What are the new disc-shaped rock features?
NASA's Curiosity rover recently encountered a shift in Martian geology, discovering bedrock blocks covered in small, disc-shaped lumps. These features measure approximately 3 to 4 millimeters across and 1 millimeter thick. Scientists suggest these shapes may result from the growth habits of specific crystalline minerals that form in evaporating fluids, or they could represent fragments of a harder rock layer that have broken apart and accumulated in the area.
The rover captured these detailed images using its Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI), a camera mounted on the robotic arm. By using an onboard focusing process, the team created a composite image that brings the fine details of the rock texture into sharp focus. This discovery occurred as the rover explored the region near Valle Grande, where it has been mapping sedimentary structures.
How will the team identify these minerals?
To determine the composition of these unique formations, the mission team is initiating a new drilling campaign. This effort will utilize the rover's CheMin X-ray diffraction instrument, which is essential for identifying specific minerals. Having traveled over one kilometer since its last drill site at Campo Marte, the rover is now positioned to perform its first drill above the erosional supersurface to analyze the new samples.
The team is currently conducting site characterization using various instruments on the rover's arm, including the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) and the Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instrument. These steps are designed to provide the necessary data to understand how these rocks formed and eroded, contributing to the broader mission goal of mapping the geological history of the Martian surface.
