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13 February 2004
Mars in the News
by Forrest M. Mims III
The images from the two Mars Rovers rolling across opposite sides of the red planet continue to amaze.
Spirit has sent back microscopic images of surface dust that reveal tiny spheres. Some of the sand grains and tiny spheres in one photo disappear or are displaced in a second photo of the same surface. The changes occurred when an instrument was placed against the surface being photographed.
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Closeup view by Opportunity of an exposed rock in the rim of the crater in which the Rover bounced to a landing. Image courtesy of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Click image to enlarge. |
Spirit managed to grind a circular depression in a rock named Adirondack for detailed investigation of material unaffected by surface weathering. Afterwards, the robot retracted its milling tool and headed off to a rock named White Boat.
Meanwhile, Opportunity, has sent back breathtaking photos of its tour across the small crater in which it landed. The rim of the crater includes outcrops of intriguingly flat rocks.
Some of the rocks that ring Opportunity's crater appear to have obvious laminations. Are these layers of volcanic ash from a martian volcano? Are they sedimentary rocks formed under water? Or is there another explanation.
Citizen scientists who specialize in geology can log onto www.nasa.gov to inspect high-resolution closeup images of martian rocks. Perhaps some Society for Amateur Scientists members and friends can assist in the visual identification of some of the Mars rocks.
