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Just as the world is entering an intensive and exciting phase in the exploration of Mars, a Martian soil simulant has been developed for use in scientific research, engineering studies, and education. Called JSC Mars‐1, it is a natural material obtained from volcanic ash. It approximates, within the limits of current understanding, the reflectance spectrum, mineralogy, chemical composition, grain size, density, porosity, and magnetic properties of the oxidized soil of Mars. This material is offered in limited quantities to qualified investigators and educators, without charge except for shipping.
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Allen et al. (1998) studied this question.
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