We continue to characterize “The Prow,” which stands proud above nearby flat lying dust coated bedrock. Our sedimentologists are very keen to get grain size measurements, as this can give very valuable insights into conditions at the time the sediments were laid down.
A change in grain size can show that we have changing conditions over time, so getting MAHLI on rocks here is the highest priority so that we can get a solid measurement of grain size.
Unfortunately, the underlying bedrock is very dusty making grain size identification difficult and, as Susanne told us in the last blog, getting Curiosity up close to The Prow is proving very difficult.
However, we have had a couple of lucky breaks … literally! The GEO team has identified a float block “Toron,” which broke off The Prow but whose original location up on The Prow can be identified. In today’s plan we will drive to this block, which was analyzed by ChemCam earlier in the week, and will hopefully be in a position to analyze grain size for The Prow.
We were able to find a brushable target “Suapi” in our current workspace, so we can clear dust and analyze with MAHLI and APXS. Additionally, the rover wheels broke apart some bedrock as we drove to our current workspace, so we are getting a six image MAHLI mosaic on the freshly exposed “The Test” bedrock target.
ChemCam are analyzing the targets “Sororopan” and “Parime” in the underlying bedrock, “Yuruani” up on The Prow and “Paikwa” on the Toron block we will be aiming for in our weekend drive.
We complement the geological analysis with a full suite of atmospheric measurements, monitoring dust content in the atmosphere and looking for dust devils on the horizon.
Related Links
Curiosity Mars Science Laboratory
Mars News and Information at MarsDaily.com
Lunar Dreams and more
|
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook – our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don’t have a paywall – with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution. |
||
|
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal |
 |
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only |
Sols 3369-3370: Ok Then, Maybe Not, Mars
Pasadena CA (JPL) Jan 27, 2022
In the last blog my colleague Lucy expressed excited hope for today’s planning of close-up imagery of the rocks we tried to approach at ‘The Prow.’ But, well, sometimes Mars does not read the script. If you ever drove off-road (or in heavy snow, for that matter), you’ll know that the landscape always rules.
There is no point trying to fight it, it will win. Our attempt to drive to the outcrop showed that the terrain is tricky, and that sand under the wheels caused slippage which meant we once agai … read more