The MARs Volatile and Ice evolutioN (MARVIN) chamber

Abstract

Numerous planetary bodies express ices on their surfaces that cannot be replicated in conditions found on Earth. Robotic observations of these materials raise questions that require experimental measurements made in analogue conditions to be answered. Several labs on Earth are capable of recreating some of the conditions found on Mars, but they may be missing some capabilities that are important for the accurate recreation of ices, such as a cold sky, that influence ice behavior. To address this need, we have created the MARs Volatile and Ice evolutioN (MARVIN) Chamber at York University. MARVIN permits careful control of environmental properties with sufficient space to bring equipment into the chamber to make measurements that other labs cannot make. We also have the capacity for upgrades that can replicate conditions on colder planets with lower pressure. Plain language summaryIt is impossible to explain some of the observations that robotic probes have made at other planets using knowledge just from natural terrestrial environments or planetary analogue environments on Earth. Many questions must be answered by performing experiments in conditions similar to those found on those planetary bodies. Various labs can approximate some conditions of certain target environments on the Martian surface; however, replicating each of them simultaneously is beyond the reach for many. To address this need, we have created the MARs Volatile and Ice evolutioN (MARVIN) Chamber at York University. Inside of MARVIN, we can better approximate the conditions at the poles of Mars during winter and fit equipment for making measurements that are impossible in smaller chambers. Further, we have capacity to upgrade and eventually replicate conditions on other planets farther from the sun than Mars.