University of Western Ontario

Published purpose

The Rosalind Franklin Rover PanCam instrument suite will be capable of identifying geological materials important for past microbial life—hydrated minerals. As a Co-I on the PanCam instrument team, Dr. Christy Caudill will support the mission by producing a novel hydrated mineral identification strategy and predictive model that will cross-correlate rover-derived data with orbitally derived data. Key to this model is a PanCam instrument-specific mineral toolkit combined with rover exploration strategies. This research addresses the highest priority Planetary Geology and Geophysics, and Astrobiology objectives as defined by the Canadian planetary exploration community while supporting the science objectives of the ExoMars Rover mission.