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Collection:
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NASA Planetary Photo Journal Collection
Collection
NASA Planetary Photo Journal Collection
Collection
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Title:
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Spirit Sees Salty Soil
Title
Spirit Sees Salty Soil
Title
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Original Caption Released with Image:
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This graph compares amounts of magnesium and sulfur in the soil lining the trenches dug by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit on sols 114 and 140 (April 28 and May 25, 2004) at Gusev Crater. Measurements were taken of the soil at the surface, floor and walls of the trench dug on sol 140 (squares), and at the surface and floor of the trench dug on sol 114 (diamonds). Non-trenched soil samples from Gusev Crater are represented as dots. The more recently made trench is located near the base of the "Columbia Hills."
Because concentrations of magnesium and sulfur occur in the same ratio throughout the trench dug on sol 140, scientists believe the soil there contains the salt magnesium sulfate. The walls of this trench appear to contain the highest concentrations of the salt. The trench from sol 114 may also possess magnesium sulfate, but the data is less clear. These data were taken by Spirit's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer.
One possible explanation for these findings is that water percolated through underground material and dissolved out minerals, then as the water evaporated near the surface, it left concentrated salts behind.
Original_Caption_Rel eased_with_Image
This graph compares amounts of magnesium and sulfur in the soil lining the trenches dug by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit on sols 114 and 140 (April 28 and May 25, 2004) at Gusev Crater. Measurements were taken of the soil at the surface, floor and walls of the trench dug on sol 140 (squares), and at the surface and floor of the trench dug on sol 114 (diamonds). Non-trenched soil samples from Gusev Crater are represented as dots. The more recently made trench is located near the base of the "Columbia Hills."
Because concentrations of magnesium and sulfur occur in the same ratio throughout the trench dug on sol 140, scientists believe the soil there contains the salt magnesium sulfate. The walls of this trench appear to contain the highest concentrations of the salt. The trench from sol 114 may also possess magnesium sulfate, but the data is less clear. These data were taken by Spirit's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer.
One possible explanation for these findings is that water percolated through underground material and dissolved out minerals, then as the water evaporated near the surface, it left concentrated salts behind.
Original Caption Released with Image
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Image Credit:
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NASA/JPL/Cornell/Max Planck Institute
Image_Credit
NASA/JPL/Cornell/Max Planck Institute
Image Credit
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Produced By:
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JPL
Produced_By
JPL
Produced By
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Mission:
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Mars Exploration Rover (MER)
Mission
Mars Exploration Rover (MER)
Mission
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Spacecraft:
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Spirit
Spacecraft
Spirit
Spacecraft
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Target Name:
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Mars
Target_Name
Mars
Target Name
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Is a satellite of:
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Sol (our sun)
Is_a_satellite_of
Sol (our sun)
Is a satellite of
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Instrument:
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Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer
Instrument
Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer
Instrument
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Product Size:
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1134 samples x 908 lines
Product_Size
1134 samples x 908 lines
Product Size
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facet_what:
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Sun
facet_what
Sun
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Crater
facet_what
Crater
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Spectrometer
facet_what
Spectrometer
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Spirit
facet_what
Spirit
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Mars
facet_what
Mars
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Planck
facet_what
Planck
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer
facet_what
Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Mars Exploration Rover (MER)
facet_what
Mars Exploration Rover (MER)
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Columbia
facet_what
Columbia
facet_what
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facet_where:
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Mars
facet_where
Mars
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
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facet_when:
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May 25, 2004
facet_when
May 25, 2004
facet_when
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facet_when_year:
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2004
facet_when_year
2004
facet_when_year
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Image #:
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PIA06043
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UID:
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SPD-PHOTJ-PIA06043
UID
SPD-PHOTJ-PIA06043
UID
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orignial url:
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orignial_url
orignial url
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