While dusting the kitchen hutch and grumbling about the tedious chores
that your parents make you do, do you ever glance at your dust cloth and
wonder what those powdery black flecks could tell you about the Earth's
inception? Dust particles have the power to unlock secrets about the
history of a planet. So, as NASA scientists gear up to examine the data
from the current MER (Mars Exploration Rover) mission, they plan to give
special attention to those seemingly innocent 'flecks'.
Much of the dust on Mars is highly magnetic, and our newest "Way Cool
Scientist", Dr. Morten Madsen believes that this magnetic dust could
reveal clues about the planet's geological story. An examination of the
dust will help scientists determine what minerals are causing the
magnetism, and whether they can be traced back to ancient waters, to
volcanic or microbial activity, or even to interplanetary space. The
rovers will collect images of the Martian dust samples and send them to
Earth for analysis.
Since Madsen can't visit Mars himself, he'll have to rely on the rovers
to collect the scientific data. The rovers carry 3 sets of magnets (each
varying in strength) to attract all forms of magnetic dust. The first
set of magnets is attached to the
RAT (Rock Abrasion Tool). As
the RAT grinds into the outer rock surface, the magnets attract the
flying dust particles. The second set is mounted at an angle to
encourage non-magnetic particles to slide off. And the third set is
placed on top of the rover deck in direct view of the
Pancam, one of the rover's
cameras. This last set is strong enough to deflect the paths of
wind-carried magnetic dust. The Pancam will capture images of the
magnets, allowing scientist to thoroughly examine the magnetic material.
As the Co-Investigator on the MER project, Madsen, along with seven
other scientists and several students, is responsible for the magnetic
properties experiments. He is also a member of the camera team; he'll
keep an eye on the quality of images sent back to Earth during the
night, and program the cameras for the following day. Madsen and his
colleagues also study Martian meteorites that have landed on Earth, some
of which are as old as the sun. In all these activities, Madsen and his
teammates aim to research the patterns and properties of Martian dust,
hoping to uncover new information about the Red Planet's mysterious
past.
When Madsen isn't examining stray meteorites, he can be found in the
classroom at the Niels Bohr Institute for Astronomy at the University of
Copenhagen in Denmark. As an Associate Professor, Madsen teaches courses
in elementary and quantum physics, and electromagnetism. He is also
responsible for a laboratory for
Mössbauer Spectroscopy.
Mössbauer Spectroscopy is a method for determining the composition
and measurement of iron-bearing minerals in rock, soil, and dust. When
asked about what he enjoys most about his job, he answers without
hesitation, "Discussing physics with bright and curious students and
interpreting Mössbauer spectra."
Madsen is a husband and proud father of two. His daughter, Stine, is
fourteen, and his son, Mikkel, is eighteen. His family, he insists, has
to put up with his "long hours and frequent excursions out of town to
attend MER training sessions." But when he's home, he loves riding
mountain bikes with his kids in the beautiful Danish forests, and
listening to a wide spectrum of music ranging from Beethoven's string
quartets to rock and roll.
The moon landing in 1969 was a defining moment for him – as a kid
growing up in Denmark, Madsen was fascinated by science. He remembers
sitting in front of the television with his whole family, watching the
historical event. As he got older, he became intrigued with robotic
technology and magnetism. These passions have directed his career path,
leading him to his current set of titles: Associate Professor, member of
the NASA-sponsored MER mission, and most importantly, "Way Cool
Scientist".
With all of his varied interests, one thing is for sure: even in the
midst of juggling a family, student papers, rover data, and
Mössbauer spectra, Morten Madsen will be careful not to overlook
the 'powdery flecks' that settle on the Martian surface…and
neither should you!
