I'd hate for my optimistic ramblings to be imposed on any MSNBC readers. Try for someone who does this for a living and get more than just a qualitative guess.
I've worked with ToF-SIMS analyzing silicon wafers implanted with energetic atoms but I'm not an expert. I don't see how even this
crash (190 mph) could change the depth profile of energetically implanted atoms in the various substrates. Most of the solar wind is not very energetic (a few eV) and may be contaminated due to shallow sample depth, depending on the severity of the disruption. The gold foil might be the best bet if there are pieces that buckled and folded on themselves.
All bets are off if the samples were touched by some agent (Hydrazine/NTO?) that could vigorously alter the surface of the
samples.
Space/Science » in reply to re: Reply to question below.
re: Reply to question below.
The whole thread (48 posts)
- Genesis just augered in.
- Genesis Mission Status Update
- From the Genesis site
- Looks like the ground is wet around it.
- Pretty good writeup in the New York Times
- Post mortem newsconference in 10 min (2:30 EST) (n/t)
- re: The near future
- Genesis had a battery problem at or soon after launch
- Drogue mortar still live?
- CNN says probably yes (n/t)
- Ditto.
- Andromeda STRAIN all over again
- re: Genesis just augered in.
- re: Parafoils
- Just heard it on the radio
- too bad. Not a good day for NASA (n/t)
- re: Genesis just augered in.
- No chute, just a tumbling areoshell.. (n/t)
