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Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer and Mars Exploration Rover (MER) and Mars
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Covered Ground
PIA05441
Sol (our sun)
Panoramic Camera
| Title |
Covered Ground |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
This image is a traverse map, illustrating Spirit's path over the last 45 sols. When the rover reached the point called "Laguna Hollow," it had driven 131 meters (430 feet) from Columbia Memorial Station. The rover heading is 45 degrees to the northeast. On the horizon behind the lander looms the landmark informally named "Grissom Hill." Over the relatively flat traverse, Spirit has made observations of rocks such as "Adirondack" and utilized the tools on its arm to investigate soil in several locations. Spirit stayed at "Laguna Hollow" for 3 sols, dug a trench and observed the floor and wall of it with three of the instruments on its arm: the Moessbauer spectrometer, the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer and the microscopic imager. Spirit is about halfway to the edge of the crater dubbed "Bonneville. |
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The Trench Throws a Dirt Clo
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PIA05319
Sol (our sun)
Microscopic Imager
| Title |
The Trench Throws a Dirt Clod at Scientists |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
This picture, obtained by the microscopic imager on NASA's Opportunity rover during sol 24, February 17 PST, shows soil clods exposed in the upper wall of the trench dug by Opportunity's right front wheel on sol 23. The clods were not exposed until the trench was made. The presence of soil clods implies weak bonding between individual soil grains. The chemical agent or mineral that causes the dirt to bind together into a clod, which scientists call the "bonding agent," is currently unknown. Moessbauer and alpha particle X-ray spectrometer measurements of this spot, planned for sol 25, might help explain the bonding, which would ultimately help the rover team understand how geological processes vary across the red planet. In any case, the bonds between soil grains here cannot be very strong because the wheel dug down through this layer with little trouble. |
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Mars Magnet Hits the Bull's-
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PIA05496
Sol (our sun)
Microscopic Imager
| Title |
Mars Magnet Hits the Bull's-Eye |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
This image shows the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's "capture magnet," which attracts atmospheric dust particles from the front deck of the rover. The lighter-colored areas in the image are clean sections of the magnet virtually free of dust, and the dark areas are places where dust has collected. Scientists were surprised to see the black specks in the microscopic image, which are either unexpectedly large dust particles or collections of many particles bound together. Dust particles in the martian atmosphere are estimated to be about 1 micrometer in size (1/1000th of a millimeter (.04 inch)). The dark specks seen here are much larger than that. The whole image is 3 centimeters (1.2 inches) across. The material below the magnet's aluminum surface is laid out in concentric rings, giving the image a bull's-eye appearance. The magnet was designed in this configuration to collect as much atmospheric dust as possible. If the magnet were one large cylinder, it would create the largest magnetic field, but not the most attractive magnetic force. In this bull's-eye layout, the force of the magnet lures the dust particles as they drift around the rovers, collecting the particles on the magnet surface for further study. Spirit and Opportunity each carry seven magnets. Four magnets are inside the rovers' rock abrasion tools, and three others are at the back and front of the rovers. The magnets are five to 10 times stronger than a normal refrigerator magnet. They help scientists better understand how the airborne dust on Mars was formed and why it is so magnetic. Most scientists believe the martian dust has "global properties," meaning that its chemical composition is similar around the globe. Because Opportunity landed on Mars roughly one month after Spirit, right now it has a thinner dust layer on top of its capture magnet. Scientists will wait until more dust collects on Opportunity's magnets before looking at the dust with the rover's alpha particle x-ray spectrometer and Moessbauer instruments. Spirit has already taken x-ray spectrometer readings of the dust collected on one of its magnets, and scientists are busy analyzing the data. The science team will study the differences and similarities of the dust collected on Spirit and Opportunity, which are roving on opposite sides of the planet. The magnet images from this mission will also be compared to images from magnet tests on Earth. More information about the rover magnets can be found at the University of Copenhagen's Center for Planetary Science web site at http://www.fys.ku.dk/mars/ [ http://www.fys.ku.dk/mars/ ]. This image was taken by Opportunity's microscopic imager on the 38th martian day, or sol, of the rover's mission. |
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Salty Trench
PIA06044
Sol (our sun)
Panoramic Camera
| Title |
Salty Trench |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
This image taken by the panoramic camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit shows a trench dug by the rover on its way toward the "Columbia Hills." Measurements taken of the soil contained in the trench by Spirit's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer showed the presence of sulfur and magnesium. Concentrations of those two elements varied in parallel at different locations in the trench, suggesting that they may be paired as a magnesium-sulfate salt. 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. |
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'Escher' Rock
PIA06918
Sol (our sun)
Panoramic Camera
| Title |
'Escher' Rock |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Chemical Changes in 'Endurance' Rocks Figure 1 This false-color image taken by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows a rock dubbed "Escher" on the southwestern slopes of "Endurance Crater." Scientists believe the rock's fractures, which divide the surface into polygons, may have been formed by one of several processes. They may have been caused by the impact that created Endurance Crater, or they might have arisen when water leftover from the rock's formation dried up. A third possibility is that much later, after the rock was formed, and after the crater was created, the rock became wet once again, then dried up and developed cracks. Opportunity has spent the last 14 sols investigating Escher, specifically the target dubbed "Kirchner," and other similar rocks with its scientific instruments. This image was taken on sol 208 (Aug. 24, 2004) by the rover's panoramic camera, using the 750-, 530- and 430-nanometer filters. The graph above shows that rocks located deeper into "Endurance Crater" are chemically altered to a greater degree than rocks located higher up. This chemical alteration is believed to result from exposure to water. Specifically, the graph compares ratios of chemicals between the deep rock dubbed "Escher," and the more shallow rock called "Virginia," before (red and blue lines) and after (green line) the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity drilled into the rocks. As the red and blue lines indicate, Escher's levels of chlorine relative to Virginia's went up, and sulfur down, before the rover dug a hole into the rocks. This implies that the surface of Escher has been chemically altered to a greater extent than the surface of Virginia. Scientists are still investigating the role water played in influencing this trend. These data were taken by the rover's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer. |
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'Escher' Rock
PIA06918
Sol (our sun)
Panoramic Camera
| Title |
'Escher' Rock |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Chemical Changes in 'Endurance' Rocks Figure 1 This false-color image taken by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows a rock dubbed "Escher" on the southwestern slopes of "Endurance Crater." Scientists believe the rock's fractures, which divide the surface into polygons, may have been formed by one of several processes. They may have been caused by the impact that created Endurance Crater, or they might have arisen when water leftover from the rock's formation dried up. A third possibility is that much later, after the rock was formed, and after the crater was created, the rock became wet once again, then dried up and developed cracks. Opportunity has spent the last 14 sols investigating Escher, specifically the target dubbed "Kirchner," and other similar rocks with its scientific instruments. This image was taken on sol 208 (Aug. 24, 2004) by the rover's panoramic camera, using the 750-, 530- and 430-nanometer filters. The graph above shows that rocks located deeper into "Endurance Crater" are chemically altered to a greater degree than rocks located higher up. This chemical alteration is believed to result from exposure to water. Specifically, the graph compares ratios of chemicals between the deep rock dubbed "Escher," and the more shallow rock called "Virginia," before (red and blue lines) and after (green line) the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity drilled into the rocks. As the red and blue lines indicate, Escher's levels of chlorine relative to Virginia's went up, and sulfur down, before the rover dug a hole into the rocks. This implies that the surface of Escher has been chemically altered to a greater extent than the surface of Virginia. Scientists are still investigating the role water played in influencing this trend. These data were taken by the rover's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer. |
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'Escher' Rock
PIA06918
Sol (our sun)
Panoramic Camera
| Title |
'Escher' Rock |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Chemical Changes in 'Endurance' Rocks Figure 1 This false-color image taken by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows a rock dubbed "Escher" on the southwestern slopes of "Endurance Crater." Scientists believe the rock's fractures, which divide the surface into polygons, may have been formed by one of several processes. They may have been caused by the impact that created Endurance Crater, or they might have arisen when water leftover from the rock's formation dried up. A third possibility is that much later, after the rock was formed, and after the crater was created, the rock became wet once again, then dried up and developed cracks. Opportunity has spent the last 14 sols investigating Escher, specifically the target dubbed "Kirchner," and other similar rocks with its scientific instruments. This image was taken on sol 208 (Aug. 24, 2004) by the rover's panoramic camera, using the 750-, 530- and 430-nanometer filters. The graph above shows that rocks located deeper into "Endurance Crater" are chemically altered to a greater degree than rocks located higher up. This chemical alteration is believed to result from exposure to water. Specifically, the graph compares ratios of chemicals between the deep rock dubbed "Escher," and the more shallow rock called "Virginia," before (red and blue lines) and after (green line) the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity drilled into the rocks. As the red and blue lines indicate, Escher's levels of chlorine relative to Virginia's went up, and sulfur down, before the rover dug a hole into the rocks. This implies that the surface of Escher has been chemically altered to a greater extent than the surface of Virginia. Scientists are still investigating the role water played in influencing this trend. These data were taken by the rover's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer. |
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Abraded Target on Rock "Cham
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PIA07261
Sol (our sun)
Microscopic Imager
| Title |
Abraded Target on Rock "Champagne" in Gusev Crater |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit took this microscopic image of a target called "Bubbles" on a rock called "Champagne" after using its rock abrasion tool to grind a hole through the rock's outer surface. The circular area where the rock's interior is exposed is about 5 centimeters (2 inches) across. This rock is different from rocks out on the plains of Gusev Crater but is similar to other rocks in this area of the "Columbia Hills" in that it rich in phosphorus. Plagioclase, a mineral commonly found in igneous rocks, is also present in these rocks, according to analysis with Spirit's miniature thermal emission spectrometer. By using the rover's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer to collect data for multiple martian days, or sols, scientists are also beginning to get measurements of trace elements in the rocks. Spirit took the images that are combined into this mosaic on sol 358 (Jan. 3, 2005). |
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Silica-Rich Soil Found by Sp
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PIA09491
Sol (our sun)
Panoramic Camera
| Title |
Silica-Rich Soil Found by Spirit |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit has found a patch of bright-toned soil so rich in silica that scientists propose water must have been involved in concentrating it. The silica-rich patch, informally named "Gertrude Weise" after a player in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, was exposed when Spirit drove over it during the 1,150th Martian day, or sol, of Spirit's Mars surface mission (March 29, 2007). One of Spirit's six wheels no longer rotates, so it leaves a deep track as it drags through soil. Most patches of disturbed, bright soil that Spirit had investigated previously are rich in sulfur, but this one has very little sulfur and is about 90 percent silica. This image is a approximately true-color composite of three images taken through different filters by Spirit's panoramic camera on Sol 1,187 (May 6). The track of disturbed soil is roughly 20 centimeters (8 inches) wide. Spirit's miniature thermal emission spectrometer, which can assess a target's mineral composition from a distance, examined the Gertrude Weise patch on Sol 1,172 (April 20). The indications it found for silica in the overturned soil prompted a decision to drive Spirit close enough to touch the soil with the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer, a chemical analyzer at the end of Spirit's robotic arm. The alpha particle X-ray spectrometer collected data about this target on sols 1,189 and 1,190 (May 8 and May 9) and produced the finding of approximately 90 percent silica. Silica is silicon dioxide. On Earth, it commonly occurs as the crystalline mineral quartz and is the main ingredient in window glass. The Martian silica at Gertrude Weise is non-crystalline, with no detectable quartz. In most cases, water is required to produce such a concentrated deposit of silica, according to members of the rover science team. One possible origin for the silica could have been interaction of soil with acidic steam produced by volcanic activity. Another could have been from water in a hot spring environment. |
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Silica-Rich Soil in Gusev Cr
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PIA09403
Sol (our sun)
Panoramic Camera
| Title |
Silica-Rich Soil in Gusev Crater |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit has found a patch of bright-toned soil so rich in silica that scientists propose water must have been involved in concentrating it. The silica-rich patch, informally named "Gertrude Weise" after a player in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, was exposed when Spirit drove over it during the 1,150th Martian day, or sol, of Spirit's Mars surface mission (March 29, 2007). One of Spirit's six wheels no longer rotates, so it leaves a deep track as it drags through soil. Most patches of disturbed, bright soil that Spirit had investigated previously are rich in sulfur, but this one has very little sulfur and is about 90 percent silica. Spirit's panoramic camera imaged the bright patch through various filters on Sol 1,158 (April 6). This approximately true-color image combines images taken through three different filters. The track of disturbed soil is roughly 20 centimeters (8 inches) wide. Spirit's miniature thermal emission spectrometer, which can assess a target's mineral composition from a distance, examined the Gertrude Weise patch on Sol 1,172 (April 20). The indications it found for silica in the overturned soil prompted a decision to drive Spirit close enough to touch the soil with the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer, a chemical analyzer at the end of Spirit's robotic arm. The alpha particle X-ray spectrometer collected data about this target on sols 1,189 and 1,190 (May 8 and May 9) and produced the finding of approximately 90 percent silica. Silica is silicon dioxide. On Earth, it commonly occurs as the crystalline mineral quartz and is the main ingredient in window glass. The Martian silica at Gertrude Weise is non-crystalline, with no detectable quartz. In most cases, water is required to produce such a concentrated deposit of silica, according to members of the rover science team. One possible origin for the silica could have been interaction of soil with acidic steam produced by volcanic activity. Another could have been from water in a hot spring environment. |
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'Clovis' in Color
PIA06772
Sol (our sun)
Alpha Particle X-ray Spectro
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| Title |
'Clovis' in Color |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Figure 1 This approximate true-color image taken by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit shows the rock outcrop dubbed "Clovis." The rock was discovered to be softer than other rocks studied so far at Gusev Crater after the rover easily ground a hole into it with its rock abrasion tool. This image was taken by the 750-, 530- and 480-nanometer filters of the rover's panoramic camera on sol 217(August 13, 2004). "Elemental Trio Found in 'Clovis'" Figure 1 above shows that the interior of the rock dubbed "Clovis" contains higher concentrations of sulfur, bromine and chlorine than basaltic, or volcanic, rocks studied so far at Gusev Crater. The data were taken by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer after the rover dug into Clovis with its rock abrasion tool. The findings might indicate that this rock was chemically altered, and that fluids once flowed through the rock depositing these elements. |
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'Clovis' in Color
PIA06772
Sol (our sun)
Alpha Particle X-ray Spectro
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| Title |
'Clovis' in Color |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Figure 1 This approximate true-color image taken by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit shows the rock outcrop dubbed "Clovis." The rock was discovered to be softer than other rocks studied so far at Gusev Crater after the rover easily ground a hole into it with its rock abrasion tool. This image was taken by the 750-, 530- and 480-nanometer filters of the rover's panoramic camera on sol 217(August 13, 2004). "Elemental Trio Found in 'Clovis'" Figure 1 above shows that the interior of the rock dubbed "Clovis" contains higher concentrations of sulfur, bromine and chlorine than basaltic, or volcanic, rocks studied so far at Gusev Crater. The data were taken by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer after the rover dug into Clovis with its rock abrasion tool. The findings might indicate that this rock was chemically altered, and that fluids once flowed through the rock depositing these elements. |
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Salty Martian Rock
PIA05469
Sol (our sun)
Alpha Particle X-ray Spectro
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| Title |
Salty Martian Rock |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
These plots, or spectra, show that a rock dubbed "McKittrick" near the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's landing site at Meridiani Planum, Mars, has higher concentrations of sulfur and bromine than a nearby patch of soil nicknamed "Tarmac." These data were taken by Opportunity's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer, which produces a spectrum, or fingerprint, of chemicals in martian rocks and soil. The instrument contains a radioisotope, curium-244, that bombards a designated area with alpha particles and X-rays, causing a cascade of reflective fluorescent X-rays. The energies of these fluorescent X-rays are unique to each atom in the periodic table, allowing scientists to determine a target's chemical composition. Both "Tarmac" and "McKittrick" are located within the small crater where Opportunity landed. The full spectra are expressed as X-ray intensity (logarithmic scale) versus energy. When comparing two spectra, the relative intensities at a given energy are proportional to the elemental concentrations, however these proportionality factors can be complex. To be precise, scientists extensively calibrate the instrument using well-analyzed geochemical standards. Both the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer and the rock abrasion tool are located on the rover's instrument deployment device, or arm. |
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History Leaves Salts Behind
PIA05467
Sol (our sun)
Alpha Particle X-ray Spectro
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| Title |
History Leaves Salts Behind |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
These plots, or spectra, show that a rock dubbed "McKittrick" near the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's landing site at Meridiani Planum, Mars, has higher concentrations of sulfur and bromine than a nearby patch of soil nicknamed "Tarmac." These data were taken by Opportunity's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer, which uses curium-244 to assess the elemental composition of rocks and soil. Only portions of the targets' full spectra are shown to highlight the significant differences in elemental concentrations between "McKittrick" and "Tarmac." Intensities are plotted on a logarithmic scale. A nearby rock named Guadalupe similarly has extremely high concentrations of sulfur, but very little bromine. This "element fractionation" typically occurs when a watery brine slowly evaporates and various salt compounds are precipitated in sequence. |
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Spirit Sees Salty Soil
PIA06043
Sol (our sun)
Alpha Particle X-ray Spectro
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| Title |
Spirit Sees Salty Soil |
| Original Caption Released 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. |
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Grooving in Trenchtown (comp
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PIA05322
Sol (our sun)
Alpha Particle X-ray Spectro
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| Title |
Grooving in Trenchtown (computer animation) |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
This image is a screenshot from a computer-generated animation showing the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's arm exploring the trench dug by one of its wheels. The rover's arm, or instrument deployment device, holds a suite of scientific instruments designed to examine rocks and soil for signs of past water on Mars. One of these instruments, the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer, is shown here investigating the trench. The movie was generated from data taken by the rover's onboard sensors. |
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Chlorine Clues
PIA06683
Sol (our sun)
Alpha Particle X-ray Spectro
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| Title |
Chlorine Clues |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
This plot shows that levels of the element chlorine rise dramatically in the deeper rocks lining the walls of the crater dubbed "Endurance." The data shown here were taken by the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer at Endurance and "Eagle Crater," the site where Opportunity first landed at Meridiani Planum. Opportunity has been inching down the walls of Endurance Crater, investigating distinct layers of rock as it goes for clues to Mars' buried past. The various Endurance layers have been informally labeled "A" through "F." Targets within these layers are listed on the graph along with previous targets from Eagle Crater. All the rocks listed here were observed after they had been drilled by the rover's rock abrasion tool. The observations indicate that the elements making up the shallow rock layers of Endurance Crater resemble those of Eagle, while the deeper layers of Endurance possess increasingly higher concentrations of the element chlorine. Opportunity will continue to roll deeper into Endurance to see if this puzzling trend continues. Scientists hope the new data will help them figure out how the presence of chlorine fits into the history of water at Endurance Crater. |
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McKittrick" Rich in Sulfur
PIA05468
Sol (our sun)
Alpha Particle X-ray Spectro
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| Title |
McKittrick" Rich in Sulfur |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
These plots, or spectra, show that a rock dubbed "McKittrick" near the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's landing site at Meridiani Planum, Mars, possesses the highest concentration of sulfur yet observed on Mars. These data were acquired with the rover's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer, which produces a spectrum, or fingerprint, of chemicals in martian rocks and soil. This instrument contains a radioisotope, curium-244, that bombards a designated area with alpha particles and X-rays, causing a cascade of reflective fluorescent X-rays. The energies of these fluorescent X-rays are unique to each atom in the periodic table, allowing scientists to determine a target's elemental composition. The spectra shown here are taken from "McKittrick" and a soil patch nicknamed "Tarmac," both of which are located within the small crater where Opportunity landed. "McKittrick" measurements were acquired after the rover drilled a hole in the rock with its rock abrasion tool. Only portions of the targets' full spectra are displayed. The data are expressed as X-ray intensity (linear scale) versus energy. The measured area is 28 millimeters (1 inch) in diameter. When comparing two spectra, the relative intensities at a given energy are proportional to the elemental concentrations, however these proportionality factors can be complex. To be precise, scientists extensively calibrate the instrument using well-analyzed geochemical standards. Both the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer and the rock abrasion tool are located on the rover's instrument deployment device, or arm. |
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Bromine and Chlorine Go Sepa
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PIA05676
Sol (our sun)
Alpha Particle X-ray Spectro
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| Title |
Bromine and Chlorine Go Separate Ways |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
This graph shows the relative concentrations of bromine and chlorine at various locations on Earth and Mars. Typically, bromine and chlorine stick together in a fixed ratio, as in martian meteorites and Earth seawater. But sometimes the elements split apart and their relative quantities diverge. This separation is usually caused by evaporation processes, as in the Dead Sea on Earth. On Mars, at Meridiani Planum and Gusev Crater, this split has been observed to an even greater degree than seen on Earth. This puzzling result is currently being further explored by Mars Exploration Rover scientists. Data for the Mars locations were taken by the rover's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer. |
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What's on the Inside Counts
PIA05675
Sol (our sun)
Alpha Particle X-ray Spectro
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| Title |
What's on the Inside Counts |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
This graph shows the chemical composition of the rock at Gusev Crater dubbed "Mazatzal" after it was brushed and ground by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's rock abrasion tool. The data, taken by the rover's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer, show that Mazatzal's interior possesses approximately the same quantities of magnesium oxide and sulfur tri-oxide as other basalt rocks in the Gusev Crater area ("Adirondack and "Humphrey"). It's exterior coating or rind, on the other hand, appears to be of a different chemical composition than the previously studied rocks. Concentrations of magnesium oxide were observed to increase first with brushing, then grinding. Also represented on the graph is soil found near Mazatzal, which appears to have a different make-up from the rock itself. Scientists are still puzzling out the implications of these data. The larger symbols on the graph represent inferred rock compositions, while the smaller symbols are actual data points. Observations were made at the target dubbed "New York" on Mazatzal. |
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Spirit View of 'Wishstone' (
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PIA07191
Sol (our sun)
Alpha Particle X-ray Spectro
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| Title |
Spirit View of 'Wishstone' (False Color) |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Figure 1 Scientists working with NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit decided to examine this rock, dubbed "Wishstone," based on data from the miniature thermal emission spectrometer. That instrument's data indicated that the mineralogy of the rocks in this area is different from that of rocks encountered either on the plains of Gusev Crater or in bedrock outcrops examined so far in the "Columbia Hills" inside the crater. Spirit used its rock abrasion tool first to scour a patch of the rock's surface with a wire brush, then to grind away the surface to reveal interior material. Placement of the rover's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer on the exposed circle of interior material revealed that the rock is rich in phosphorus. Spirit used its panoramic camera during the rover's 342nd martian day, or sol, (Dec. 18, 2004) to take the three individual images that were combined to produce this false-color view emphasizing the freshly ground dust around the hole cut by the rock abrasion tool. "Unusually Rich in Phosophorus" The graph in figure 1 compares the elemental makeup of a rock dubbed "Wishstone" with the average composition of rocks that Spirit examined on the western spur of the "Columbia Hills." Wishstone lies farther into the hills than that spur. It is richer in phosphorus than any other Mars rock ever examined. Scientists plan to examine other rocks near Wishstone to help explain the significance of the high phosphorus concentration. The vertical scale is the ratio of the concentration of an element in the hills rocks to the concentration of the same element in a typical volcanic rock from the plains that Spirit crossed to reach the hills. |
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Spirit View of 'Wishstone' (
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PIA07191
Sol (our sun)
Alpha Particle X-ray Spectro
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| Title |
Spirit View of 'Wishstone' (False Color) |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Figure 1 Scientists working with NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit decided to examine this rock, dubbed "Wishstone," based on data from the miniature thermal emission spectrometer. That instrument's data indicated that the mineralogy of the rocks in this area is different from that of rocks encountered either on the plains of Gusev Crater or in bedrock outcrops examined so far in the "Columbia Hills" inside the crater. Spirit used its rock abrasion tool first to scour a patch of the rock's surface with a wire brush, then to grind away the surface to reveal interior material. Placement of the rover's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer on the exposed circle of interior material revealed that the rock is rich in phosphorus. Spirit used its panoramic camera during the rover's 342nd martian day, or sol, (Dec. 18, 2004) to take the three individual images that were combined to produce this false-color view emphasizing the freshly ground dust around the hole cut by the rock abrasion tool. "Unusually Rich in Phosophorus" The graph in figure 1 compares the elemental makeup of a rock dubbed "Wishstone" with the average composition of rocks that Spirit examined on the western spur of the "Columbia Hills." Wishstone lies farther into the hills than that spur. It is richer in phosphorus than any other Mars rock ever examined. Scientists plan to examine other rocks near Wishstone to help explain the significance of the high phosphorus concentration. The vertical scale is the ratio of the concentration of an element in the hills rocks to the concentration of the same element in a typical volcanic rock from the plains that Spirit crossed to reach the hills. |
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Outer Appearances Can Be Dec
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PIA05674
Sol (our sun)
Alpha Particle X-ray Spectro
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| Title |
Outer Appearances Can Be Deceiving |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
This graph shows the chemical composition of the rock at Gusev Crater dubbed "Mazatzal" after it was brushed and ground by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's rock abrasion tool. The data, taken by the rover's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer over the last few sols, show that the amount of chlorine and sulfur tri-oxide in Mazatzal first increased after brushing, then diminished after grinding. The interior of the rock appears to have the same chemical make-up as other volcanic or basalt rocks studied in the Gusev Crater area ("Adirondack" and "Humphrey"). Its outer coating or rind, on the other hand, appears to be of a different constitution. Scientists are still puzzling out the implications of these data. The larger symbols on the graph represent inferred rock compositions, while the smaller symbols are actual data points. Observations were made at the target dubbed "New York" on Mazatzal. |
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Spirit's View on Sol 399 (Po
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PIA07381
Sol (our sun)
Navigation Camera
| Title |
Spirit's View on Sol 399 (Polar) |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit used its navigation camera to capture this view during the rover's 399th martian day, or sol, (Feb. 15, 2005). An attempted drive on that sol did not gain any ground toward nearby "Larry's Lookout" because of slippage that churned the soil on the slope. Spirit used its alpha particle X-ray spectrometer to examine the churned soil. This view is presented in a polar projection with geometric seam correction. |
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Spirit's View on Sol 399 (3D
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PIA07380
Sol (our sun)
Navigation Camera
| Title |
Spirit's View on Sol 399 (3D) |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Figure 1 Figure 2 NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit used its navigation camera to capture this view during the rover's 399th martian day, or sol, (Feb. 15, 2005). An attempted drive on that sol did not gain any ground toward nearby "Larry's Lookout" because of slippage that churned the soil on the slope. Spirit used its alpha particle X-ray spectrometer to examine the churned soil. This view is presented in a cylindrical-perspective projection with geometric seam correction. Figure 1 is the left-eye view of a stereo pair and Figure 2 is the right-eye view of a stereo pair. |
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Spirit's View on Sol 399 (3D
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PIA07380
Sol (our sun)
Navigation Camera
| Title |
Spirit's View on Sol 399 (3D) |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Figure 1 Figure 2 NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit used its navigation camera to capture this view during the rover's 399th martian day, or sol, (Feb. 15, 2005). An attempted drive on that sol did not gain any ground toward nearby "Larry's Lookout" because of slippage that churned the soil on the slope. Spirit used its alpha particle X-ray spectrometer to examine the churned soil. This view is presented in a cylindrical-perspective projection with geometric seam correction. Figure 1 is the left-eye view of a stereo pair and Figure 2 is the right-eye view of a stereo pair. |
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Spirit's View on Sol 399 (3D
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PIA07380
Sol (our sun)
Navigation Camera
| Title |
Spirit's View on Sol 399 (3D) |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Figure 1 Figure 2 NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit used its navigation camera to capture this view during the rover's 399th martian day, or sol, (Feb. 15, 2005). An attempted drive on that sol did not gain any ground toward nearby "Larry's Lookout" because of slippage that churned the soil on the slope. Spirit used its alpha particle X-ray spectrometer to examine the churned soil. This view is presented in a cylindrical-perspective projection with geometric seam correction. Figure 1 is the left-eye view of a stereo pair and Figure 2 is the right-eye view of a stereo pair. |
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Finding the 'Blueberry' Muff
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PIA05564
Sol (our sun)
Alpha Particle X-ray Spectro
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| Title |
Finding the 'Blueberry' Muffin Recipe |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Scientists are hunting down the recipe for the "blueberries" they've discovered on Mars with the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. For location of the area dubbed "Berry Bowl" see PIA05563. To figure out the chemical composition of the blueberries, scientists are currently analyzing the area shown in the microscopic image with the rover's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer and Moessbauer spectrometer. The field of view for the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer is about equal to the field of view of the microscopic image and the field of view for the Moessbauer spectrometer is about half the size of the microscopic image, so the spectrometers will observe a mix of sand, rock, and blueberries. The blueberries are too small to analyze alone. Scientists will discern the blueberry spectra from the observed blend of spectra by subtracting out the known sand and rock spectra. Basically, finding the blueberry recipe is like making a recipe in reverse. Chemical measurements of the sand were taken earlier, and a measurement of the same rock in an area clear of the blueberries will be taken with the spectrometers on sol 48. The "triple berry" seen in the center of the microscopic image is intriguing to scientists because it reveals a clue about how the blueberries formed. Spheres formed from impacts or volcanoes do not tend to mold together like the spheres seen in the microscopic image. Spheres from impacts or craters are usually round or teardrop-shaped from flying in the air and freezing before hitting the ground. Any droplets of magma that combine with other droplets usually grow into a single mass in a spherical, dumbbell, or teardrop shape. In contrast, concretions could form this triple berry shape. Concretions are spherical mineral structures formed by groundwater percolating through porous rocks. On Earth, as concretions grow in close proximity to each other, their outer edges often intersect each other, giving an appearance like a triple soap bubble. |
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Red Marks the Spot
PIA05289
Sol (our sun)
Miniature Thermal Emission S
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| Title |
Red Marks the Spot |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
This hematite abundance index map helps geologists choose hematite-rich locations to visit around Opportunity's landing site. Blue dots equal areas low in hematite and red dots equal areas high in hematite. Why Hematite Geologists are eager to reach the hematite-rich area in the upper left to closely examine the soil, which may reveal secrets about how the hematite got to this location. Knowing how the hematite on Mars was formed may help scientists characterize the past environment and determine whether that environment provided favorable conditions for life. The Plan Over the next few sols, engineers and scientists plan to drive Opportunity to the hematite-rich area then attempt a "pre-trench" sequence, taking measurements with the Moessbauer spectrometer, alpha particle X-ray spectrometer and microscopic imager. Next, the plan is to trench the hematite rich area by spinning one wheel in place to "dig" a shallow hole. Finally, scientists will aim the instrument arm back at the same area where it pre-trenched to get post-trench data with the same instruments to compare and contrast the levels of hematite and revel how deep the hematite lays in the dirt. Index Map Details The hematite abundance index map was created using data from the miniature thermal emission instrument. The first layer is a mosaic of panoramic camera images taken prior to egress, when Opportunity was still on the lander. The colored dots represent data collected by the miniature thermal emission spectrometer on sol 11, after Opportunity had rolled off of the lander and the rover was located at the center of the blue semi-circle. The spectrometer is located on the panoramic camera mast. On sol 11, it took a low-angle 180-degree panorama of the area in front of the rover, indicated by the blue shaded dots. The instrument then raised the angle of its field of view a few degrees higher to sweep around behind the rover, indicated by the red and yellow dots offset at the far sides of the image. JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Exploration Rover project for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. |
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A Rainbow of Martian Element
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PIA05114
Sol (our sun)
Alpha Particle X-ray Spectro
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| Title |
A Rainbow of Martian Elements |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
This graph or spectrum taken by the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer onboard the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit shows the variety of elements present in the soil at the rover's landing site. In agreement with past missions to Mars, iron and silicon make up the majority of the martian soil. Sulfur and chlorine were also observed as expected. Trace elements detected for the first time include zinc and nickel. These latter observations demonstrate the power of the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer to pick up the signatures of elements too faint to be seen before. The alpha particle X-ray spectrometer uses alpha particles and X-rays to measure the presence and abundance of all major rock-forming elements except hydrogen. |
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Super Rover's X-Ray Vision
PIA05113
Alpha Particle X-ray Spectro
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| Title |
Super Rover's X-Ray Vision |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Located on the arm of the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit, the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer uses alpha particles and X-rays to determine the chemical make up of martian rocks and soils. This type of information helps scientists understand how the planet's crust was weathered and formed. Mars Exploration Rover team members used this palm-sized instrument on a small patch of martian soil just after Spirit rolled off the Columbia Memorial Station. They found that although the soil was very similar to what they had seen previously on Mars, the instrument's improved sensitivity allowed them to see new elements and subtle differences not detected before. |
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Spirit Switches on Its X-ray
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PIA05115
Sol (our sun)
Hazard Identification Camera
| Title |
Spirit Switches on Its X-ray Vision |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
This image shows the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit probing its first target rock, Adirondack. At the time this picture was snapped, the rover had begun analyzing the rock with the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer located on its robotic arm. This instrument uses alpha particles and X-rays to determine the elemental composition of martian rocks and soil. The image was taken by the rover's hazard-identification camera. |
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Spirit Digs a Trench
PIA05337
Sol (our sun)
Hazard Identification Camera
| Title |
Spirit Digs a Trench |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
A view from the front hazard avoidance camera of NASA's Spirit rover on its 47th sol shows a trench excavated by the rover's left front wheel within the "Laguna Hollow" area. The trench, dubbed "Road Cut," is 7 centimeters (3 inches) deep. The soil at this location is more cohesive than the material where Spirit's twin, Opportunity, dug its first trench at Meridiani. Spirit made 11 back-and-forth passes to dig this trench, and still did not produce as deep a hole as Opportunity dug in 6 passes. Scientists and engineers plan to begin up-close inspection of the soil in this trench on sol 48 by placing the microscopic imager on the floor and the walls before conducting Moessbauer and alpha particle x-ray spectrometer readings on some of the same points. |
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X-ray Machine on Mars
PIA05196
Sol (our sun)
Alpha Particle X-ray Spectro
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| Title |
X-ray Machine on Mars |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
This image taken at Meridiani Planum, Mars by the panoramic camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows the rover's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer (circular device in center), located on its instrument deployment device, or "arm." The image was acquired on the ninth martian day or sol of the rover's mission. |
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Spirit's View on Sol 399 (Ve
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PIA07382
Sol (our sun)
Navigation Camera
| Title |
Spirit's View on Sol 399 (Vertical) |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit used its navigation camera to capture this view during the rover's 399th martian day, or sol, (Feb. 15, 2005). An attempted drive on that sol did not gain any ground toward nearby "Larry's Lookout" because of slippage that churned the soil on the slope. Spirit used its alpha particle X-ray spectrometer to examine the churned soil. This view is presented in a vertical projection with geometric seam correction. |
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Rind-Like Features at a Meri
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PIA04158
Sol (our sun)
Panoramic Camera
| Title |
Rind-Like Features at a Meridiani Outcrop |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
After months spent roving across a sea of rippled sands, Opportunity reached an outcrop in August 2005 and began investigating exposures of sedimentary rocks, intriguing rind-like features that appear to cap the rocks, and cobbles that dot the martian surface locally. Opportunity spent several sols analyzing a feature called "Lemon Rind," a thin surface layer covering portions of outcrop rocks poking through the sand north of "Erebus Crater." In images from the panoramic camera, Lemon Rind appears slightly different in color than surrounding rocks. It also appears to be slightly more resistant to wind erosion than the outcrop's interior. To obtain information on how this surface layer (or weathering rind) may have formed and how it compares to previously analyzed outcrops, Opportunity is using the microscopic imager, alpha particle X-ray spectrometer and Moessbauer spectrometer to analyze surfaces that have been brushed and ground with the rock abrasion tool. Scientists will compare these measurements with similar measurements made on the underlying rock material. This is a false-color composite generated by draping enhanced red-green-blue color from the panoramic camera's 753-nanometer, 535-nanometer and 482-nanometer filters over a high-fidelity violet, 432-nanometer-filter image. The image was acquired on martian day, or sol 552 (Aug. 13, 2005) around 11:55 a.m. local true solar time. In this representation, bright sulfur-bearing sedimentary rocks appear light tan to brown, depending on their degree of dust contamination, and small dark "blueberries" and other much less dusty rock fragments appear as different shades of blue. Draping the color derived from the blue to near-infrared filters over the violet filter image results in a false color view with the sharpest color and morphology contrasts. |
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Layered Outcrops in Gusev Cr
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PIA06936
Sol (our sun)
Microscopic Imager
| Title |
Layered Outcrops in Gusev Crater |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit collected data on morphology, composition, and mineralogy of a rock nicknamed "Tetl" using the microscopic imager, the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer, and the Moessbauer spectrometer before moving on. Scientists are discussing a suggestion that this rock outcrop and others on the "West Spur" of the "Columbia Hills" in Gusev Crater on Mars may contain evidence of graded bedding, in which alternate layers of sediment are either coarser or finer depending on the turbulence of the processes that deposited them. Such layers could be deposited by water circulating in rivers or lakes, volcanic ash settling on the surface, wind carrying fine-grained sediments, or a combination of these processes. This view is a mosaic of images that Spirit took with its microscopic imager on the rover's 272nd and 273rd martian days, or sols (Oct. 7 and 8, 2004). It has been enhanced to bring out details in the shadows without washing out sunlit areas. The section of rock shown here is approximately 17 centimeters (6.7 inches) wide. |
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Spirit's View on Sol 399
PIA07379
Sol (our sun)
Navigation Camera
| Title |
Spirit's View on Sol 399 |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit used its navigation camera to capture this view during the rover's 399th martian day, or sol, (Feb. 15, 2005). An attempted drive on that sol did not gain any ground toward nearby "Larry's Lookout" because of slippage that churned the soil on the slope. Spirit used its alpha particle X-ray spectrometer to examine the churned soil. This view is presented in a cylindrical projection with geometric seam correction. |
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Trenching the Trough
PIA05754
Sol (our sun)
Hazard Identification Camera
| Title |
Trenching the Trough |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
This animation shows the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity digging a trench near the trough dubbed "Anatolia" with its left front wheel on sol 73. It was taken by the rover's hazard-avoidance camera. The trench was dug so that Opportunity would be able to place its Moessbauer spectrometer on a soil target (the pile of material on the right side of the trench) during a four-day flight software update. The rover's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer was pointed at the sky at this time taking calibration measurements. Spirit performed a similar operation during its flight software update, but its Moessbauer was placed on a rock dubbed "Route 66." Since there are no rocks at Opportunity's current location, rover team members chose a patch of soil. The trench itself is 95 centimeters (38 inches) long by 16 centimeters (6 inches) wide by 11 centimeters (4 inches) deep. It is the deepest hole dug by either Spirit or Opportunity to date. |
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Smooth Side of 'Route 66'
PIA05761
Sol (our sun)
Microscopic Imager
| Title |
Smooth Side of 'Route 66' |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
This image was taken by the microscopic imager onboard NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit on sol 99 (April 13, 2004). It is a close-up look at a portion of the rock called "Route 66," which was brushed by the rover's rock abrasion tool. This image intrigues scientists because it looks very different from the microscopic images taken of other brushed rocks at the Gusev Crater location. The surface of Route 66 is very shiny and specularly reflective, which may indicate a glassy surface, or perhaps a very smooth, discontinuous coating. The unique coating appears mottled and may be multi-layered. Other interesting features in this brushed area of Route 66 are the very thin, arc-shaped lines that are visible in the upper left quadrant of the image. An initial hypothesis suggests that these arcs may have been caused by the rock abrasion tool when the instrument made its initial contact with the surface. Scientists will use the combined data from the rover's Moessbauer spectrometer and alpha particle X-ray spectrometer along with color versions of this image to try to reach stronger conclusions about what they are seeing and what processes caused the features. |
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'Bounce' and Martian Meteori
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PIA05752
Sol (our sun)
Alpha Particle X-ray Spectro
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| Title |
'Bounce' and Martian Meteorite of the Same Mold |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
These two sets of bar graphs compare the elemental compositions of six martian rocks: "Bounce," located at Meridiani Planum, EETA79001-B, a martian meteorite found in Antarctica in 1979, a rock found at the Mars Pathfinder landing site, Shergotty, a martian meteorite that landed in India in 1865, "Adirondack," located at Gusev Crater, and "Humphrey," also located at Gusev Crater. The graph on the left compares magnesium/iron ratios in the rocks, and the graph on the right compares aluminum/calcium ratios. The results illustrate the diversity of rocks on Mars and indicate that Bounce probably shares origins with the martian meterorite EETA79001-B. The Bounce data was taken on sol 68 by the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer on Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. |
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Window to 'Clovis's' Altered
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PIA06781
Sol (our sun)
Navigation Camera
| Title |
Window to 'Clovis's' Altered Past |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
This image taken by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit shows a rock outcrop dubbed "Clovis." The rock was discovered to be softer than other rocks studied so far at Gusev Crater after the rover easily ground a hole (center) into it with its rock abrasion tool. An analysis of the interior of the hole with the rover's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer found higher concentrations of sulfur, bromine and chlorine compared to basaltic, or volcanic, rocks at Gusev. This might indicate that Clovis was chemically altered, and that fluids once flowed through the rock depositing these elements. Spirit's solar panels can be seen in the foreground. This image was taken by the rover's navigation camera on sol 205 (July 31, 2004). |
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Soft Rock Yields Clues to Ma
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PIA06771
Sol (our sun)
Navigation Camera
| Title |
Soft Rock Yields Clues to Mars' Past |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Figure 1 This image taken by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit shows the rock outcrop dubbed "Clovis." The rock was discovered to be softer than other rocks studied so far at Gusev Crater after the rover easily ground a hole into it with its rock abrasion tool. Spirit's solar panels can be seen in the foreground. This image was taken by the rover's navigation camera on sol 205 (July 31, 2004). "Elemental Trio Found in 'Clovis'" Figure 1 above shows that the interior of the rock dubbed "Clovis" contains higher concentrations of sulfur, bromine and chlorine than basaltic, or volcanic, rocks studied so far at Gusev Crater. The data were taken by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer after the rover dug into Clovis with its rock abrasion tool. The findings might indicate that this rock was chemically altered, and that fluids once flowed through the rock depositing these elements. |
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Deep Hole in 'Clovis'
PIA06837
Sol (our sun)
Panoramic Camera
| Title |
Deep Hole in 'Clovis' |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Figure 1 At a rock called "Clovis," the rock abrasion tool on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit cut a 9-millimeter (0.35-inch) hole during the rover's 216th martian day, or sol (Aug. 11, 2004). The hole is the deepest drilled in a rock on Mars so far. This approximately true-color view was made from images taken by Spirit's panoramic camera on sol 226 (Aug. 21, 2004) at around 12:50 p.m. local true solar time -- early afternoon in Gusev Crater on Mars. To the right is a "brush flower" of circles produced by scrubbing the surface of the rock with the abrasion tool's wire brush. Scientists used rover's Moessbauer spectrometer and alpha particle X-ray spectrometer to look for iron-bearing minerals and determine the elemental chemical composition of the rock. This composite combines images taken with the camera's 750-, 530-, and 430-nanometer filters. The grayish-blue hue in this image suggests that the interior of the rock contains iron minerals that are less oxidized than minerals on the surface. The diameter of the hole cut into the rock is 4.5 centimeters (1.8 inches). Data on the graph (Figure 1) from the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer instrument on the robotic arm of NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit reveal the elemental chemistry of two rocks, "Ebenezer" and "Clovis," (see PIA06914) in the "Columbia Hills." Scientists found, through comparison of the rocks' chemistry, that Ebenezer and Clovis have very different compositions from the rocks on the Gusev plains. |
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Deep Hole in 'Clovis'
PIA06837
Sol (our sun)
Panoramic Camera
| Title |
Deep Hole in 'Clovis' |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Figure 1 At a rock called "Clovis," the rock abrasion tool on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit cut a 9-millimeter (0.35-inch) hole during the rover's 216th martian day, or sol (Aug. 11, 2004). The hole is the deepest drilled in a rock on Mars so far. This approximately true-color view was made from images taken by Spirit's panoramic camera on sol 226 (Aug. 21, 2004) at around 12:50 p.m. local true solar time -- early afternoon in Gusev Crater on Mars. To the right is a "brush flower" of circles produced by scrubbing the surface of the rock with the abrasion tool's wire brush. Scientists used rover's Moessbauer spectrometer and alpha particle X-ray spectrometer to look for iron-bearing minerals and determine the elemental chemical composition of the rock. This composite combines images taken with the camera's 750-, 530-, and 430-nanometer filters. The grayish-blue hue in this image suggests that the interior of the rock contains iron minerals that are less oxidized than minerals on the surface. The diameter of the hole cut into the rock is 4.5 centimeters (1.8 inches). Data on the graph (Figure 1) from the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer instrument on the robotic arm of NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit reveal the elemental chemistry of two rocks, "Ebenezer" and "Clovis," (see PIA06914) in the "Columbia Hills." Scientists found, through comparison of the rocks' chemistry, that Ebenezer and Clovis have very different compositions from the rocks on the Gusev plains. |
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Hole in 'Ebenezer'
PIA06914
Sol (our sun)
Panoramic Camera
| Title |
Hole in 'Ebenezer' |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Figure 1 This image, taken by the panoramic camera on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit, shows the mark left by the rover's rock abrasion tool on the rock dubbed "Ebenezer," located in Gusev Crater at the "Columbia Hills." Scientists investigated the rock with the abrasion tool and determined its chemistry using the rover's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer instrument. Both instruments are located on the rover's robotic arm. Spirit took this image on its 236th martian day, or sol (Sept. 1, 2004). This is a true-color image generated from a composite of left-eye camera filters (750 to 430 nanometers). Data on the graph (Figure 1) from the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer instrument on the robotic arm of NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit reveal the elemental chemistry of two rocks, "Ebenezer" and "Clovis," (see PIA06837) in the "Columbia Hills." Scientists found, through comparison of the rocks' chemistry, that Ebenezer and Clovis have very different compositions from the rocks on the Gusev plains. |
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Sulfur-Rich Rocks and Dirt (
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PIA07439
Sol (our sun)
Panoramic Camera
| Title |
Sulfur-Rich Rocks and Dirt (True Color) |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
NASA's Mars Rover Spirit has been analyzing sulfur-rich rocks and surface materials in the "Columbia Hills" in Gusev Crater on Mars. This image of a very soft, nodular, layered rock nicknamed "Peace" in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. shows a 4.5-centimeter-wide (1.8-inch-wide) hole Spirit ground into the surface with the rover's rock abrasion tool. The high sulfur content of the rock measured by Spirit's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer and its softness measured by the abrasion tool are probably evidence of past alteration by water. Spirit's panoramic camera took this image on martian day, or sol, 381 (Jan. 27, 2005). The image represents the panoramic camera team's best current attempt at generating a true color view of what this scene would look like if viewed by a human on Mars. The image was generated from a combination of six calibrated, left-eye Pancam images acquired through filters ranging from 430-nanometer to 750-nanometer wavelengths. |
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Churned-Up Rocky Debris and
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PIA07440
Sol (our sun)
Panoramic Camera
| Title |
Churned-Up Rocky Debris and Dust (False Color) |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit has been analyzing sulfur-rich rocks and surface materials in the "Columbia Hills" in Gusev Crater on Mars. This image shows rocky debris and dust, which planetary scientists call "regolith" or "soil," that has been churned up by the rover wheels. This 40-centimeter-wide (16-inch-wide) patch of churned-up dirt, nicknamed "Paso Robles," contains brighter patches measured to be high in sulfur by Spirit's alpha particle X-ray Spectrometer. Spirit's panoramic camera took this false-color image on martian day, or sol, 400 (Feb. 16, 2005), using filters at wavelengths of 750, 530, and 430 nanometers. Darker red hues in the image correspond to greater concentrations of oxidized soil and dust. Whiter and bluer hues correspond to sulfur-rich deposits that are not as heavily coated with soils or are not as highly oxidized. |
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Churned-Up Rocky Debris and
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PIA07441
Sol (our sun)
Panoramic Camera
| Title |
Churned-Up Rocky Debris and Dust (True Color) |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit has been analyzing sulfur-rich rocks and surface materials in the "Columbia Hills" in Gusev Crater on Mars. This image shows rocky debris and dust, which planetary scientists call "regolith" or "soil," that has been churned up by the rover wheels. This 40-centimeter-wide (16-inch-wide) patch of churned-up dirt, nicknamed "Paso Robles," contains brighter patches measured to be high in sulfur by Spirit's alpha particle X-ray Spectrometer. Spirit's panoramic camera took this image on martian day, or sol, 400 (Feb. 16, 2005). The image represents the panoramic camera team's best current attempt at generating a true color view of what this scene would look like if viewed by a human on Mars. The image was generated from a combination of six calibrated, left-eye images acquired through filters ranging from 430-nanometer to 750-nanometer wavelengths. |
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Close-Up of 'Cheyenne'
PIA08499
Sol (our sun)
Microscopic Imager
| Title |
Close-Up of 'Cheyenne' |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
As NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity is traversing southward toward "Victoria Crater," it is periodically stopping to characterize exposed bedrock, using the contact instrument suite on the robotic arm. Between Martian days (sols) 818 and 821 of the mission (May 13 to May 16), one such characterization was carried out on a rock target called "Cheyenne." The target was brushed by the rock abrasion tool, analyzed by the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer and Moessbauer spectrometer, and photographed by the microscopic imager. This image is a mosaic of four frames taken by the microscopic imager after the brush had removed dust and sand grains from most of the area shown, exposing the underlying bedrock. The resolution is 30 microns per pixel and the entire mosaic is 6 centimeters (2.4 inches) square. Opportunity acquired the images on Sol 819 (May 14, 2006) while the target was fully shadowed. This rock surface exhibits relatively small spherical concretions compared to those observed in the vicinity of "Eagle Crater" and "Endurance Crater." Such small concretions, and in places apparent absence of concretions, have characterized the outcrops south of "Vostok Crater." Also visible in this image are small pits and grooves in the rock surface, including narrow, elongated void spaces different from any previously observed by Opportunity. Crystal-shaped and elongated void spaces that were seen in the vicinity of Eagle and Endurance Craters are interpreted as spaces left by dissolving of soluble salts. However, these features at Cheyenne have a significantly different appearance and the science team is considering a number of alternative hypotheses for their origin. |
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