Sol 12 on onward general imaging, First TEGA delivery Options

[remcook]

a beauty! and good news on the oven

[ahecht]

In fact, one hypothesis is that it finally went through the screen because of this sublimation of water.

Another possibility is that the exposure to UV from the sun dissipated the static charge that had built up within the soil.

[nprev]

I don't think that UV exposure would dissipate a static charge, if that's what's holding the soil clumps together. However, prolonged surface contact with the oven doors (if they're conductive, which they appear to be) might do it, combined with a sol or two of thermal expansion/contraction to loosen things up.

[ngunn]

James, that picture will go the distance. Submit it to APOD, and the wider press. It will be in books 50 years from now - if there are still books.

So, the coagulation has gone away. Which was it - defrosted or discharged? Can we expect to find out??

If melting (yes, briefly liquid saline water) makes the soil coagulate then concretise, then what is the best strategy for getting ice through the sieve? Move it at night???

[ugordan]

James, yes, you really should submit that to APOD, you did an awesome job. That single mosaic perhaps best captures what Phoenix was sent to do on Mars - dig!

I took the liberty of slightly tweaking your color balance, I hope you don't mind:


And a quick color composite of the automatically generated mosaic, complete with bad filter pointing:

[Stu]

I've missed all today's great news because I've been at work, so apologies for adding this late, but a) woo-hoo for the ovenful of dust! and seriously James, you've produced a classic, definitive image there, you should try to get it seen by as many people as possible. Great job on TPS blog too, BTW.

[nprev]

If melting (yes, briefly liquid saline water) makes the soil coagulate then concretise, then what is the best strategy for getting ice through the sieve? Move it at night???

Nigel, I don't think a liquid phase is possible at that temp & atmospheric pressure; ice would have to sublimate. Same basic result, though, as far as clod decomposition. (I guess...Would ice under these conditions form bonding chains in the soil, or would it tend to accrete in little discrete clumps of its own?)

Sure wish Phoenix had a relative humidity sensor (ideally at the end of the arm!), but I can't even imagine how to build one for Martian conditions.

Oh, and James, let me add my voice to the chorus: an absolutely striking image!!!

[jmjawors]

Today's briefing has now been posted online.

[LINK]

[DFinfrock]

James, you've produced a classic, definitive image there

The half resolution image makes a great new wallpaper. Thanks James!

David

[Aussie]

Yep. That image went straight to the desktop. Brilliant!

[Astro0]

That one goes straight into the gallery!
Brilliant as always James.

As ugordan has done, here's a variation on your image.


Astro0

[jamescanvin]

Thanks for the comments, and nice variations. I usually reduce the saturation myself from what my software spits out, but this was done as a bit of a rush job while very tired. I may redo it tonight, this one deserves a bit of effort.

James

[mars loon]

I may redo it tonight, this one deserves a bit of effort.

great work. you should submit !

[ngunn]

Nigel, I don't think a liquid phase is possible at that temp & atmospheric pressure; ice would have to sublimate.

I know this is in the wrong thread anyway but I just want to set the record straight. I'm not suggesting a transient liquid state now, at the surface. I'm suggesting a possible transient liquid state at some season/time of day a few centimetres down, just above the permanently frozen layer. By the time of digging it's probably already freeze-dried, I agree. Not arguing against dry electrostatic clumping either. Here's hoping we find out which soon.

[Guest_Oersted_*]

Marvellous effort James, and yes, I definitely want to see it on APOD as well. They are very friendly guys, and would certainly be happy about your contribution.

I was very surprised at all the feedback from all over the world I got when I had a pic on APOD: emails from all the continents (still waiting for Antarctica though). The APOD page is translated into all major languages and many minor ones as well, so a LOT of people get to see it.