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Review of the MEPAG Report on Mars Special Regions (2015) / Chapter Skim
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6 Summary
Pages 31-33

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From page 31...
... The SR-SAG2 report contained 45 findings and the review committee supports 29 of them. The committee's assessments of the remaining 16 are detailed below: • Finding not supported -- The committee does not support Finding 3-14 of the SR-SAG2 report.
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From page 32...
... SPECIFIC TERRAINS IDENTIFIED AS SPECIAL REGIONS The specific terrains identified as Special Regions in both the COSPAR policy and in the SR-SAG2 report (i.e., "gullies, and bright streaks associated with gullies, pasted-on terrains, subsurface below 5 meters, others, to be determined, including dark streaks, possible geothermal sites, fresh craters with hydrothermal activity, modern outflow channels, or sites of recent seismic activity" and "spacecraft-induced Special Regions") are best regarded as "Uncertain Regions." The final determination of a Special Region would depend on the review of the latest scientific knowledge about a specific site in order to verify if it is within the environmental parameters defining Special Regions, taking into consideration the potential existence of microscale habitats.
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From page 33...
... ; • Recurring slope lineae; • Gullies and bright streaks associated with gullies; • Pasted-on terrains; • Caves, subsurface cavities, and subsurface below 5 meters; and • Others, to be determined, including dark slope streaks, possible geothermal sites, fresh craters with hydrothermal activity, modern outflow channels, or sites of recent seismic activity. Spacecraft-induced special regions are to be evaluated, consistent with these limits and features, on a caseby-case basis.
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Key Terms

  • special region
  • environmental parameters
  • mars special
  • terrains identified
  • planetary protection

  • parameters defining
  • specific terrains
  • outflow channels
  • geothermal sites
  • revised finding

  • uncertain regions
  • recent seismic
  • fresh craters
  • cospar policy
  • modern outflow

  • including dark
  • water activity
  • direct bearing
  • proposed revisions
  • committee identified

  • proposed revision
  • sufficiently warm
  • life forms
  • subsurface below
  • potential existence

  • martian environment
  • specific information
  • mission approach
  • committee proposes
  • microscale habitats


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