Session: Astropedology and Space Exploration: Synergies between Soil Science and Planetary Science Oral

Division: SSSA Division: Soil Mineralogy

Title: Astropedology and Space Exploration: Synergies between Soil Science and Planetary Science Oral

Lead Community Sponsor:
Cosponsor: SSSA Division: Soil Chemistry, SSSA Division: Pedology, SSSA Division: Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition, SSSA Division: Soil Biology and Biochemistry
Community Cosponsor:
Format: Oral Topical Session
Keywords: Astropedology, Planetary Science, Soil Science and Space agriculture

Session Description: The nature of soils on celestial bodies beyond the Earth is a fast growing area of interest. Decades of space exploration have gathered significant surface geochemical/mineralogical information on the planets, moons, asteroids, and comets in our solar system. These celestial bodies consist of rocky, unconsolidated, and/or icy materials on their surfaces that show the effects of climate, relief, parent material, and time (i.e., four of the five soil-forming factors, with the possible exception of biota). The unconsolidated materials can be considered soils because they are physically and/or chemically weathered and often show evidence of aggregation/horizonation.