Assessing community needs for terrestrial analog studies

Abstract

Executive Summary The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) developed and released a survey to assess the terrestrial analog needs of the planetary science community. The goal was to assess the current state of terrestrial analog studies and determine community needs related to the use of field sites for training and research, data dissemination and archiving, and sample collections. The survey was designed to gather feedback from community members who have a self-described interest in the use of terrestrial analogs. The web-based questionnaire contained a total of 33 questions and was designed to take <10 minutes to complete. The questionnaire was divided into four sections: (1) “Respondent Details,” (2) “Field Analog Use,” (3) “Data Portal Use,” and (4) “Geologic Materials Collection Use.” Comment boxes were provided for 12 of the 33 questions, which allowed respondents to provide more detailed comments to individual questions. The questionnaire received a total of 248 responses. We identified 21 notable findings which are matched with one or more recommendations to be addressed by the planetary science community. In general, the findings highlight the importance of terrestrial analog studies to the planetary science community. The findings address how and why the community uses terrestrial analogs, areas in which further support can lead to a greater return on investment, and how the community can better manage data and samples from these studies. The results from this survey identify a need for additional training opportunities and analog-focused workshops. There is a gap in formal education related to field techniques for a significant part of researchers who conduct fieldwork. There is also a subset of the community who are interested in conducting field-based studies but are, however, unaware of relevant sites and methods. Workshops would provide an opportunity for scientists at all career stages to share their results and discuss common challenges such as logistics, field safety, funding, and data and sample archiving. Trainings, workshops, and better communication may also lead to increased field-analog work at locations in closer proximity to home institutions, reducing costs associated with large field expeditions and ultimately leading to more available funding for more localized field studies. The survey also shows that the ability to archive a diverse array of field data is a major challenge for terrestrial studies and finds that existing practices are not compliant with National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) data management policies. The survey points to a strong need for a central data repository, allowing for easier access to existing analog data and the archiving of new field data. The community would benefit from additional physical sample archiving, consolidated into several key institutions to promote easier access, such as NASA and USGS centers. Though scientists would still need to acquire their own samples in the field for certain studies, many studies would benefit from an archive of existing samples and associated data for widely used analog sites, reducing redundant sampling practices. This report finds that a coordinated effort to improve and standardize training, data archiving, sample curation, and communication regarding terrestrial analog studies will best serve the planetary science community in our exploration goals.