Results

Now that my research is completed, lets talk about what my findings mean. The overlap regions of mafic minerals and nickel sulfides could indicate PGMs. My research into the possibility of PGMs on Vesta led to an estimate that approximately 0.518% to 0.99% of Vesta's surface shows evidence of PGMs through my maps of mafic minerals and nickel sulfides. This means there is a possibility of PGMs on Vesta in the overlap areas that I mapped. More marker mineral maps would need to be made to be more certain that these areas contain PGMs. 

My research also shows that utilizing similar methods to those used on Earth to search for marker minerals of PGMs, it is possible to investigate and assess the distribution and accessibility of PGMs and other precious resources on asteroids.

Week 9

Here is a photo of the overlap areas of possible PGMs. I numbered each area and calculated the area for each one in Photoshop to find out how much of the investigated ares they cover. 

The numbered overlap areas cover 0.52% of Vesta and doing more calculations to apply this number to all of Vesta the overlap areas cover approximately 1% of Vesta's surface. 

Weeks 7 and 8

These past two weeks I have been finishing up my calculations for my research. I finished the area and perimeter calculations for each layer and the overlap areas. I did this by using the count tool in photoshop to label each area. Then I used the analysis section in photoshop to find the area and perimeter of each area. I exported this information and then I put the information in a table. This will be important in my results section of my AP Research paper. The overlap area of NiS and high-calcium pyroxene are the most important because they are the areas where it it most likely to find PGMs. The calculations for NiS and high-calcuim pyroxene showed that there are possible PGMs on about 0.518% of the investigated area of Vesta. This shows how much of the investigated area might have PGMs. 

I also have been working on the methods and results section of my paper and my presentation for AP Research.