completion of surface operations for the mission. They will be supported through monthly teleconferences updating them on mission status and continued research opportunities. An extensive longitudinal evaluation plan was implemented to investigate the impact of the field experience on participant attitudes towards and implementation of inquiry-based science activities both immediately following and a year after the workshop. In this study, a central science education research question involves the impact of research-based teacher professional development on classroom teaching and translation to research-based student learning experiences. Preliminary results and planned follow-up will be discussed. 1Boynton et al. (2002), "Distribution of hydrogen in the near surface of Mars: Evidence for subsurface ice deposits," Science 297:81 2Feldman et al. (2002), "Global distribution of neutrons from Mars: Results from Mars Odyssey," Science 297:75. 3Mitrofanov et al. (2002), "Maps of subsurface hydrogen from the High Energy Neutron Detector, Mars Odyssey," Science 297:78. 4http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu/ 5http://www.crrel.usace.army.mil/permafrosttunnel/

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