Friday, December 3, 2010
Dr. Suzanne M. M. Young of the Chemistry Department at the University of New Hampshire will address the AAA Friday, December 3 on òÀÜTop 10 Discoveries of the Phoenix Mission to Mars and the Implications for Biohabitability.òÀÝ The free public lecture begins at 6:15 p. m. in the Kaufmann Theater of the AMNH.
The (2007-09) mission had a goal of sampling to determine whether this environment may have been habitable for life at some time in its history,”ˆàYoung notes. “It made extensive atmospheric and ground measurements. The presence of water ice in the regolith was confirmed. Salts discovered offer evidence for the presence in the past of liquid water. These and other amazing discoveries will be discussed. Source of bio-energy, key bio-elements and ions, and environmental toxicity and pH will also be outlined.
“An evaluation of habitability is a requirement for sending any mission to search for life. The major discoveries of the mission will be discussed in evaluation of these requirements for life,”ˆàYoung says.
Young did research for the mission for several years. She helped design instruments and develop experimental procedures, and was science plan integrator at mission control during the entire operation, both primary and extended.
Young has a Ph.D. from Harvard and has done further study at Harvard, MITˆàand Brandeis.