Home Plate Summary Options

[dvandorn]

Perhaps the hydrothermal or volcanic vent theories are still in the running for the origin of HP, and they really want to see if the center of the "vent" is any different, mineralogically or structurally, from the edges. That would tend to prove or disprove any vent theory. (In mroe geologic terms, radial observation/sampling of the feature is called for.)

So, see, there are circumstances in which it's not only OK to leave an interesting spot on a feature, it's a good idea to check and see if the data you've already collected is really pointing you in a given direction, or not...

-the other Doug

[edstrick]

ElkGroveDan': How about Chinese Onion Cakes?

Um...they clearly have festoons. They're over at meridiani.
<grin!>

[Guest_Richard Trigaux_*]

I am very puzzled too they don't publish any results of analysis. But if they do so, they may have a serious reason. I note that, anyway, on the rovers site, they often comment events and image extensively, but just quote analysis results in some words "basaltic rock" or the like. See the results of Ultreya analysis, keeping in three words, when this mistery was a leitmotiv since months.

Climbing on top of Homeplate, as tdemko noted earlier, seems useless:

... I understand the need to get a view of the top of Homeplate...but, we could have easily guessed what we see now: the top of the cross-laminated upper unit, eroded and blasted by subsequent impacts. ...

The only thing we learn from this is that the overal stratigraphy is nearby horizontal, a fact which was not obvious from the first side cross-section. (it sometimes happens that stratigraphy appears distorted close to a surface)


But there may be a surprise with the analysis, or an unexpected difficulty. If Homeplate was simply some volcanic ash deposit, they would have found it easily and published immediatelly, as with Ultreya. If it was salt too. (after all, it is not the first salt we find on Mars). But their silence is tell tale of something else. either:
-the composition is completelly unexpected or very interesting (for instance limestone)
-the analysis were not conclusive, for instance Homeplate is a sandstone witht the grains and the cement of different compositions, as some microscopic imager images suggest. If so, the X ray spectrometer would show a mixture of the two spectra.

Ok... contest: What's the silliest layered gunk we can come up with for lunatik-fringe specualtions on what Home Plate is made of?

I cannot resist this guilty temptation...

-thick layers of mantras left by tibetan monks billions years ago.

Not bad enough?

-Billion years old beach with still footprints of beautiful martian maiden...

Still worse?

-Damn that stupids had to step just on my heap of unpaid bills.

[alan]

Any explanation for the rock to the right of spirit's solar panels?
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all...5P2274L2M1.HTML
It almost looks like someone used a trowel to smooth part of it.

[Bill Harris]

Odd. Let's look a the L7 R1 images as a stereo pair.

I'll need to do this manually, so if someone wants to go ahead, feel free.

--Bill

[stevo]

How about Chinese Onion Cakes?
http://www.saturdaymarket.com/chinabreakfa...ges/layered.jpg

I have to put in a vote for Kueh Lapis - fewer inclusions, more regular layering...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/46949250@N00/4395796/

[RNeuhaus]

Perhaps the hydrothermal or volcanic vent theories are still in the running for the origin of HP, and they really want to see if the center of the "vent" is any different, mineralogically or structurally, from the edges. That would tend to prove or disprove any vent theory. (In mroe geologic terms, radial observation/sampling of the feature is called for.)

So, see, there are circumstances in which it's not only OK to leave an interesting spot on a feature, it's a good idea to check and see if the data you've already collected is really pointing you in a given direction, or not...

-the other Doug

I think it the same. I saw that the center of HP there is some kind of hole surronded by higher density of stones. It would be worth that Spirit stop over that and analyze the minerology structure there.

Rodolfo

[Holder of the Tw...]

I am very puzzled too they don't publish any results of analysis. But if they do so, they may have a serious reason. I note that, anyway, on the rovers site, they often comment events and image extensively...

My guess is they're simply too busy right now, probably a bit of a crisis, trying to get home plate taken care of as best they can before they have to leave. We'll see the results soon enough when Spirit departs.

Ok... contest: What's the silliest layered gunk we can come up with for lunatik-fringe specualtions on what Home Plate is made of?

Millions of years of guano! We've discovered an ancient giant martian bat nesting site!

[ElkGroveDan]

I have to put in a vote for Kueh Lapis - fewer inclusions, more regular layering...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/46949250@N00/4395796/

I think I see a strike-slip fault there in the lower left.

[Guest_Richard Trigaux_*]

My guess is they're simply too busy right now, probably a bit of a crisis, trying to get home plate taken care of as best they can before they have to leave. We'll see the results soon enough when Spirit departs.

I think that Homeplate is the most interesting site around, they should not depart so fast, and take the time to do what there is to do, without planning to come back one day (Spirit could stop working before). What is there to see in the hills that was not yet seen?

Millions of years of guano! We've discovered an ancient giant martian bat nesting site!

Eeeek! No wonder if they don't publish!


Hey but... What happens if the bats ARE COMING BACK???

[djellison]

I think that Homeplate is the most interesting site around, they should not depart so fast.

There's no choice to be made. The rover WILL DIE SOON if they stay here much longer. There's no question - it's a fact. They HAVE to go toward that good slope, and they HAVE to go SOON. When Spring comes, when the conditions are better, and there's every chance Spirit will survive winter, then they can revisit HP and do a proper job on it.

Doug

[Nix]

I'd even say make the visit as short as possible so Spirit has all the more chance of being a healthy girl for a later, second visit.
Observations from Mc Cool Hill will add to the data collected now wether it's meaningful to return in the first place.(it probably is I recon)

On the way uphill we'll also get to see the isolated locations of exposed layering -which has been visible since the day Spirit landed btw and they look... I don't know but I hope to see 'em up close. For now I'm verry happy though to see Home Plate in this detail!

Nico

[ToSeek]

Scientists say what they want
Engineers say what is possible
Management say what is fundable

A scientist, an engineer, and a manager were driving in a car when the brakes fail just as they go over the top of a hill. The driver just barely manages to keep the car under control and then pull it to the side of the road and let it coast to a stop.

The manager says, "Okay, let's get together and develop a mission statement so we know how to handle this."

The engineer says, "No, it's no big deal, probably just a loose cable. I can fix it in five minutes."

The scientist says, "No, the first thing we need to do is to push the car back up the hill and see if it's reproducible."

[lyford]

If it were a software engineer (s)he would have said:
"Turn it off, and everyone get out of the car then get back in and it should work fine..."

[ljk4-1]

Three men are awaiting execution at the guillotine
during the French Revolution.

The first one puts his head in the stocks, but the blade
sticks in place and does not fall. The officials claim it is
an Act of God and let him go free.

Same thing happens to the second man.

Then an engineer puts his head in the stocks. He peers up
at the stuck blade and says:

"Oh, I see what's wrong with this thing...."