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Spirit's First Grinding of a …
PIA05239
Sol (our sun)
Panoramic Camera, Rock Abras …
Title Spirit's First Grinding of a Rock on Mars
Original Caption Released with Image The round, shallow depression in this image resulted from history's first grinding of a rock on Mars. The rock abrasion tool on NASA's Spirit rover ground off the surface of a patch 45.5 millimeters (1.8 inches) in diameter on a rock called Adirondack. The hole is 2.65 millimeters (0.1 inch) deep, exposing fresh interior material of the rock for close inspection with the rover's microscopic imager and two spectrometers on the robotic arm. This image was taken by Spirit's panoramic camera, providing a quick visual check of the success of the grinding. The rock abrasion tools on both Mars Exploration Rovers were supplied by Honeybee Robotics, New York, N.Y.
Opportunity Slices into the …
PIA05445
Sol (our sun)
Microscopic Imager, Rock Abr …
Title Opportunity Slices into the Surface of Mars
Original Caption Released with Image The semi-circular depression on the right side of this microscopic image resulted from Opportunity's first grinding of a rock on Mars. The rock abrasion tool sliced into the surface about 4 millimeters (0.16 inches) deep and ground off a patch 45.5 millimeters (1.8 inches) in diameter on a rock called "McKittrick" during Opportunity's 30th sol on Mars, Feb. 23, 2004. The hole exposed fresh interior material of the rock for close inspection by the rover's microscopic imager and two spectrometers on the robotic arm. Scientists and engineers got a nice bonus in that two spherical features nicknamed "blueberries" were unexpectedly cut in half within this rock. Team members had noticed the blueberries in earlier pictures on other rocks in the outcrop and had wanted to attempt to cut one in half sometime during the future of the mission. As luck would have it, two blueberries were hidden in the depths of "McKittrick." The one blueberry shown in the bottom right of this picture appears to have been scratched by the grinding wheel, which is further explained in PIA05446 [ http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA05446 ]. The two rectangular boxes in the lower left and upper middle parts of this image are "drop outs," where the data packets inadvertently did not make it back to Earth during the initial communications relay via the Deep Space Network antennas. The missing data packets should be resent to Earth within the next few days. Just above each of the black "drop out" rectangles is another rectangular area filled with a cluster of smaller rectangles in different shades of gray, which are image compression artifacts. For more information about the "blueberries," please see JPL's Press Release dated February 9, 2004. [ http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/newsroom/pressreleases/20040209a.html ] For more microscopic images of the results from Opportunity's first use of the rock abrasion tool, please see the raw images for sol 30. [ http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/opportunity_m030.html ] The rock abrasion tools on both Mars Exploration Rovers were supplied by Honeybee Robotics, New York, N.Y.
Grinding Wheel Profile
PIA05446
Sol (our sun)
Microscopic Imager, Rock Abr …
Title Grinding Wheel Profile
Original Caption Released with Image This graphic dubbed by engineers as the "Grinding Wheel Profile" is the detective's tool used by the Opportunity team to help them understand one of the processes that formed the interior of a rock called "McKittrick." Scientists are looking for clues as to how layers, grains and minerals helped create this rock, and the engineers who built the rock abrasion tool (RAT) wanted to ensure that their instrument's handiwork did not get confused with natural processes. In the original microscopic image underlaying the graphics, engineers and scientists noticed "layers" or "scratches" on the spherical object nicknamed "blueberry" in the lower right part of the image. The designers of the rock abrasion tool noticed that the arc length and width of the scratches were similar to the shape and size of the rock abrasion tool's grinding wheel, which is made out of a pad of diamond teeth. The scrapes on the bottom right blueberry appear to be caused by the fact that the berry got dislodged slightly and its surface was scraped with the grinding pad. In this image, the largest yellow circle is the overall diameter of the hole ground by the rock abrasion tool and the largest yellow rectangular shape is the area of the grinding wheel bit. The smaller yellow semi-circle is the path that the center of the grinding tool follows. The orange arrow arcing around the solid yellow circle (center of grinding tool) indicates the direction that the grinding tool spins around its own center at 3,000 revolutions per minute. The tool simultaneously spins in an orbit around the center of the hole, indicated by the larger orange arrow to the left. The grinding tool is 22 millimeters (0.9 inches) in length and the actual grinding surface, which consists of the diamond pad, is 1.5 millimeters (0.06 inches) in length, indicated by the two smaller rectangles. You can see that the smaller bottom rectangle fits exactly the width of the scrape marks. The grooves on the blueberry are also the same as the curvature of the arced pathway in which the grinding tool spins. By overlaying appropriately scaled representations of the rock abrasion tool schematics, the evidence reveals a strong indication that the scrapes on the blueberry were induced by the tool, rather than caused by some natural geologic process. The two rectangular boxes in the lower left and upper middle parts of this image are "drop outs," where the data packets inadvertently did not make it back to Earth during the initial communications relay via the Deep Space Network antennas. The missing data packets should be resent to Earth within the next few days. Just above each of the black "drop out" rectangles is another rectangular area filled with a cluster of smaller rectangles in different shades of gray, which are image compression artifacts. The rock abrasion tools on both Mars Exploration Rovers were supplied by Honeybee Robotics, New York, N.Y.
A Grind Well Done
PIA05661
Sol (our sun)
Microscopic Imager, Rock Abr …
Title A Grind Well Done
Original Caption Released with Image This microscopic image mosaic was created on sol 85 after NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit completed a second grind with its rock abrasion tool at the target "New York" on the rock named "Mazatzal." The three-hour, 23-minute grind occurred on sol 83. This grind was performed at the same location but at a slightly different angle than the first grind, which occurred on sol 82. This second drilling now reveals a full and somewhat deeper circle of underlying rock that will allow for a more complete analysis of the interior of the rock. "After the First Grind" This mosaic of four images from the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's microscopic imager shows a target called "New York" on the surface of "Mazatzal." The image was acquired on sol 82 of the rover's mission after the rover ground into the left half of the target. The right side of the target has been brushed but not drilled. Later, on sol 85, the rover ground the right side to complete the hole. Each image making up this mosaic is 3 centimeters (1.2 inches) across.
A Tough Grind
PIA05658
Sol (our sun)
Microscopic Imager, Rock Abr …
Title A Tough Grind
Original Caption Released with Image NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit took the four images that make up this mosaic with its microscopic imager on sol 82. The mosaic reveals the drilled surface of the target called "New York" on the rock dubbed "Mazatzal." The rock abrasion tool ground for 3 hours and 45 minutes to create this 3.8 millimeter-deep (0.15 inch) hole. The exposed area is 4.5 centimeters (1.8 inches) in diameter. Mazatzal was an interesting rock to grind because it has a lighter tone than the previously ground rocks "Adirondack" and "Humphrey," and because it looks different from its surrounding environment. Scientists hypothesized that Mazatzal's surface might be covered with a rind of weathered material. They drilled through this very top layer to reveal the underlying rock. Because Mazatzal's surface was not even, the left half of the rock was penetrated more deeply than the right. As can be seen in this image, the right, darker portion of the rock is still covered by the rind material. Spirit completed a second grind at this location at a different angle to remove the remaining veneer from the right side and create an even deeper hole. Images of this second grind will be sent back to Earth in the next sol or two. "After the Final Grind" The image was acquired on sol 85 after the rover drilled into New York a second time with its rock abrasion tool. Remnants of the dark grey coating that covers Mazatzal's interior can be seen at the right side of the hole. The crack in the rock may have once contained fluids out of which minerals precipitated. Each image making up this mosaic is 3 centimeters (1.2 inches) across.
What's on the Inside Counts
PIA05675
Sol (our sun)
Alpha Particle X-ray Spectro …
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.
Outer Appearances Can Be Dec …
PIA05674
Sol (our sun)
Alpha Particle X-ray Spectro …
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.
First Grinding of a Rock on …
PIA05223
Sol (our sun)
Panoramic Camera, Rock Abras …
Title First Grinding of a Rock on Mars
Original Caption Released with Image The round, shallow depression in this image resulted from history's first grinding of a rock on Mars. The rock abrasion tool on NASA's Spirit rover ground off the surface of a patch 45.5 millimeters (1.8 inches) in diameter on a rock called Adirondack during Spirit's 34th sol on Mars, Feb. 6, 2004. The hole is 2.65 millimeters (0.1 inch) deep, exposing fresh interior material of the rock for close inspection with the rover's microscopic imager and two spectrometers on the robotic arm. This image was taken by Spirit's panoramic camera, providing a quick visual check of the success of the grinding. The rock abrasion tools on both Mars Exploration Rovers were supplied by Honeybee Robotics, New York, N.Y.
Windows to Fresh Rock
PIA05638
Sol (our sun)
Hazard Identification Camera …
Title Windows to Fresh Rock
Original Caption Released with Image This hazard-avoidance camera image was taken by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit on sol 79 after completing a two-location brushing on the rock dubbed "Mazatzal." A coating of fine, dust-like material was successfully removed from targets named "Illinois" (right) and "New York" (left), revealing clean rock underneath. In this image, Spirit's panoramic camera mast assembly, or camera head, can be seen shadowing Mazatzal's surface. The center of the two brushed spots are approximately 10 centimeters (3.9 inches) apart and were aggressively analyzed by the instruments on the robotic arm on sol 80. On sol 81, the rover drilled into the New York target to expose the original rock underneath.
Circular Signs of the Rock A …
PIA05459
Sol (our sun)
Hazard Identification Camera …
Title Circular Signs of the Rock Abrasion Tool
Original Caption Released with Image This image was taken by Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's front hazard-avoidance camera, providing a circular sign of the success of the rover's first grinding of a rock. The round, shallow hole seen in this image is on a rock dubbed "McKittrick," located in the "El Capitan" area of the larger outcrop near Opportunity's landing site. Opportunity used its rock abrasion tool to grind off a patch of rock 45.5 millimeters (1.8 inches) in diameter during the 30th martian day, or sol, of its mission (Feb. 23, 2004). The grinding exposed fresh rock for close inspection by the rover's microscopic imager and two spectrometers located on its robotic arm. The Honeybee Robotics team, which designed and operates the rock abrasion tool, determined the depth of the cut at "McKittrick" to be 4.4 millimeters (0.17 inches) deep. On sol 34 (Feb. 27, 2004), the rover is scheduled to grind into its second target on the "El Capitan" area, a rock dubbed "Guadalupe" in the upper middle part of this image. The rock abrasion tools on both Mars Exploration Rovers were supplied by Honeybee Robotics, New York, N.Y.
Step 3: Grind the Rock
PIA05684
Sol (our sun)
Panoramic Camera, Rock Abras …
Title Step 3: Grind the Rock
Original Caption Released with Image This image was taken by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's panoramic camera during the rover's grinding of the rock dubbed "Mazatzal" with its rock abrasion tool. The picture shows the rock after the rover drilled 3.8 millimeters (.15 inches) into the target dubbed "New York" on Sol 82. The dark grey coating seen after brushing remains on the right side of the hole, while the left side is the underlying basaltic rock. This approximate true-color image was created using the panoramic camera's red, green and blue filters.
Step 2: Clean the Areas
PIA05683
Sol (our sun)
Panoramic Camera, Rock Abras …
Title Step 2: Clean the Areas
Original Caption Released with Image This image was taken by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's panoramic camera during the rover's grinding of the rock dubbed "Mazatzal" with its rock abrasion tool. The picture shows the rock after two targets dubbed "New York" (left) and "Illinois" were brushed on sol 81. The exposed, dark surface is a second coating beneath a top white veneer. This approximate true-color image was created using the panoramic camera's red, green and blue filters.
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