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Unmanned Spaceflight.com _ Opportunity _ Cape York - Northern Havens

Posted by: Stu Nov 21 2011, 02:30 PM

Oppy seems to have stopped to catch her breath at Turkey Haven, and the latest Hazcams show she is preparing to spend some time studying the rocks there, so this seems like a good time to start a new topic.

If you have any images/observations to share relating to Oppy's approach to Turkey Haven, please post them in the previous thread.

To start us going, here's my take on Oppy's view of Turkey Haven - not suggesting the colours are particularly realistic, but they do show, I think, the great variety of tones and hues visible on the rocks at this intriguing place...


Posted by: fredk Nov 21 2011, 03:31 PM

This image shows perfectly that we've made it to the ridge of CY:
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/forward_hazcam/2011-11-21/1F375075157EFFBQPXP1205R0M1.JPG?sol2781
It also shows nicely that CY is basically a "shelf" jutting out into Endeavour, as we'd said a long time ago. We've been travelling north up the flat part of the shelf. I think this is the first time we can clearly see the full relief of CY - it does jut out quite a ways from the average slope into Endeavour.

Posted by: Tesheiner Nov 21 2011, 03:49 PM

That's part of a 3x1 navcam mosaic (navcam_3x1_az_126_3_bpp) shot yestersol. Expect another 7x1 mosaic shot today so we will finally (probably) have a whole 360deg. view. cool.gif

Posted by: mhoward Nov 21 2011, 05:39 PM

Opportunity's position on sol 2781. This view is cobbled together from two locations over three sols.

 

Posted by: Stu Nov 21 2011, 05:57 PM

UnbeLEEvable timing!!! I was just about to post a sharpened-up anaglyph I've made of part of Turkey Haven, about to invite everyone to look at the beautiful, fragile-looking rock sculptures at the bottom left... then you go and show that Oppy has driven right over them!!!


Posted by: Bill Harris Nov 21 2011, 07:27 PM

It appears that our "holiday" science stop will be at site T2_Haven, so here is an L257 of that site.

The mind clicks and whirrs and theorizes and this area will prove to be unimaginably complex.

--Bill

 

Posted by: Stu Nov 21 2011, 07:48 PM

Best colour view I can manage...



You're right Bill... fascinating place... Love how lots of the rocks appear to have a dark coating on them on their tops and sides, yet the bases look cleaner...

Posted by: walfy Nov 21 2011, 08:03 PM

Wow, I thought this new outcrop was much larger in size! Got fooled again. Nothing like having Oppy in the picture to put things into perspective.

Posted by: fredk Nov 21 2011, 08:08 PM

QUOTE (Stu @ Nov 21 2011, 07:48 PM) *
lots of the rocks appear to have a dark coating on them on their tops and sides, yet the bases look cleaner...
I'm thinking it's the other way around - usually the lighter areas are dust, which piles up around the bases of the rocks, while the parts more exposed to the wind stay cleaner.

Posted by: nprev Nov 21 2011, 08:12 PM

Remarkable. Looks a bit like a minaturized version of the Belt formation in Montana.

Posted by: Stu Nov 21 2011, 08:46 PM

QUOTE (fredk @ Nov 21 2011, 08:08 PM) *
I'm thinking it's the other way around - usually the lighter areas are dust, which piles up around the bases of the rocks, while the parts more exposed to the wind stay cleaner.


Yeah, makes sense. I should have known that. rolleyes.gif

Posted by: mhoward Nov 21 2011, 09:30 PM

QUOTE (walfy @ Nov 21 2011, 01:03 PM) *
I thought this new outcrop was much larger in size!


I was mostly trying to capture the scenic view with that last one. Here's a more basic view showing the relative size of the outcrop. This view faces south and somewhat down (-17 degrees elevation), and you can see the area Pancam has covered so far.

P.S. I'm not sure what the northward tilt is right now, but I'm pretty sure it's over 10 degrees, maybe quite a bit over that I'm seeing something between 9.9 and 12 degrees, maybe.

 

Posted by: mhoward Nov 21 2011, 09:50 PM

Just one more. Facing south. The rover position is probably off just a little bit.


 

Posted by: jamescanvin Nov 21 2011, 10:33 PM

Here is the Turkey Haven parking spot in colour.

http://www.nivnac.co.uk/mer/index.php/b2779

James

Posted by: Ant103 Nov 22 2011, 01:32 AM

Sol 2781 navcam pan. Full view on Endeavour !
http://www.db-prods.net/marsroversimages/Opportunity/2011/Sol2781-pano.jpg

Posted by: walfy Nov 22 2011, 04:19 AM

A fun little gif-movie in which the other side of the ridge comes into view somewhat. Oppy steams right up to the edge! Fantastic little rover.



Posted by: CosmicRocker Nov 22 2011, 05:11 AM

smile.gif Look at her climb right up there!
.............Nice driving. wheel.gif

Posted by: Tesheiner Nov 22 2011, 08:12 AM

Some additional navcam images hit the exploratorium during the last update. There're two pictures still missing and autostitch has some trouble to correctly match the available ones, but in any case the view worth posting this crude mosaic.


Posted by: jvandriel Nov 22 2011, 11:14 AM

Here is the complete view from Sol 2781 taken with the
L0 Navcam.

Jan van Driel


Posted by: Bill Harris Nov 22 2011, 11:38 AM

A little side-trip here: one thing that the MERB Project is doing lately is that duplicated images are getting posted to Exploratorium when the images are absolutely identical with no noise or data dropouts (ie, the "-M1" and "-M2" images). For example,

1P374984334EFFBQPHP2433L2M1.jpg
1P374984334EFFBQPHP2433L2M2.jpg

are identical but with a different filename.

Does anyone have a clue as to what is happening here?

--Bill

Posted by: Tesheiner Nov 22 2011, 11:59 AM

Just let me remark that the same happens at the MER website so it may be something at the "feeder" common to both sites.

Posted by: paxdan Nov 22 2011, 01:49 PM

Info on decoding MER filenames http://marsrover.nasa.gov/gallery/edr_filename_key.html.

The difference is the "Product version number" a "Version identifier providing uniqueness for book keeping".

Of course this does not answer the 'why'.

Posted by: Ant103 Nov 22 2011, 03:32 PM

Sols 2779 & 2780 color pan updated. Just love this colourfull place smile.gif.

http://www.db-prods.net/marsroversimages/Opportunity/2011/Sol2779-2780-pancam.jpg

And Sols 2781 & 2782 full 360 pan :

http://www.db-prods.net/marsroversimages/Opportunity/2011/Sol2781-2782-pano.jpg

Posted by: eoincampbell Nov 22 2011, 04:13 PM

A Thanksgiving Thank You Round-up is in order to everyone supplying these wonderful Haven views: Thank You.
Here's hoping for a feast of science from these upcoming measurements!

Posted by: Phil Stooke Nov 22 2011, 04:55 PM

Fourmidable!

Here's a polar view of the full panorama. If there are dust devils - rare, but we know they are possible here - this would be a good place to do a survey looking for them, maybe in the spring.

Phil


Posted by: Stu Nov 22 2011, 07:01 PM

Gorgeous polar view, Phil, and The Dagger stands out really clearly on there...

...speaking of which, take one of the new navcams, stretch and contort it untyil it begs for mercy, and The Dagger really jumps out...


Posted by: marswiggle Nov 22 2011, 07:33 PM

Thanks to everyone for the great images. Being not as skilled myself, I only could take advantage of Ant103's full panorama to produce this sideways compressed version of the view. Cropped sky and part of the foreground. Gives some idea of the relative heights and contours at this location.

 

Posted by: Bill Harris Nov 23 2011, 01:07 PM

And here, in a glorious x-eyed, lens-corrected, stereo FHazcam view, is the IDD toolkit about to *thwack T2 Haven on Sol-2781:

--Bill

 

Posted by: Matt Lenda Nov 23 2011, 07:37 PM

Fantastic images so far...

Huge amounts of data will be coming down soon. Yesterday we planned a whole slew of Pancams for a science "experiment" that one of our science folks wanted to do, and today we've got a few MI stacks in the queue and a continuation of the Pancam observations. Load it up, load it up...

But, the data won't all be down until Monday or so. We're very "restricted" in our planning because of the holiday weekend -- I think we're planning sols 2787-2789 today but we only have downlink from sol 2783 -- so we have to load up on a bunch of sols. Which means less IDD or drive work. Booooo.

-m

Posted by: ngunn Nov 23 2011, 07:56 PM

QUOTE (Phil Stooke @ Nov 22 2011, 04:55 PM) *
If there are dust devils - rare, but we know they are possible here - this would be a good place to do a survey looking for them


QUOTE (Matt Lenda @ Nov 23 2011, 07:37 PM) *
Yesterday we planned a whole slew of Pancams for a science "experiment" that one of our science folks wanted to do


I hope you called it right, Phil. I like the idea of a whole slew of crater vistas. smile.gif (There again it could be sixty pictures of the same rock - or the sundial.)

Posted by: Bill Harris Nov 24 2011, 12:16 PM

Don't get your hopes up for imagery this Holiday weekend. All we have today are a bunch of Homestake MI images and some boring OtherScience PanCams.

I wouldn't be suprised if things get a bit spotty for the next few weeks. The launch of Curiosity will take up resources. And there is limited bandwidth on the DSN downlink and a whole sackload of science they want to get started on working restricted workdays before/at the Holidays. The proverbial quart in a pint pot, they are prioritizing and doing the age-old Task Juggle.

In a way, we become like spoilt children. We want it, and we want it All. Now. We need to be patient and realize that it'll happen when it happens.

[/philosophization OFF]

--Bill

Posted by: Stu Nov 24 2011, 04:00 PM

All true, Bill. We'll get what we get, when we get it, when it's possible to get it to us. End of story. If anyone starts to suffer withdrawl symptoms from images, there's a new release of Oppy images to the PDS on the 28th - sols 2521-2610, the section ofher trek which included those small craters named after historical NASA manned spacecraft, etc - to trawl through and make pretty pictures out of. smile.gif

( And if anyone dares to moan this year about the MER team having the Thanksgiving holidays off, or doing less during this period, or accuses them of slacking, I will personally go round to their house and give them a Benny Hill-style slap on the head whilst shouting "Shut up!!!!" They deserve and need a break from their jobs now and again, just like the rest of us. )

Posted by: ronatu Nov 25 2011, 03:32 AM

QUOTE (Stu @ Nov 24 2011, 12:00 PM) *
All true, Bill. We'll get what we get, when we get it, when it's possible to get it to us. End of story. If anyone starts to suffer withdrawl symptoms from images, there's a new release of Oppy images to the PDS on the 28th - sols 2521-2610, the section ofher trek which included those small craters named after historical NASA manned spacecraft, etc - to trawl through and make pretty pictures out of. smile.gif

( And if anyone dares to moan this year about the MER team having the Thanksgiving holidays off, or doing less during this period, or accuses them of slacking, I will personally go round to their house and give them a Benny Hill-style slap on the head whilst shouting "Shut up!!!!" They deserve and need a break from their jobs now and again, just like the rest of us. )


Do you know if Opportunity will drive a little more before winter? And if not - when driving will resume?

Posted by: centsworth_II Nov 25 2011, 03:58 AM

QUOTE (ronatu @ Nov 24 2011, 10:32 PM) *
Do you know if Opportunity will drive a little more before winter? And if not - when driving will resume?

From Stu's http://roadtoendeavour.wordpress.com/2011/11/19/ask-the-experts/
"...mainly we’re just hoping to survive the winter! If we find a good north-facing slope, we might be able to make brief 'sorties' throughout the winter to nearby targets of geologic interest..."

And from http://opportunityendeavour.blogspot.com/2011/11/day-in-life-bsols-2778-2779-oh-how-we.html
"We still have some trekking to do to find all the best slopes, and to see what slopes also have good science targets.... I expect activity to dwindle down throughout December, with January-April being 'hunker down' months with occasional science activities."

I'm sure no one knows the actual driving plans for the winter/spring. A cleaning event would certainly change things, as would an unfortunate dusting event.

Posted by: stevesliva Nov 25 2011, 05:11 AM

Also, the official status update mentioned that this was one of two havens being considered.
http://marsrovers.nasa.gov/mission/status_opportunityAll.html

QUOTE
There are two candidate sites for winter havens that indicate sufficient northerly tilt. Opportunity is investigating one of those two sites with the plan to spend the Thanksgiving holiday there. Because of the coming holiday, the project implemented multi-sol plans for the last three planning days before Thanksgiving.


If watt-hours decrease precipitously, no doubt they'll stay put. If not...

Posted by: Bill Harris Nov 25 2011, 11:18 AM

And most of the data this morning dealt with two superres Pancam sequences of Endeavour Rim, which don't have much to do with the current science targets at The Havens

--Bill

Posted by: Ant103 Nov 25 2011, 02:46 PM

Sol 2785 color view of Cape Tribulation.

http://www.db-prods.net/marsroversimages/Opportunity/2011/Sol2785-pancam.jpg

Posted by: Phil Stooke Nov 25 2011, 05:13 PM

Fantastic view!

Phil


Posted by: ElkGroveDan Nov 25 2011, 05:56 PM

Wow. If that were covered in snow it would make for a five or six mile toboggan ride.

Posted by: Matt Lenda Nov 25 2011, 08:54 PM

QUOTE (Stu @ Nov 24 2011, 09:00 AM) *
All true, Bill. We'll get what we get, when we get it, when it's possible to get it to us. End of story. If anyone starts to suffer withdrawl symptoms from images, there's a new release of Oppy images to the PDS on the 28th - sols 2521-2610, the section ofher trek which included those small craters named after historical NASA manned spacecraft, etc - to trawl through and make pretty pictures out of. smile.gif

( And if anyone dares to moan this year about the MER team having the Thanksgiving holidays off, or doing less during this period, or accuses them of slacking, I will personally go round to their house and give them a Benny Hill-style slap on the head whilst shouting "Shut up!!!!" They deserve and need a break from their jobs now and again, just like the rest of us. )

Honestly, part of me wants to fly back to Pasadena (I'm home in CO for vacay!) right now and sweat out that high-calorie Thanksgiving meal with a good tactical planning day!

QUOTE (centsworth_II @ Nov 24 2011, 08:58 PM) *
I'm sure no one knows the actual driving plans for the winter/spring. A cleaning event would certainly change things, as would an unfortunate dusting event.

Pretty much -- it's still a week-to-week assessment. It's just flat-out impossible to predict dust factor or Tau with anything less than completely unreasonable error bars. Historically we see many Tau and DF trends, none of which are useful on a tactical basis. They are what they are, we deal with it as it comes along.

-m

Posted by: Tesheiner Nov 25 2011, 08:55 PM

QUOTE (Phil Stooke @ Nov 25 2011, 06:13 PM) *
Fantastic view!

We are seeing two shots taken on L256R21 but for each of those two there are 15 (fifteen, yes) additional images on L6 filter at the same pointing. That would make for an incredibly detailed mosaic; someone should have a go on it.

Posted by: ngunn Nov 25 2011, 09:53 PM

And no doubt fredk will let us know if any dust-raising wind gusts (or cloud shadows) were traversing the area as the fifteen successive images were captured.

Posted by: Sunspot Nov 25 2011, 09:59 PM

Would the winter plans be reconsidered if there were a major solar panel cleaning event?

Posted by: ElkGroveDan Nov 25 2011, 10:23 PM

I would say yes. Every new sol is borrowed time. When they park the rovers to do nothing there is the constant tug and pull of; do we get more life/science out of this machine sitting still vs. moving on.? There's always the chance that one of the critical circuits will simply fail due to old age. So if they had abundant power, they'd probably head straight back over to Homestake and all the other enticing targets left behind over the last month

Posted by: SFJCody Nov 26 2011, 05:51 AM

QUOTE (Ant103 @ Nov 26 2011, 12:46 AM) *
Sol 2785 color view of Cape Tribulation.


Looking at this makes me think that cleaning events are more likely to occur if Oppy is on the inner part of the crater rim. Of course, settling on a north facing slope takes precedence.

Posted by: Bill Harris Nov 26 2011, 11:16 AM

Be on the lookout this weekend-- there are a couple of nice sequences in the pipeline.

The sequence P2577 with the b o r i n g name "photometry east" is a neat example of differential erosion-- the relatively resistant dark and blocky beds adjacent to the soft and weathering light and sandy beds. Example attached.

And "Mpangeni", struggling to get thru the pipeline, is enough to get a geologist all aquiver...

http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/pancam/2011-11-25/1P375513899EFFBQQEP2582L2M2.JPG

'Nuff said.

--Bill

 

Posted by: Matt Lenda Nov 26 2011, 03:59 PM

QUOTE (Sunspot @ Nov 25 2011, 02:59 PM) *
Would the winter plans be reconsidered if there were a major solar panel cleaning event?

Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: Yeeeeeeeeeeehawwwwwwwwwwww!

-m

Posted by: brellis Nov 27 2011, 12:34 AM

Looking at the peak in Ant103's gorgeous color pic from Sol 2785 -- after all these years and all this distance, it's so fun to think why the heck not? Put that one on the to-do list! wheel.gif smile.gif

Posted by: Stu Nov 27 2011, 09:57 AM

Rather nice new MI images... fascinating rocklets down at Oppy's wheels now...


Posted by: atomoid Nov 27 2011, 07:13 PM

fascinating MI indeed..
what's do you suppose the 'hair-like' thing at upper right is?
I remember seeing these early in the mission but not in many years..

Posted by: Oersted Nov 27 2011, 10:26 PM

Looks like a vein in the rock to me.

Early in the missions we had a few strands of airbag material that blew into the microscope images...

Posted by: Bill Harris Nov 27 2011, 11:18 PM

Agreed. This simply looks like a healed fracture in the rock. Too early to call it anything else-- we'll have more images in a few days.

The adjacent site "Mpangeni" has a very intriguing texture and shows both rounded and angular clasts in the matrix. Even down to the microscopic scale, this initial set of MI's at "T2_Haven" show this difference in particle angularity and a distressing lack of sorting.

This will prove to be an exciting area.

--Bill

Posted by: nprev Nov 27 2011, 11:18 PM

Agreed...a vein or a fracture.

Posted by: Stu Nov 27 2011, 11:43 PM

"Mpangeni"...


Posted by: nprev Nov 27 2011, 11:55 PM

...gesundheit! tongue.gif

Lovely work, Stu. THAT is an interesting-looking little beast...a wind-eroded breccia?

Posted by: Matt Lenda Nov 28 2011, 01:11 AM

I'm travel-weary and cranky. Someone fill me in on what's down from the weekend plan so I don't have to read my 76 (and counting) unread emails from today alone! (Read: "Do my work for me.")

wink.gif

-m

Posted by: Bill Harris Nov 28 2011, 02:17 AM

Main items down are an initial set of MI's from the current IDD target "T2_Haven" and some interesting shots of an adjacent site "Mpangeni" and a couple more nearby sites "photometry east and west" and "brightsoil east and west". and a couple of Superres sequences on Tribulation and Dunes.

All in all, a busy weekend.

--Bill

Posted by: brellis Nov 28 2011, 02:54 AM

Superres on Tribulation -- for the far-sighted among us! wheel.gif

Posted by: walfy Nov 28 2011, 09:58 AM

Mpangeni (is the name right?!) renders very nicely in 3D, from a fresh batch of images, Sol 2788.


Posted by: walfy Nov 28 2011, 10:22 AM

The martian rocks remind me of geological formations near Bariloche, Argentina:


Posted by: Stu Nov 28 2011, 03:35 PM

My 3D take on "Mpangeni"...


Posted by: marsophile Nov 28 2011, 03:46 PM

QUOTE (Stu @ Nov 28 2011, 07:35 AM) *
My 3D take on "Mpangeni"...


The cleft area seems to have a fibrous inclusion.

Posted by: ElkGroveDan Nov 28 2011, 03:46 PM

Whoa! Look at that crumbling v-notch. If it was a little larger and a thing like that could become a serious wheel trap.

Posted by: Stu Nov 28 2011, 03:55 PM

QUOTE (ElkGroveDan @ Nov 28 2011, 03:46 PM) *
Whoa! Look at that crumbling v-notch. If it was a little larger and a thing like that could become a serious wheel trap.


Yep... full resolution version here: http://twitpic.com/7l6252/full

Posted by: Phil Stooke Nov 28 2011, 03:58 PM

A mini-Dagger! Very nice.

Phil


Posted by: PDP8E Nov 29 2011, 03:51 AM

Here is a quick comparison of the sundial from Sol 55 to Sol 2718 (7+ yrs)
Both are from raw images and were identically processed.
The differences are sun angle (brightness), dust on the target, and probably the camera.
(L4,5,6 filters only)




Posted by: remcook Nov 29 2011, 07:59 AM

How did that VIMS composite of Titan (e.g. http://www.uidaho.edu/sci/physics/news/topfeatures/titan ) get there?! smile.gif

Posted by: Bill Harris Nov 29 2011, 10:57 AM

Here is an x-eyed stereo view of site Mpangeni, an L346 and R721 image.

Note the cleft in the lower left of the site apparently with active precipitation within the fracture.

--Bill


 

Posted by: fredk Nov 30 2011, 02:45 AM

Another drive and another incredible view on 2790:
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/navcam/2011-11-29/1N375873679EFFBQRZP1968R0M1.JPG?sol2790

Posted by: Matt Lenda Nov 30 2011, 03:17 AM

Heck yeah!

We're perched about 5 meters away from a very nice batch of northerly tilts. I spy a Winter Haven!

Unfortunately we're squeezed by late morning/early afternoon comm passes -- tighter than usual this week. Very little drive time, even though the energy is plenty high for it. Might take a few sols.

-m

Posted by: Bill Harris Nov 30 2011, 03:33 AM

And still a dusty LowGain antenna. Cf: this post: http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?act=findpost&hl=&pid=180403

They weren't kidding about travelling. Even with the smattering of Navcam views the comm passes allow these are tantalizing glimpses of CY morphology. Even the FHazcam images are great boot-scuffs of the surface.

Or, as The Great One said, "How sweet it is..."

--Bill

Posted by: Tesheiner Nov 30 2011, 10:29 AM

Here's the 3x1 navcam mosaic. Today's imaging plan includes the remaining 7 pictures so a whole 360º panorama should be available soon.


Posted by: Bill Harris Nov 30 2011, 01:30 PM

And a wonderful Pancam sequence of a new site, "Transvaal". Such great tonal range with fine gradation between colors, and such a texture of the surface.

--Bill

Posted by: ElkGroveDan Nov 30 2011, 01:48 PM

Wow. We can now see the Cyclops crater from the navcam.

Posted by: Zeke4ther Nov 30 2011, 04:55 PM

So, does that mean the tau has become better?

Posted by: Oersted Nov 30 2011, 05:21 PM

QUOTE (fredk @ Nov 30 2011, 03:45 AM) *
Another drive and another incredible view on 2790:
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/navcam/2011-11-29/1N375873679EFFBQRZP1968R0M1.JPG?sol2790


I'd have to wait for a three-d view to be sure, but it certainly looks like a good perch for rolling the wheels up on it and get a great tilt.

Posted by: Stu Nov 30 2011, 05:25 PM

"Transvaal"


Posted by: climber Nov 30 2011, 06:23 PM

Wondering why they choose names referring to South Africa while looking for Northern tilt rolleyes.gif

Posted by: fredk Nov 30 2011, 07:02 PM

QUOTE (ElkGroveDan @ Nov 30 2011, 01:48 PM) *
We can now see the Cyclops crater from the navcam.
It's been visible in navcam for quite a while - here's a shot from 2668:
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/1/n/2668/1N365047303EFFBKN5P1944R0M1.JPG
But it is easier to see now, since tau is gradually dropping. You can follow the tau http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/~lemmon/mars-tau-b.html

Posted by: fredk Nov 30 2011, 07:48 PM

I love the way that the summit of CY blends in with the other (much bigger) peaks around the rim of Endeavour in this shot:
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/navcam/2011-11-30/1N375873774EFFBQRZP1968R0M1.JPG?sol2790

Posted by: climber Nov 30 2011, 07:56 PM

Yep! Kinda Everest-like pan is coming up.

Posted by: Stu Nov 30 2011, 08:16 PM

Imagine striding up that slope, standing on the ridge and, shielding your eyes from the Sun with your gloved hand, looking over the other side, down onto the floor of Endeavour and across to the other side...



ohmy.gif ohmy.gif

(Wanted to make my 5,000th post something special smile.gif )

Posted by: marsophile Nov 30 2011, 08:23 PM

QUOTE (Stu @ Nov 27 2011, 01:57 AM) *
Rather nice new MI images...


Anyone know the location of this with respect to the pancam images?

Posted by: climber Nov 30 2011, 08:59 PM

QUOTE (Stu @ Nov 30 2011, 09:16 PM) *
Imagine striding up that slope, standing on the ridge and, shielding your eyes from the Sun with your gloved hand, looking over the other side, down onto the floor of Endeavour and across to the other side...
ohmy.gif ohmy.gif

Yes, I can imagine that...since you posted this 3D view. THANKS!

Posted by: walfy Nov 30 2011, 10:47 PM

My apologies for this unorthodox way of presenting this Sol 2790 shot, but it was the only way I could do it so parts of the image wouldn't be so headache inducing in 3D, had to chop it up! Anyway, more superb, freaky rocks, loaded with features:


Posted by: Bill Harris Nov 30 2011, 11:13 PM

Site "Transvaal", Sol-2790 , R721-L346 x-eyed stereo pair.

Compare with "Mpangeni" inpost #68 on 11/29.

--Bill

 

Posted by: fredk Dec 1 2011, 01:40 AM

Here's my attempt at de-headaching that view:


Posted by: walfy Dec 1 2011, 03:23 AM

QUOTE (fredk @ Nov 30 2011, 05:40 PM) *
Here's my attempt at de-headaching that view...

Does the trick for me! Very good.

Posted by: PDP8E Dec 1 2011, 03:42 AM

Here is an L456 of Transvaal. No sharping, just the barest of color cranking.
Notice the green in the top left corner, which always exhibits a vignette (... probably causing it)


Posted by: CosmicRocker Dec 1 2011, 06:33 AM

Here's Bill's X-eyed, false colored pair of Transvaal (sol 2790) in anaglyph form.


Posted by: Bill Harris Dec 1 2011, 08:25 AM

Thankee, Tom! Stereo for the masses. I don't bother with anaglyphs because I'm one of that type that can do x-eyed stero with my bare eyes. It's good to see other presentation types open up.

Not much more data for Sol-2790, but for tosol (hitting in about an hour) we'll have a set of L257 rear track "boot scuffs" (p2434), some L257Rall of "North Haven" (p2435), Finally: a pancam_foreground_quarter_L234567Rall (p2587) and a Navcam sequence to the NE (Az330). Nothing spectacular, but some nice puzzlepieces.

--Bill

Posted by: marsophile Dec 1 2011, 04:14 PM

QUOTE (marsophile @ Nov 30 2011, 12:23 PM) *
Anyone know the location of this with respect to the pancam images?


According to the Nov 30 TPS update, it was somewhere on Transvaal.

Posted by: fredk Dec 1 2011, 04:22 PM

Speaking of http://www.planetary.org/news/2011/1130_Mars_Exploration_Rover_Update.html

QUOTE
Squyres and Arvidson... are scheduled to announce the details of the Homestake discovery at the AGU fall meeting in San Francisco next Wednesday, December 7. An update will be posted once the embargo is lifted.

Posted by: Stu Dec 1 2011, 05:41 PM

Continuing our series of "Not suggesting for a moment that it's accurate, but it is pretty" Fanciful Images that Oppy Never Took, I give you, "Endeavour Sunrise..."


Posted by: fredk Dec 1 2011, 06:14 PM

There are lots of juicy tidbits in the latest Planetary update. Here are the highlights:

QUOTE
"The other cool thing we did... was what I call a triple crunch over Homestake," said Arvidson. "...We crunched it, removed the dust cover to the extent it existed, and exposed some bright sparkly bits."
OOhhh, sparkly bits. I wonder if that's a clue. Either way, the sparkles don't seem to have survived the jpegging/stretching of the released images.

QUOTE
When the data... on Transvaal arrived on Earth, the scientists basically shrugged. "It looks like Chester Lake, nothing special," as Arvidson summed it up.


Planning for winter:
QUOTE
"There's a southern candidate for a winter haven and a northern candidate... within about 20 meters of one another, and they both have slopes of 10 to 20 degrees north," said Arvidson... "...we will have to assess the science at both [sites] before deciding where the vehicle will spend the winter," added Squyres.
QUOTE
Callas: "...we need to be above a 5-degree slope by January. That means we don't have to hunker down now, and that we could spend December doing science, just as long as we're always never more than a short step away from getting into that winter haven."
QUOTE
Arvidson: "Then, sometime in January, we'll put the vehicle in either the northern site or the southern site and begin the winter science campaign there"


And some very interesting discussion about the possibility of cleaning events:
QUOTE
"It turns out in all the wind modeling and the observations that people see of streaks, if the vehicle is exposed to winds coming from the southeast, [from which] the winds blow during the Martian winters, there's a possibility for a dust clearing," said Arvidson.
QUOTE
At the place currently known as Turkey Haven, "we can actually see to the southeast into the crater Endeavour, so that would be a good place in terms of maximizing the chance that we'll get some dust removal," Arvidson pointed out. "We need to evaluate possible locations like that at the northern site."
QUOTE
"If we got 10-degree slope, we would have power levels comparable to the last Martian winter for Opportunity," Callas informed. "It would really be desirous to have as much tilt as possible this winter, but also as much mobility as possible. In all previous Martian years, we've always had a cleaning event sometime before the winter solstice and we haven't had one yet, and we can't plan on it. This could be the year we don't get a cleaning event, in which case we'd want to get as much tilt as possible," he rationalized.

Posted by: marsophile Dec 1 2011, 08:49 PM

If the wind is coming from the southeast, and the rover deck is tilted towards the north (actually more like northwest), wouldn't any wind just clean the underside of the deck, not the solar panels? (Unless we got a down-draft.)

While there is still sufficient power, it might be worth briefly going over the ridge and facing the southeast.

Posted by: Ant103 Dec 1 2011, 09:29 PM

Sol 2790 navcam pan smile.gif

http://www.db-prods.net/marsroversimages/Opportunity/2011/Sol2790-pano.jpg

Posted by: Matt Lenda Dec 1 2011, 10:36 PM

QUOTE (marsophile @ Dec 1 2011, 12:49 PM) *
If the wind is coming from the southeast, and the rover deck is tilted towards the north (actually more like northwest), wouldn't any wind just clean the underside of the deck, not the solar panels? (Unless we got a down-draft.)

While there is still sufficient power, it might be worth briefly going over the ridge and facing the southeast.

We'd have to be tilted away at a pretty big angle to not get anything on the topside. Basic aerodynamics -- air's still flowing up there!

I think we discussed turning towards the crater at one meeting a while back. Given that we have no idea (...at all) when a cleaning gust could come, the errors bars are simply too big to risk it. Doing that even for a short time would likely be a significant waste. We'd be gambling the rover for something we think might happen once a year... That's a hard sell point!

Better go where we know we can survive: North-facing places! biggrin.gif

-m

Posted by: Bill Harris Dec 1 2011, 10:49 PM

My take, FWIW, is that this region is in the calm-wind part of the year and the lack of cleaning Zephyrs is seasonal. After the Solstice and Aphelion hemispheric heating will pick up and so will seasonal winds. Make the best of it for now.

Oh yes, and make more Foreground Quarters. It's all happening at our feet... smile.gif

--Bill

Posted by: ngunn Dec 1 2011, 11:07 PM

Isn't this ridge top a place where dust accumulates rather than getting blown away? I'm thinking of the 'brightsoil', both east and west. Is it the same material that produces the icing sugar effect on top of the dunes in Victoria and Santa Maria? If so, it seems to be much more abundant here. On the other hand there is none of the stuff on the 'inboard' slopes so I have to agree with the idea of parking a little bit more 'inboard' than an analysis based purely on insolation would dictate, especially if the number of northerly degrees available provides some leeway.

Posted by: fredk Dec 2 2011, 03:32 AM

Some fantastic globby shapes at the new site:
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/pancam/2011-12-01/1P376052227EFFBQSMP2437L2M1.JPG?sol2792
And a good clear view of the NE part of CY:
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/navcam/2011-12-01/1N375959958EFFBQRZP1969R0M1.JPG?sol2791

Posted by: Bill Harris Dec 2 2011, 03:33 AM

One could assume that the ole girl is getting a bit frisky, no?
FHazcam, x-eyed stereo, lens-corrected. Sol-2792.

"Saddleback", OTOH, has me speechless...

--Bill

 

Posted by: walfy Dec 2 2011, 07:37 AM

Amazing that there's still adequate charge with all the dust! A non-nuclear future mission could have little fans along the edge of the panels, for the occasional dust-off.




For now, let's hope hope for one of these: dd.gif

Posted by: lyford Dec 2 2011, 10:53 AM

QUOTE (Bill Harris @ Dec 1 2011, 07:33 PM) *
One could assume that the ole girl is getting a bit frisky, no?


Delurking just to thank all the contributors since we have arrived... it really feels like a new mission all over again. Party like it's 2004!
And here it seems Oppy is practicing her crop circle technique.

Posted by: Ant103 Dec 2 2011, 04:18 PM

Sol 2790 and 2791 actually, updated :
http://www.db-prods.net/marsroversimages/Opportunity/2011/Sol2790-2791-pano.jpg

Sol 2792. There is some weird artifact on this pic, caused by a quite strong antivignetting and exposure adjustement in Hugin.
http://www.db-prods.net/marsroversimages/Opportunity/2011/Sol2792-pano.jpg

Posted by: Phil Stooke Dec 2 2011, 04:31 PM

Ant's panorama in circular format:



Phil


Posted by: PDP8E Dec 3 2011, 12:34 AM

On sol 2786, Oppy took 12 left-eye images of the sun-dial. The two sets of 6 images were offset in time (the shadow moved)
So, I stacked them all anyways to improve S/N (and lost all' color' info in the process)
Someone please tell me that MSL will be able to focus its sun-dial better...
(you can almost read 'two worlds one sun' at the bottom)



Posted by: marsophile Dec 3 2011, 12:54 AM

The sundial is actually slightly closer than the minimum focal distance of the pancam. You might be able to improve things by applying a deconvolution algorithm.

Posted by: djellison Dec 3 2011, 12:57 AM

QUOTE (PDP8E @ Dec 2 2011, 04:34 PM) *
Someone please tell me that MSL will be able to focus its sun-dial better...


MSL's MastCam's can pull focus. The MER PanCam can not.


Posted by: Matt Lenda Dec 3 2011, 02:39 AM

QUOTE (walfy @ Dec 1 2011, 11:37 PM) *
Amazing that there's still adequate charge with all the dust! A non-nuclear future mission could have little fans along the edge of the panels, for the occasional dust-off.




For now, let's hope hope for one of these: dd.gif

This makes me sad-face... but then happy-face again since, you know, Oppy's still chugging along like it ain't no thang.

-m

Posted by: fredk Dec 3 2011, 04:46 AM

What a glorious mess:


Posted by: Bill Harris Dec 3 2011, 04:55 AM

QUOTE
You might be able to improve things by applying a deconvolution algorithm
And the "IR bands" (L2 and R7) are worse about being a bit soft inside that DoF (Depth of Focus) hyperfocal range (ah, that is the word I was trying to remember) and those close-in shots (Sundial and foreground quarter) generally benefit by sharpening up the red channel.

QUOTE
This makes me sad-face... but then happy-face again
Yeppers. Like Harry Callahan used to say, "You gots to know your limitations"...

The Saddleback sequence (p2438) from Sol-2793 is astounding but the Foreground Quarter (p2587) hasn't made it to Exploratorium yet.

--Bill

 

Posted by: Deimos Dec 3 2011, 03:47 PM

Yes, MSL's Mastcams can focus at a range of distances. But, as with Pancam, the foremost desire is to provide good focus for Mars. The Pancams have a wide field of view; the Mastcams do not have such a wide FOV. So, do not expect perfect focus on the cal target ("sundial")--but do expect very good pictures of that and everything else.

FWIW, having the cal targets be in focus for Pancam would have required either (a) a much larger depth of field, with a side effect of much noisier images (especially in blue, green, and 1-micron filter); or (cool.gif having the horizon--and anything past, a few m--be out of focus instead. Everything is a trade (like ineffectual solar panel fans vs. a science payload). The Pancams (like IMP and SSI) are set at their hyperfocal position, such that "infinity" is at one end of the depth of field, the other end is somewhere around 2-3 m, and best focus is in between (like 5m or so).

Posted by: Stu Dec 3 2011, 08:35 PM

Cape York just keeps giving and giving, doesn't it?


Posted by: nprev Dec 3 2011, 09:50 PM

Oh, man... ohmy.gif ...so do you, Stu! That's a beautiful image.

Posted by: walfy Dec 4 2011, 04:22 AM

In this nice view looking back to Turkey Haven the rock on the low ledge doesn't look so brittle where the three wheels rolled over (in the foreground). If my calculations were right, that's about 11.4 kilograms (25 lbs) per wheel! (Weight of rover: 180 kg. Gravity on Mars: 38% of Earth's. Number of wheels: 6.) But that's assuming each wheel carries equal load, which might not be the case. unsure.gif


Posted by: jvandriel Dec 4 2011, 09:35 AM

The Pancam L2 view on Sol 2792.

Jan van Driel


Posted by: Stu Dec 4 2011, 10:15 AM

Updated view of "Saddleback"... so many fascinating features, hues and shapes here all you can do is pan across the image and shake your head in wonder...



Full size version up on my RtE blog now...

http://roadtoendeavour.wordpress.com/2011/12/04/happy-birthday-to-us

(to celebrate its 3rd birthday...feel free to drop by, bring a bottle, there'll be nibbles... smile.gif )

Posted by: Sunspot Dec 4 2011, 01:57 PM

Saddleback/Blencathra?

Posted by: Stu Dec 4 2011, 02:26 PM

Wow... I hadn't made that connection, which is a bit embarrassing seeing as I don't live *that* far from Blencathra... well spotted, Sunspot... when you look at the rocks up there they look **very** familiar, don't they?



Could just be a coincidence, haven't checked into it very deeply yet, but if they have named this martian feature after the Cumbrian fell Blencathra, maybe one of the rover team has been walking in the Lakes at some point, that would be great to know! smile.gif

(More Blencathra info and pics here: http://www.stridingedge.net/wainwright%20fells/a-l%20fells/Blencathra.htm )

Posted by: Sunspot Dec 4 2011, 02:51 PM

[quote name='Stu' date='Dec 3 2011, 08:35 PM' post='181132']
Cape York just keeps giving and giving, doesn't it?


Looks like "Sharp Edge" on Blencathra/Saddleback

Posted by: fredk Dec 4 2011, 04:10 PM

Congratulations on three years, Stu! (And how good it is that the name of your blog has become obsolete! laugh.gif )

Another crazy piece of Saddleback in 3D:


Posted by: PDP8E Dec 5 2011, 03:43 AM

Here is a recent image (Sol2794) off the back deck.
L257 combo comes off as hard red and hard blue.




< EDIT: far left, looks like vertical remnant of an old vein ? >


( congrats Stu on 3 years of RtoE ! Here's to 3 more )

Posted by: Matt Lenda Dec 5 2011, 04:16 AM

QUOTE (Stu @ Dec 4 2011, 06:26 AM) *
Wow... I hadn't made that connection, which is a bit embarrassing seeing as I don't live *that* far from Blencathra... well spotted, Sunspot... when you look at the rocks up there they look **very** familiar, don't they?
Could just be a coincidence, haven't checked into it very deeply yet, but if they have named this martian feature after the Cumbrian fell Blencathra, maybe one of the rover team has been walking in the Lakes at some point, that would be great to know! smile.gif
(More Blencathra info and pics here: http://www.stridingedge.net/wainwright%20fells/a-l%20fells/Blencathra.htm )

I'll check on that this week... got a couple of tactical shifts where I can bug the science team. tongue.gif

-m

Posted by: jvandriel Dec 5 2011, 09:53 AM

Opportunity in the right position to survive the winter.
Navcam L0 view on Sol 2795.

Jan van Driel






Posted by: empebe Dec 5 2011, 03:09 PM

QUOTE (fredk @ Dec 1 2011, 02:40 AM) *
Here's my attempt at de-headaching that view:

Oh wow - 3D's normally don't work for me, but either my eyes are getting better, or you are getting better - That came out quite breath taking. Thanks.
(5 out of the last 6 3D's from all of you have worked for me cool.gif
(9 out of the last 10 3D's from all of you have worked for me cool.gif
Mike
(as I go behind the curtains again, just enjoying the ride you all work so hard to give me smile.gif )

Posted by: marsophile Dec 5 2011, 04:30 PM

QUOTE (empebe @ Dec 5 2011, 07:09 AM) *
Oh wow - 3D's



Stereo really does help. Apart from the depth perception, it is the brain's way of doing a form of "super-resolution" by combining the information from two sources. Even with the pancam's far-sighted focus, one can see some detail in this near-field image. The colored part is a crop from PDP8's image in post 123.

Posted by: fredk Dec 5 2011, 04:37 PM

After the 2795 drive, we've got a northish tilt of roughly 17 degrees:


That's because that frame is looking roughly west, and I've assumed the straight western horizon is level.

Posted by: Stu Dec 5 2011, 05:35 PM

I bet the mission geologists wish Santa would just drop them off here for Christmas...


Posted by: NickF Dec 6 2011, 01:31 AM

QUOTE (jvandriel @ Dec 5 2011, 03:53 AM) *
Opportunity in the right position to survive the winter.
Navcam L0 view on Sol 2795.


Very nice work Jan. Thank you for your panoramas.

Posted by: Bill Harris Dec 6 2011, 07:36 AM

Outcrop "Boesmanskop", L257, Sol-2795.

Added an R731 image so you can roll your own stereo pair of whatever flavor you wish.

Beautiful site, many questions.

--Bill


 

Posted by: jvandriel Dec 6 2011, 09:39 AM

Here is the Pancam L2 view on Sol 2795.

Jan van Driel




Posted by: fredk Dec 6 2011, 03:47 PM

Another, hopefully de-headached, anaglyph of Saddleback, this time using the sharp L7/R1 pair:


Posted by: Stu Dec 6 2011, 04:50 PM

Colour view of "Boesmanskop"...



("Boesmanskop" = a South African mountain... http://www.mountainsmounts.com/mountain/42126/boesmanskop )

Wow... dusty deck...

Posted by: john_s Dec 6 2011, 07:04 PM

Alas for Blencathra fans (including me), "Saddleback" is also a mountain in South Africa. Though I suppose if the next target is named "Glaramara", we'll have to reconsider what naming scheme is being used...

John

Posted by: ugordan Dec 6 2011, 07:37 PM

My take on Boesmanskop, L456:


Posted by: ceramicfundamentalist Dec 6 2011, 07:46 PM

QUOTE (ugordan @ Dec 6 2011, 04:07 PM) *
My take on Boesmanskop, L456:


looking at that picture makes me wonder how all the dust on opportunity's sundial affects colourization. doesn't the dust obscure the colour swatches? is it still possible to make accurate colour information from the cams/filters when the sundial is obscured?

nonetheless, nice pics.

Posted by: ugordan Dec 6 2011, 08:08 PM

I think dust on the lens is a bigger problem.

Posted by: Stu Dec 6 2011, 09:13 PM

QUOTE (john_s @ Dec 6 2011, 07:04 PM) *
Alas for Blencathra fans (including me), "Saddleback" is also a mountain in South Africa.


Boooooooooooooooo!!!!! mad.gif laugh.gif

Aw, come on, we have some *great* mountain names here in The Lakes....

Posted by: PDP8E Dec 6 2011, 09:18 PM

Ugordon,
Looking at that image makes me feel like my glasses have been smudged by a three year old with peanut butter hands!
We need a zephyr or some other directional wind to come along at the rim of that massive crater! (or a four minute rain storm!)
Nice work!

Posted by: Stu Dec 7 2011, 01:35 PM

Added some more sections to the "Saddleback" mosaic. The image is too big to post here, so I'll invite you over to my blog where I've posted it...

http://roadtoendeavour.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/sb-3.jpg

Note: not claiming accurate or realistic colour, I've tried rather to bring out detail, structure and texture.

Posted by: Floyd Dec 7 2011, 07:16 PM

[quote name='fredk' date='Dec 1 2011, 11:22 AM' post='181033']

"Squyres and Arvidson... are scheduled to announce the details of the Homestake discovery at the AGU fall meeting in San Francisco next Wednesday, December 7. An update will be posted once the embargo is lifted."

Haven't seen anything yet--but don't know where I should be looking?

Posted by: ElkGroveDan Dec 7 2011, 07:31 PM

QUOTE (Floyd @ Dec 7 2011, 11:16 AM) *
Haven't seen anything yet-

It's not even noon here yet.

Posted by: fredk Dec 7 2011, 08:38 PM

QUOTE (Floyd @ Dec 7 2011, 08:16 PM) *
don't know where I should be looking
I'm sure the best place is right here!

Posted by: Stu Dec 7 2011, 09:57 PM

3pm PST I believe...

Edit: yep, 3pm... here: http://live.projectionnet.com/agupress/fm2011.aspx

Posted by: craigmcg Dec 7 2011, 11:27 PM

Watching right now (6:25 eastern). Gypsum.

Posted by: Astro0 Dec 7 2011, 11:31 PM

Squyres: referring to Homestake and the gypsum found -
(paraphrasing) 'This is the single, most powerful piece of evidence found by Opportunity for water.'

Time for a drink wacko.gif smile.gif

Posted by: ngunn Dec 7 2011, 11:35 PM

Gypsum is too soft, surely. Hardness 2. How would it stand up to erosion in this way?

Posted by: Stu Dec 7 2011, 11:53 PM

Small gypsum sample from the collection at Kendal Museum...




Posted by: Bill Harris Dec 8 2011, 12:40 AM

Gypsum? Calcium sulfate? Works for me, and it meshes with the geochem very well. Wishful thinking wanted calcium carbonate, but CaSO4 is a puzzle piece that fits the slot nicely. smile.gif

Now to find a transcript and not a webcast...

--Bill

Posted by: sgendreau Dec 8 2011, 01:16 AM

@#$%^! I wasn't where I could listen, and now that I am, they've taken the webcast down.

Did anyone tape it?

Posted by: Matt Lenda Dec 8 2011, 02:42 AM

Woohoo! I can finally talk about the gypsum! Been sitting on it since the day we got the first APXS data down from Homestake.

QUOTE (Stu @ Dec 7 2011, 04:04 PM) *
Basically KK asked if SS could give a complete, drive by drive rundown of Oppy's plans from now until January, and SS rightly said "no", cos, I mean, how the (insert own choice of word here) could he *know* that?

I mean, right? We didn't even know we'd stop at Homestake until the day we did. Tactical operations on MER is literally day to day with some kinda strategic magic wrapped it.

(Plus, literally down to the command level, MER's sequence execution is event-driven and less deterministic than that of, say, an orbiter. We let the rover make a lot of decisions!)

-m

Posted by: Mongo Dec 8 2011, 03:07 AM

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111207182031.htm

Wow! This is AMAZING. The discovery of a vein of gypsum has to be one of the very top-ranked mineralogical discoveries made by either of the MER rovers.

So where does this rate among areologists, compared to the numerous other MER discoveries? I'm guessing top three for sure and maybe number one myself, but I am no expert.

Posted by: brellis Dec 8 2011, 04:03 AM

Looking forward to Emily's report on this one: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/12/07/BART1M9PH1.DTL&tsp=1

QUOTE
After nearly eight years exploring the surface of Mars with the robot rover Opportunity, scientists announced Wednesday they have found "the single most powerful piece of evidence" yet that water once flowed abundantly on the Martian surface.

It must have gushed through underground fractures on the planet billions of years ago, they said, and as the water flowed, it formed a broad range of minerals that the rover has recently discovered near the edge of a crater that Opportunity has just begun exploring.

Led by Steven Squyres of Cornell University, the Mars mission scientists reported their latest findings from Opportunity's 20-mile journey at a meeting of the American Geophysical Union at San Francisco's Moscone Center.

In the course of its travels across the crater-pocked terrain of Mars' southern hemisphere - with many stops to investigate promising sites - Opportunity has already found iron and magnesium minerals that on Earth are known to form in water. But to Squyres and his colleagues, discovering the mineral calcium sulfate - gypsum, as it's most commonly known on Earth - makes it a "slam dunk case" for water.

Posted by: Explorer1 Dec 8 2011, 05:08 AM

Will Oppy's discoveries never cease....
One more for the drinking game?

Posted by: Oersted Dec 8 2011, 11:27 AM

Nice write-up on MSNBC.com:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45587940/ns/technology_and_science-space/#.TuCauGMr2nA

----------
After analyzing the vein with Opportunity's cameras and X-ray spectrometer last month, researchers concluded that it is gypsum, a hydrated calcium sulfate that on Earth is used to make drywall and plaster of Paris. The vein likely formed right where Opportunity found it, researchers said.
"There was a fracture in the rock, water flowed through it, gypsum was precipitated from the water. End of story," Squyres said. "There's no ambiguity about this, and this is what makes it so cool."
...
Both Spirit and Opportunity have found other good evidence of water activity on ancient Mars, including signs of hydrothermal systems. But the new discovery at Endeavour Crater is particularly convincing and compelling, researchers said.
"Here, both the chemistry, mineralogy, and the morphology just scream water," Squyres said. "This is more solid than anything else that we've seen in the whole mission."
----------

Posted by: eoincampbell Dec 8 2011, 03:56 PM

Sheetrock for your Martian dwelling! smile.gif

Posted by: fredk Dec 8 2011, 04:09 PM

As promised, there's a post-conference PS http://www.planetary.org/news/2011/1207_Mars_Exploration_Rovers_Special_Update.html with lots of quotes.

Posted by: Marz Dec 8 2011, 04:32 PM

A few questions about Homestake:

1. the vein "likely formed where Opportunity found it", so was this fracture formed by the impact of Endeavor, or is Homestake more ancient than Endeavor and exhumed when the crater rims were formed?

2. iron pyrite (FeS2) is often found along with gypsum, so I was wondering if anything like it has been seen in the vicinity of Homestake?

3. I think gypsum can retain bubbles/pockets of the original water it precipitated from. What are the odds that a gypsum deposit a billion years old could retain a water sample, and would that be a holy-grail sample return in terms of characterizing the history of water on mars?

Posted by: john_s Dec 8 2011, 07:13 PM

Good questions. For question 1), I don't think we know whether the breccias of Cape York are Endeavour impact breccia, or are breccias from earlier impacts, uplifted at the rim by the Endeavour impact. Cape Tribulation, with its much greater vertical extent, might have the answers. Either way, Homestake might be an example of post-impact hydrothermal circulation driven by heating from the Endeavour impact, an example of a process that has been modeled by several people over the years because it provides a possible warm wet oasis in early Mars history.

John

Posted by: walfy Dec 8 2011, 07:45 PM

Managed to tease out this 3D of Boesmanskop close-up, from Sol 2798.


Posted by: vikingmars Dec 8 2011, 09:20 PM

QUOTE (Oersted @ Dec 8 2011, 12:27 PM) *
"...hydrated calcium sulfate that on Earth is used to make drywall and plaster of Paris..."

Here you are : gypsum ...and coming from our Museum of Plaster close to Paris.
So... my home is made of Mars rocks ! laugh.gif

http://fr.topic-topos.com/cristal-de-gypse-cormeilles-en-parisis
http://www.ecomateriaux.net/%C3%A9co-mat%C3%A9riaux/gypse
http://www.ammonite-niort.com/gypse-fer-de-lance-p-482.html?osCsid=c0e55164164cc5da07167d7e59a92045
http://fr.topic-topos.com/gypse-en-macle-de-fer-de-lance-mareuil-les-meaux

Posted by: ngunn Dec 9 2011, 12:02 AM

Gypsum is so soft, how can it make upstanding veins?

Posted by: Floyd Dec 9 2011, 01:36 AM

Crystaline gypsum is a lot differnt from plasterboard. Think of the crystals in the Mexican cave...

Posted by: nprev Dec 9 2011, 02:01 AM

This is a VERY significant finding, obviously, but let's remember that all that's been apparently found is, well, some gypsum.

Extremely cool in its own right, of course. smile.gif

Posted by: Mongo Dec 9 2011, 03:11 AM

I think that the importance of this discovery is not so much the discovery of a mineral probably formed in low-acidity water (that had been done first by Spirit, with Comanche) as it is the fact that the gypsum deposition was apparently done in situ. Comanche was moved to its present location from elsewhere, so there was little geological context to work with, whereas with Homestake, we have Endeavour Crater's rim and bowl to (I hope) make traverses over, in order to put this discovery into its spatial and temporal context.

Posted by: ilbasso Dec 9 2011, 04:49 AM

QUOTE (Floyd @ Dec 8 2011, 08:36 PM) *
Crystaline gypsum is a lot differnt from plasterboard. Think of the crystals in the Mexican cave...


Nonetheless, gypsum is relatively soft relative to other minerals. It's "2" on Moh's Scale of Mineral Hardness, roughly in between the hardness of a pencil "lead" (graphite) and a fingernail.

Posted by: marsophile Dec 9 2011, 06:23 AM

QUOTE (ilbasso @ Dec 8 2011, 08:49 PM) *
Nonetheless, gypsum is relatively soft relative to other minerals.


It's clearly harder than the rock surrounding it, as evidenced by the drive-over. Perhaps the vein has only been exhumed relatively recently in geological terms.

Posted by: Stu Dec 9 2011, 10:41 AM

Two frame MI mosaic...



From here, I guess...


Posted by: Marz Dec 9 2011, 04:19 PM

QUOTE (Stu @ Dec 9 2011, 04:41 AM) *
Two frame MI mosaic...


Bright inclusions on the upper-right might be more gypsum? And are those vugs in the lower left?

Thanks Stu!

Posted by: Eutectic Dec 9 2011, 04:44 PM

QUOTE (ilbasso @ Dec 8 2011, 11:49 PM) *
Nonetheless, gypsum is relatively soft relative to other minerals. It's "2" on Moh's Scale of Mineral Hardness, roughly in between the hardness of a pencil "lead" (graphite) and a fingernail.


With loss of water, gypsum can change to anhydrite, which rates 3.5 on Mohs. That's still pretty soft, especially compared to minerals in basalt (5ish-7ish). Moreover, anhydrite is about 25% denser than gypsum, so the transformation of gypsum to anhydrite would be accompanied by shrinking rather than expansion, which would have been another potential way to explain the vein's positive relief.

Posted by: Bill Harris Dec 9 2011, 05:31 PM

Good point, Eutectic.

Mineral hardness and weatherability don't always corrrelate. Remember, in some climes limestone can be a resistant ridge-former and in others a weak valley-former.

The important thing is, is that this fracture fill is composed of CaSO4 and we need to consider the geochemical implications of that...

--Bill

Posted by: Oersted Dec 9 2011, 05:35 PM

QUOTE (vikingmars @ Dec 8 2011, 10:20 PM) *
Here you are : gypsum ...and coming from our Museum of Plaster close to Paris.


Hmm, that arrowhead is made of flint if I'm not mistaken. Or did I misunderstand something?

Posted by: Stu Dec 9 2011, 06:54 PM

Surface detail...


Posted by: Fran Ontanaya Dec 9 2011, 08:53 PM

Maybe the surrounding terrain wasn't eroded by wind, but just dissolved in water.

Posted by: vikingmars Dec 9 2011, 11:58 PM

QUOTE (Oersted @ Dec 9 2011, 06:35 PM) *
Hmm, that arrowhead is made of flint if I'm not mistaken. Or did I misunderstand something?

This is the developed crystalline form of gypsum : the arrowhead (links added hereabove).
Gypsum arrowheads are very common here. We are being shown these since school in Paris and you see them oftenly when visiting the Paris underground quarries...
http://www.urban-exploration.com/index.php?ln=FR&m=0&page=25&r=TOIT%20PARIS
Most of old houses in Paris and close to it (like mine) are made of rocks (taken from the quarries) and plaster made of gypsum (and also with a mix of those). Gypsum is also now transformed into construction panels easy to assemble and is considered as a very environmental-friendly material smile.gif

Posted by: centsworth_II Dec 10 2011, 04:39 AM

QUOTE (vikingmars @ Dec 9 2011, 06:58 PM) *
Gypsum arrowheads are very common here....
I found this explanation of the formation of gypsum "spearheads" in the http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gypse
"Le gypse en fer de lance est le résultat de la macle de deux grands cristaux lenticulaires."

Google translation: "Gypsum as a spearhead is the result of the twinning of two large lenticular crystals."


Can you imagine if Opportunity imaged this (from vikingmars' http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=7131&view=findpost&p=181295) laying on Cape York?!


Posted by: CosmicRocker Dec 10 2011, 04:42 AM

QUOTE (ngunn @ Dec 7 2011, 05:35 PM) *
Gypsum is too soft, surely. Hardness 2. How would it stand up to erosion in this way?

QUOTE (ngunn @ Dec 8 2011, 06:02 PM) *
Gypsum is so soft, how can it make upstanding veins?

QUOTE (ilbasso @ Dec 8 2011, 10:49 PM) *
Nonetheless, gypsum is relatively soft relative to other minerals. It's "2" on Moh's Scale of Mineral Hardness, roughly in between the hardness of a pencil "lead" (graphite) and a fingernail.

QUOTE (marsophile @ Dec 9 2011, 12:23 AM) *
It's clearly harder than the rock surrounding it, as evidenced by the drive-over. Perhaps the vein has only been exhumed relatively recently in geological terms.

QUOTE (Eutectic @ Dec 9 2011, 10:44 AM) *
With loss of water, gypsum can change to anhydrite, which rates 3.5 on Mohs. That's still pretty soft, especially compared to minerals in basalt (5ish-7ish). Moreover, anhydrite is about 25% denser than gypsum, so the transformation of gypsum to anhydrite would be accompanied by shrinking rather than expansion, which would have been another potential way to explain the vein's positive relief.


Good question/s, ngunn. unsure.gif As ibasso pointed out, crystalline gypsum is quite soft as minerals go. You can scratch it with your fingernail. Marsophile hit the nail on the head. The absolute hardness of the mineral is not the key issue, it is the relative hardness compared to the rock within which the vein is enclosed.

Regarding anhydrite, that is also a good point, and one which might help explain Homestake's positive relief, but the vein has been identified as likely being gypsum (CaSO4.2H2O), and not anhydrite (CaSO4). From Salley Rayl's update, according to Ray Arvidson:
QUOTE
"Since Mini-TES [miniature thermal emission spectrometer] is not working, we really couldn't pin down the mineral phase based on the infrared. So the next best thing was to look at the vein with Pancam. It shows a dip at 1 micrometer, which is probably related to the presence of molecular water in the mineral, so it's calcium, and sulfur, it's water bearing. The best bet is it's gypsum, which is calcium sulfate with 2 waters in the unit cell," he explained.


QUOTE (Bill Harris @ Dec 9 2011, 11:31 AM) *
Mineral (hardness) and weatherability don't always corrrelate. Remember, in some climes limestone can be a resistant ridge-former and in others a weak valley-former. ...

That's the kicker, isn't it, Bill? In a real environment where mechanical abrasion isn't the only agent responsible for the wearing down of rocks, we need to consider several physical and chemical processes capable of breaking down rocks. It's sometimes tricky enough on earth, let alone on an alien planet. wink.gif If Homestake is embedded within soft sulfate sediments similar to those we have become familiar with on the Meridiani plains, perhaps this occurance resembles a gypsum crystal embedded within wallboard. wacko.gif

Posted by: CosmicRocker Dec 10 2011, 05:32 AM

QUOTE (centsworth_II @ Dec 9 2011, 10:39 PM) *
I found this explanation of the formation of gypsum "spearheads" ...

Fascinating...I wonder if ancient peoples actually used these twinned crystals as effective weapon points.

Posted by: Bernard Dec 10 2011, 12:36 PM

QUOTE (CosmicRocker @ Dec 10 2011, 06:32 AM) *
Fascinating...I wonder if ancient peoples actually used these twinned crystals as effective weapon points.



No, it's far too soft

Posted by: fredk Dec 10 2011, 03:38 PM

An extreme range of depth in this anaglyph from 2800:


Posted by: mhoward Dec 10 2011, 05:00 PM

I couldn't resist doing this one, because look at that view. Sols 2795-2800.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/marscat/6487445301/sizes/o/in/photostream/

http://mmb.unmannedspaceflight.com/MERB2795_2800NavcamLeft.mov (5.8 MB)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/marscat/6487436493/sizes/o/in/photostream/

http://mmb.unmannedspaceflight.com/MERB2795_2800NavcamAnaglyph-3.mov (10.6 MB)


Posted by: eoincampbell Dec 10 2011, 05:24 PM

QUOTE (mhoward @ Dec 10 2011, 09:00 AM) *
I couldn't resist...

It's quite brilliant, what a view!

Posted by: Bill Harris Dec 10 2011, 07:14 PM

QUOTE (CR)
If Homestake is embedded within soft sulfate sediments similar to those we have become familiar with on the Meridiani plains, perhaps this occurance resembles a gypsum crystal embedded within wallboard
And in something semi-unrelated, remember the vugs found vugs that were found in the sandstone in Eagle crater seven years ago. The vugs were speculated to have been made by dissolved crystal with a tabular habit, possibly gypsum. Another puzzle piece fits...

--Bill

Posted by: Phil Stooke Dec 10 2011, 08:04 PM

Here's mhoward's beautiful new pan in polar format.

Phil


Posted by: ngunn Dec 10 2011, 10:40 PM

A couple of thoughts from the sofa: I hope the geologists will correct me where I'm off the mark.

1/ Homestake doesn't look like a feature produced by crystal growth into a loose matrix, like desert sand roses. It looks like it formed in a pre-existing crack in rock that was harder when it cracked than it is now in its weathered state.

2/ Erosion-resistent veins have been seen at Victoria and elsewhere, but the team are saying this is the first vein of gypsum found so far.

One lesson for me from all this: I didn't realise how mechanically weak the Meridiani stuff becomes when freeze-dried on the surface and that it could be significantly harder when not so exposed.

Posted by: Bill Harris Dec 11 2011, 01:13 AM

QUOTE (fredk @ Dec 10 2011, 09:38 AM) *
An extreme range of depth in this anaglyph from 2800:
But if we forego the Big Picture and note the details, we'll notice that the Antenna Dust is less (Navcam stereo pair from Sol-2800):

 

Posted by: Bill Harris Dec 11 2011, 02:25 AM

QUOTE (Phil Stooke @ Dec 10 2011, 02:04 PM) *
Here's mhoward's beautiful new pan in polar format.

Phil

Indeed, Phil.

It's interesting to compare your polar pan with HiRISE imagery of the same area:

EDIT: BTW, I just checked and the HiRISE map "north" and Phil's polar "north" are in close agreement, at least to shoot azimuths to specific features. Have fun...

--Bill

 

Posted by: CosmicRocker Dec 11 2011, 05:48 AM

QUOTE (ngunn @ Dec 10 2011, 04:40 PM) *
... 1/ Homestake doesn't look like a feature produced by crystal growth into a loose matrix, like desert sand roses. It looks like it formed in a pre-existing crack in rock that was harder when it cracked than it is now in its weathered state.
2/ Erosion-resistent veins have been seen at Victoria and elsewhere, but the team are saying this is the first vein of gypsum found so far.
One lesson for me from all this: I didn't realise how mechanically weak the Meridiani stuff becomes when freeze-dried on the surface and that it could be significantly harder when not so exposed.

1: Homestake looks exactly like a vein of crystalline gypsum that grew within a pre-existing fracture. The rock wasn't necessarily harder when it cracked. You can form cracks in wet sand. I don't think you can conclude that the Meridiani sediments become weaker when they are exposed at the surface.
2: This is apparently the first vein of gypsum identified so far.

To further this discussion of mineral veins and their relative erosion resistance at Cape York, take a look at http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/1/p/2793/1P376134387EFFBQSMP2438L7M1.JPG. Note the sub-horizontal feature just below the center of the image. Here is a fracture in the rock with negative relief. Considering the proximity to the Homestake filled fracture, it seems likely that this fracture might also have been filled with the same mineral. I could be wrong, but Occam's razor suggests this to be the case. However, in this instance the surrounding rock is a tougher basaltic breccia. The vein is relatively softer than surrounding rock, so the vein is more deeply eroded in this case.

Posted by: Bill Harris Dec 11 2011, 06:20 AM

Good observation. Here is another example from Sol-2786. Note the fracture in the lower left of the breccia block with the light-yellowish material still adhering to the wall of the fracture. My intrepretation is that this was a gypsum-filled vein which has eroded.

In addition, this region has a very complex genesis. We don't know what the hardness-- or range of hardnesses-- of the various units of breccia are. I would suppose that the surface material is composed of impact breccia and ejecta from many craters over a long time span. This breccia has been reworked, disturbed, transported, weathered and indurated countless unknown times. The ultimate in "folded, spindled and mutilated", I think we are looking at something unbelievably complex if we narrow the time steps enough.

--Bill


 

Posted by: walfy Dec 11 2011, 06:44 AM

Microscopic from Sol 2800:


Posted by: walfy Dec 11 2011, 06:48 AM

The adjacent micro from Sol 2800:



Some white patches in there. More gypsum, perhaps?

Posted by: ngunn Dec 11 2011, 10:17 AM

QUOTE (CosmicRocker @ Dec 11 2011, 05:48 AM) *
The rock wasn't necessarily harder when it cracked. You can form cracks in wet sand.


OK, not necessarily.

I'm assuming these cracks formed, through both sediments and breccia, in response to major seismic shocks from impacts like Iazu. Mechanically weak materials (such as wet sand) tend to pulverise/fluidise in response to seismic shocks rather than supporting the propagation of coherent cracks. That's why an upstanding gypsum vein suggests to me that the sediments may have been significantly harder in their unweathered state. This would be consistent with Bill's point that hardness and resistance to weathering are two different things.


Posted by: centsworth_II Dec 11 2011, 05:00 PM

A reminder of previous fracture fill seen by Opportunity:


http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/mer/images.cfm?id=701

Those must be of different composition than the Cape York fill and may have formed by a different process. The first paper below relates them to rinds "actually developed only at the margins of fractures." It's interesting to note that in the upper right corner of the image above, there is a ridge on each side of the fracture which would seem to support the "rind formation" process. (Keep in mind, I'm a geological newbie).

A discussion of fracture fills seen by Opportunity starts on page 19 of http://www.gps.caltech.edu/~grotz/Publications/Publications_files/2008_Knoll_Meridiani.pdf

http://www.es.ucsc.edu/~fnimmo/website/abstracts/chavdarian.pdf discusses Earth analogs to fracture fills seen by Opportunity. (Which relate more to the fin-like fill seen previously than to the latest, gypsum fill vein seen at Cape York.

Posted by: Bill Harris Dec 11 2011, 07:47 PM

QUOTE (Centsworth)
The first paper below relates them to rinds "actually developed only at the margins of fractures."
Very good! I'd lost and honestly forgotten about both those papers. Very fundamental references.

--Bill

Posted by: PDP8E Dec 12 2011, 01:33 AM

Here is an animation from the pancam on Sol2801(?)
The IDD is in the frame and then a picture of the rock below (not sure of the feature name)
The filters are all right-eye





Posted by: tim53 Dec 12 2011, 05:35 PM

Hi Folks:

Because it's a nice round number, or maybe because we have so many overlapping navcam pans in this location, I thought I'd output a 1cm/pixel map of our current (and recent) locations.

best,
-Tim.

 

Posted by: craigmcg Dec 12 2011, 11:39 PM

QUOTE (tim53 @ Dec 12 2011, 12:35 PM) *
Because it's a nice round number, or maybe because we have so many overlapping navcam pans in this location, I thought I'd output a 1cm/pixel map of our current (and recent) locations.


I think this should be called a splat-o-gram.

Posted by: SteveM Dec 13 2011, 12:37 AM

QUOTE (tim53 @ Dec 12 2011, 12:35 PM) *
Because it's a nice round number, or maybe because we have so many overlapping navcam pans in this location, I thought I'd output a 1cm/pixel map of our current (and recent) locations.
Superbly detailed image! How did you do it?

SteveM

Posted by: PDP8E Dec 13 2011, 02:19 PM

Steve, its all goes together with the right projection mapping software and enough navcam images
But I am pretty sure that Tim P. could have pulled it off just with scissors and elmer's glue rolleyes.gif

Posted by: tim53 Dec 13 2011, 04:59 PM

QUOTE (PDP8E @ Dec 13 2011, 07:19 AM) *
Steve, its all goes together with the right projection mapping software and enough navcam images
But I am pretty sure that Tim P. could have pulled it off just with scissors and elmer's glue rolleyes.gif


I use a special version of our planning software that has my 35 gigapixel georeferenced HiRISE/CTX base map as a background, and projects the Navcam panoramas onto a terrain mesh derived from the stereo. So, rocks and stuff are not only in the right direction, they're at the right distance, too. The terrain mesh falls apart about 20 meters out, on flat terrain, though.

-Tim.

Posted by: Bill Harris Dec 13 2011, 09:57 PM

Here is a preliminary Rx21 (an R721 with guesstimated Red channel info) of the IDD site Boesmanskop on Sol-2801, indicated as "post-Brush". I've not been able to match the MI's up with the Pancams, but I think they are near the center of the image or slightly above center. And I can't hardly see the Brushed area, though I've not closely compared the pre- and post-brush grayscales. Hopefully we'll get a few more Pancams over the next few days, so enjoy.

In the meantime, let me toss out my initial impression of the MIs of this site: "drusy vugs".

--Bill

 

Posted by: SteveM Dec 14 2011, 03:43 PM

QUOTE (tim53 @ Dec 13 2011, 11:59 AM) *
I use a special version of our planning software that ... projects the Navcam panoramas onto a terrain mesh derived from the stereo. So, rocks and stuff are not only in the right direction, they're at the right distance, too. The terrain mesh falls apart about 20 meters out, on flat terrain, though.

-Tim.
The result is very nice. Any advantage in blending the stereo terrain mesh into a HiRise DTM at 20 meters to extend this process?

SteveM

Posted by: tim53 Dec 15 2011, 04:01 PM

QUOTE (SteveM @ Dec 14 2011, 08:43 AM) *
The result is very nice. Any advantage in blending the stereo terrain mesh into a HiRise DTM at 20 meters to extend this process?

SteveM


I can think of a lot of advantages! I sometimes use another program written by Jeff Hall in MIPL to map project the pancam data, which extends these maps out another 20 meters or so, where the pancam data is available. But the project doesn't have the resources to include the HiRISE DTM in the planning software. Curiosity will, however. I wish I were a programmer, but I'm not. I have to enlist the services of those who are.

-Tim.

Posted by: Matt Lenda Dec 16 2011, 04:18 AM

QUOTE (tim53 @ Dec 15 2011, 08:01 AM) *
I can think of a lot of advantages! I sometimes use another program written by Jeff Hall in MIPL to map project the pancam data, which extends these maps out another 20 meters or so, where the pancam data is available. But the project doesn't have the resources to include the HiRISE DTM in the planning software. Curiosity will, however. I wish I were a programmer, but I'm not. I have to enlist the services of those who are.

-Tim.

Wishes:

1) More project resources for more of the pretty
2) Navcam complete 360s at 1 bazillion bits per pixel

I do believe that would satisfy our Tim!

-m

Posted by: CosmicRocker Dec 16 2011, 06:23 AM

QUOTE (tim53 @ Dec 15 2011, 10:01 AM) *
... I wish I were a programmer, but I'm not. I have to enlist the services of those who are. ...
No kidding... If I could do it all over again I would do a second degree, or major, or at least a minor in computer programming. Being a scientist or engineer with the ability to write computer code would be an incredible advantage in today's world.

Posted by: walfy Dec 16 2011, 09:31 PM

Very interesting rock close-up from Sol 2803. There's a particularly sharp "spike," and some bright material as if a seagull had perched there. Powdered/eroded gypsum? Very nice in 3D! Looking forward to color renditions of this outcrop.



Posted by: Stu Dec 16 2011, 09:31 PM

Some more luvverly rocks...


Posted by: Stu Dec 16 2011, 09:58 PM

You're right, Walfy... this is one fascinating-looking rocky area...


Posted by: Matt Lenda Dec 17 2011, 03:06 AM

QUOTE (walfy @ Dec 16 2011, 01:31 PM) *
Very interesting rock close-up from Sol 2803. There's a particularly sharp "spike," and some bright material as if a seagull had perched there. Powdered/eroded gypsum? Very nice in 3D! Looking forward to color renditions of this outcrop.



Wow, I didn't even notice that one...

The one we're IDD'ing (or now done IDD'ing) was that smoother bit to the left, a "clast". The science team wanted the "matrix" rock (Boesmanskop), some soil near it, and a nearby "clast" to tell a full story. I'm not sure what they expect. Compositionally I don't expect anything different than Transvaal, though I'm no scientist...

-m

Posted by: Bill Harris Dec 17 2011, 04:09 AM

This should be a productive stop on the traverse. Site Oshoek on Sol-2804. Since this area is not one with a north-facing slope it will likely be examined after conjunction.

--Bill

 

Posted by: MERovingian Dec 17 2011, 04:16 AM

Wow indeed! That sharp spike looks very much like the gnomon of a sundial. It looks like Oppy just discovered the first Martian-made clock! cool.gif

Posted by: djellison Dec 17 2011, 04:45 AM

Many many pointy spiky rocks have been seen - possibly the most famous http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA06267

Posted by: Bill Harris Dec 17 2011, 06:08 AM

QUOTE (Matt)
I'm not sure what they expect. Compositionally I don't expect anything different than Transvaal...
Oh no, Matt, this site is a wonderful bowl of Rocky Road. And this rock will prove to have an interesting history.

--Bill

Posted by: walfy Dec 17 2011, 07:20 AM

Interesting micro from Sol 2805:



Edit: Should note that the above micro is rotated 90° CW from original, as that worked best for 3D. It's probably from the "clast" that Matt spoke of, to the left of the spike, as this shot was taken on the same Sol:

http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/forward_hazcam/2011-12-15/1F377204006EDNBR08P1121L0M1.JPG

But I can't identify it!

Posted by: walfy Dec 17 2011, 08:34 AM

Found it! (Location of above micro):



Also, a very crude composite of micro-images revealing the whole rock:


Posted by: Stu Dec 17 2011, 10:03 AM

Best I can do...



Posted by: PDP8E Dec 17 2011, 11:01 PM

Here are the capture (top) and filter (bottom) magnets on Oppy, Sol 2804.
The capture magnet is stronger.
By analyzing the wavelengths from the different PanCam images, people much more skilled than your humble poster can figure out what is on the magnets.

Here is a link for a 2007 paper on the magnet experiment so far... http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/7thmars2007/pdf/3104.pdf


Posted by: ugordan Dec 17 2011, 11:55 PM

A couple of L456 composites:


Posted by: Bill Harris Dec 18 2011, 01:37 AM

This is an R721 Pancam of the site Boesmanskop and IDD target Oshoek on Sol-2804 showing wonderful compositional and textural differences. This rock is an impact breccia that was melted and appears to have been emplaced in the later matrix. If rocks could talk, the tales this one would tell...

--Bill


 

Posted by: Stu Dec 18 2011, 02:10 AM

Those "sparkly bits" spotted inside Homestake after Oppy ran over it, that were referred to during recent reports, can - I think? - be seen in an image on the Pancam site...

http://marswatch.astro.cornell.edu/pancam_instrument/images/True/Sol2773B_P2576_1_True_RAD.jpg

Posted by: PDP8E Dec 18 2011, 02:37 AM

Here is Boesmanskop on Sol 2804, using L2,3,4,5,6,7

R = (((L2 + 2(L3) ) / 3) + ( 2(L4) / 3 )
G = L5
B = ((2(L6)) + (L7)) / 3

... processed for crispness


Posted by: Bill Harris Dec 18 2011, 03:42 AM

I'll see your L2,3,4,5,6,7 and raise you a saturated L257...

--Bill

 

Posted by: PDP8E Dec 18 2011, 04:14 AM

OK Wild Bill,
I will see that saturated L257 ...
... and raise you a hyper-contrasted L2-3-4-5-6-7





rolleyes.gif

Posted by: ugordan Dec 18 2011, 12:39 PM

This L456 set was badly clipped in brights and darks, I attempted to bring back some of the rock shadow areas using the blue frame which wasn't destroyed as much. Still looks pretty bland overall.


Posted by: Bill Harris Dec 18 2011, 02:37 PM

QUOTE
... and raise you a hyper-contrasted L2-3-4-5-6-7


I'll fold. Too rich for my blood.

Your second rendering, OTOH, is likely contrary to Family Friendly Forum rules and probably a couple of international agreements... blink.gif


On Sol-2806 Oppy looked droolingly to the south at Shoemaker Ridge showing tantalizing stratigraphy...


--Bill smile.gif

 

Posted by: mhoward Dec 18 2011, 04:43 PM

A couple L257R21 anaglyphs

 

Posted by: ElkGroveDan Dec 18 2011, 04:58 PM

QUOTE (Stu @ Dec 17 2011, 02:03 AM) *
Best I can do...



I knew that looked familiar.



 

Posted by: Stu Dec 18 2011, 07:30 PM

Fantastic anaglyphs, especially that first one. I tried for *yonks* to get those L & Rs to align. You nailed it. smile.gif

Posted by: mhoward Dec 18 2011, 10:05 PM

Thanks, Stu. Here's the full left and right if anybody wants:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/marscat/6533744949/sizes/o/in/photostream/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/marscat/6533747569/sizes/o/in/photostream/

Posted by: walfy Dec 19 2011, 04:21 AM

Took mhoward's excellent L & R images to make this "super gif," using Start3D website:



Had to compress the gif a lot to keep within file-size limitation, lost some color. But original can be viewed here: http://www.start3d.com/en/2454477057/0003




Posted by: Bill Harris Dec 19 2011, 10:01 AM

I've been doing a literature search on "impactites" and "impact breccias", since this is clearly what we are looking at on Cape York. There are extensive resources at the LPI:

http://www.lpi.usra.edu/search/?cx=002803415602668413512%3Acu4craz862y&cof=FORID%3A11&sa=Search&q=impactite

And one of the top listings of that search is a .PDF of a book chapter that contains many photos and discussions that are apropos to what we see at Boesmanskop, Oshoek and indeed the entire Winterhaven area.

http://www.lpi.usra.edu/publications/books/CB-954/chapter5.pdf

It's sorta like deja-vu all over again...

--Bill

Posted by: Stu Dec 19 2011, 02:29 PM

Following a succesful trial run at Homestake, looks like the new driving guidelines have been implemented.

1) Identify interesting feature
2) Take photographs
3) Drive RIGHT over it.




laugh.gif

Posted by: Bill Harris Dec 19 2011, 03:30 PM

"Todays downlinks will be interesting i guess. biggrin.gif "

Posted by: Matt Lenda Dec 19 2011, 05:56 PM

QUOTE (Stu @ Dec 19 2011, 06:29 AM) *
Following a succesful trial run at Homestake, looks like the new driving guidelines have been implemented.

1) Identify interesting feature
2) Take photographs
3) Drive RIGHT over it.




laugh.gif

Ha.

Actually I'm not sure we intended to bump so little and go almost nowhere. I didn't stick my fat head into the room on Friday or today, so I have no idea...

-m

Posted by: Bill Harris Dec 19 2011, 06:18 PM

My take would be that she's repositioning to do an IDD on the matrix material on the other side of the large ejecta chunk.

More "hope" than take...

--Bill

Posted by: Matt Lenda Dec 20 2011, 05:57 PM

We're planning to bump slowly along the ridge -- there are a slew of features all along there. Currently we're doing some engineering diagnostics while we've got the time. Holidays give us lots of time to do these things.

-m

Posted by: Bill Harris Dec 20 2011, 07:51 PM

Good thinking. I think we'll see a _lot_ of variability in the rocks as Oppy moves along the ridgetop, differences laterally within the same time horizon. A refreshing change from the Meridiani uplands where the rocks were consistent to the point of "boringly so". Time was when I'd get excited over a weathering crust of an odd color.

I'm curious about the dark rocks on the other side of the ridge from where we are now, as seen in HiRISE imagery. May be nothing, but I'm hoping that Oppy'll tippy-toe to the edge for a peek...

--Bill

Posted by: mhoward Dec 20 2011, 09:56 PM

Pancam foreground stereo pair from sol 2810. I'm posting these in a slightly different format since http://planetary.org/blog/article/00003308/ has reminded me that the "3D PictOMatic" app exists. I've kind of been hinting at this previously, but if you're into MER images and you've already got an iPhone or iPod Touch, especially one of the nice ones with the high-resolution screens from the last year or two, you should probably just get a my3D already.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/marscat/6545638771/sizes/o/in/set-72157628503131387/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/marscat/6545638779/sizes/o/in/set-72157628503131387/

Posted by: PDP8E Dec 21 2011, 04:53 PM

On Sol 2811, pictures were taken of Oppy's high gain antenna assembly (for some reason ... ph34r.gif )
And also an image of a nearby rock off the port-side back-deck.
All the pictures were taken around local noon.

..................


Posted by: elakdawalla Dec 21 2011, 05:48 PM

QUOTE (PDP8E @ Dec 21 2011, 08:53 AM) *
On Sol 2811, pictures were taken of Oppy's high gain antenna assembly (for some reason ... ph34r.gif )

No reason to worry -- the reason is just two posts higher:
QUOTE (Matt Lenda @ Dec 20 2011, 09:57 AM) *
Currently we're doing some engineering diagnostics while we've got the time. Holidays give us lots of time to do these things.


If I can make a request to you Opportunity image processors, I would LOVE it if you would be willing to take the time, where it's possible, to make right-eye color matches to some of the left-eye color images that you assemble. The color won't be a perfect match because of the lack of a green channel, but your work will still likely be much better than mine.

Posted by: ugordan Dec 21 2011, 07:22 PM

Oooh, hardware!


Posted by: Bill Harris Dec 21 2011, 08:17 PM

QUOTE (PDP8E)
On Sol 2811, pictures were taken of Oppy's high gain antenna assembly
This is the beginning of a "P2288 pancam_deck_pan_part1_L456" sequence which may be done for Engineering reasons (check the health of the rover, check dust accumulation or cleaning) or by Operation for a self-portrait in preparaton for a 360* Panorama. This point is, after all, pretty much the Acme of the traverse thus far.

I'm still wanting to have something named after Gracie Allen, a fitting companion name for the "Burns Formation"...

--Bill

Posted by: Matt Lenda Dec 21 2011, 10:15 PM

QUOTE (Bill Harris @ Dec 21 2011, 12:17 PM) *
This is the beginning of a "P2288 pancam_deck_pan_part1_L456" sequence which may be done for Engineering reasons (check the health of the rover, check dust accumulation or cleaning) or by Operation for a self-portrait in preparaton for a 360* Panorama. This point is, after all, pretty much the Acme of the traverse thus far.

I'm still wanting to have something named after Gracie Allen, a fitting companion name for the "Burns Formation"...

--Bill

... and another 3 sequences' worth of the Pancam Deckpan coming in a few days.

-m

Posted by: Bill Harris Dec 22 2011, 07:46 AM

Holy kilobits, this has to be a record image transfer for Oppy (at least in recent time)-- 114 L4, L5 or L6 images and this is only the first part of Part 1.

And lots of shiny bits on the ground around Oppy...

--Bill

Posted by: djellison Dec 22 2011, 03:04 PM

Given that deck-pans are usually down sampled by 50%, that's not surprising. Pancam is slightly out of focus at that range, so downsampling to 512 x 512 before downlinking makes a lot of sense, you don't really drop any detail. . It also means you can fit 4x as many images into any given downlink session. Thus - 114 images of that size is actually only equiv to 30ish normal sized images.


Posted by: Matt Lenda Dec 22 2011, 06:27 PM

Bang on the money, my friend.

Pancam PUL has been hard at work this week. We pulled a lot of really slick timing antics to fit it all in.

... unfortunately at the expense of a Pancam superres of Endeavour. We'll have to hold off on that one for a few sols.

-m

Posted by: fredk Dec 24 2011, 03:26 AM

From the latest http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_opportunityAll.html#sol2805

QUOTE
During this turning maneuver the right-front wheel experienced elevated electrical currents, which tripped a fault response and stopped the drive. Telemetry suggested that the elevated current was due to the wheel's orientation with respect to the terrain (causing it to work harder than expected) and not an actuator failure. To verify this, diagnostics were performed on Sol 2810 (Dec. 20, 2011). The diagnostic tests confirmed the actuator's continued good health.

Posted by: Bill Harris Dec 24 2011, 04:02 PM

Of interest also are the solar power/tau/dust factor figures in the updates. Holding steady...

--Bill

Posted by: Matt Lenda Dec 25 2011, 12:32 AM

QUOTE (fredk @ Dec 23 2011, 08:26 PM) *
From the latest http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_opportunityAll.html#sol2805

... aaaaaaaaaaaaand now I can talk about it! biggrin.gif

Imagine standing on a hill, right side facing downhill and left side facing uphill. Now try and turn in place on your right foot without letting it twist relative to your leg. You won't like it since more of your weight is on your right side.

Meh. NBD. There was this initial state of "wtf" when we saw the data. We had some quick chats and sequenced itsby bitsy drives with lots of hazcams. Turns out, everything is fine. It was sort of a "well, duh" kind of thing when we thought about the geometry more carefully.

In the meantime we could get that Pancam Deckpan in there.

-m

Posted by: mhoward Dec 25 2011, 09:33 PM

A new foreground color stereo pair from sol 2814

http://www.flickr.com/photos/marscat/6571074345/sizes/l/in/set-72157628503131387/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/marscat/6571074355/sizes/l/in/photostream/

Posted by: walfy Dec 27 2011, 06:30 AM

mhoward's recent excellent stereo pair was used for this nice one:



Posted by: walfy Dec 27 2011, 06:46 AM

Also from mhoward, sol 2010. Interesting how a wheel pushed the rock that plowed up a little soil. Some of the soil seems to have stuck to the rock. Wasn't this sticky soil behavior observed before? I thought I read about that at some point in the mission.


Posted by: PDP8E Dec 28 2011, 04:37 AM

Here is a recent image taken off the bowsprit of Oppy ...processed for detail.
Of the 4 major plates of rocks in the image, is that a gypsum vein above the northwest plate?
(... deploy the RAT brush ...)







Posted by: Paolo Dec 30 2011, 09:32 AM

from the latest mission update:

QUOTE
Opportunity will also begin a radio Doppler tracking campaign at the start of the new year.


what is this? are they trying to recover some of the Spirit "fixed lander" data? any info?

Posted by: nprev Dec 30 2011, 10:48 AM

I don't know, but if Oppy's going to stay put for a bit over the winter it seems logical to try to obtain similar data.

Not at all surprising, and in fact a smart use of resources.

Posted by: jvandriel Dec 30 2011, 11:30 AM

Color Pancam images from Sol 2817 and 2818 L257 and L456
stitched together.

Jan van Driel


Posted by: mhoward Dec 30 2011, 01:06 PM

QUOTE (Paolo @ Dec 30 2011, 03:32 AM) *
what is this? are they trying to recover some of the Spirit "fixed lander" data? any info?


Yes; it was discussed in the http://planetary.org/news/2011/1130_Mars_Exploration_Rover_Update.html

QUOTE
"If Opportunity parks with a 15-degree tilt, we should be able to do some of the radio science," Arvidson said. "It's the most energy intensive activity we could do, so it will depend on what's happening with the dust factor and with the opacity. But our intent is to go in with the radio science experiment limited by energy. It really is the most important thing to do if we can afford the energy – and having a good place where we can get a good southeasterly wind fetch."

"We will stay put for a while, for as short a time as we can and we will get as much radio science done as we can in the time that we stay put," said Squyres. "But as soon as we have enough power to boogie, we're going to boogie."

Posted by: Bill Harris Dec 30 2011, 11:41 PM

QUOTE (PDP8E @ Dec 27 2011, 10:37 PM) *
Here is a recent image taken off the bowsprit of Oppy ...processed for detail.
Of the 4 major plates of rocks in the image, is that a gypsum vein above the northwest plate?
It's probably not Gypsum, probably it's just an ochre-colored zone that is coincidentally linear.

This rock is a good example of the reworked impactite I've mentioned. The large rock is is probably an earlier impact breccia which has been subsequently disturbed, fractured and cast by a later impact, and which was apparently covered by later ejecta or weathering detritus and tilted up by the Endeavour impact and exposed to erosion. It's had a full life...

Posted by: Matt Lenda Dec 31 2011, 10:52 PM

QUOTE (Paolo @ Dec 30 2011, 02:32 AM) *
from the latest mission update:
what is this? are they trying to recover some of the Spirit "fixed lander" data? any info?

Extended HGA 2-way Doppler measurements to find out things about the interior structure of Mars. We would have done it with Spirit had she survived last winter. Need a few hours of data a week to be meaningful.

Man, I've been totally AWOL and I have no idea what's going on with Oppy! Tuesday morning will be interesting when I got back on that tactical horse...
-m

Posted by: Bill Harris Jan 1 2012, 11:26 AM

Good. I like blue and sparkley. Sky Flats (P2440) is a nice place to visit.

--Bill

Posted by: PDP8E Jan 2 2012, 02:24 AM

Here is an image off the front of OPPY on SOL 2819 , a little after 1:00pm local time.


Posted by: jvandriel Jan 2 2012, 01:36 PM

The Pancam L257 view on Sol 2820
stitched together.

Jan van Driel


Posted by: mhoward Jan 4 2012, 02:22 PM

Here's the first frame of the just-started Greeley Pan. L257R21 - ideal for color stereo. I'm very excited that eventually (presumably) we should have a whole 360º color stereo panorama from this location. If we must stand still for a while, at least maybe we'll get something in return for it.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/marscat/6634797073/sizes/l/in/photostream/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/marscat/6634797109/sizes/l/in/photostream/

Posted by: kungpostyle Jan 6 2012, 01:51 PM

Winter Haven:

http://www.space.com/14154-mars-rover-opportunity-winter-haven.html

Posted by: Stu Jan 6 2012, 02:30 PM

Just made a 3D view which I think works pretty well, but too big to post here, so if you'd like to see it please wander over to my blog...

http://roadtoendeavour.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/3d3.jpg

Trying to find a name given to that feature and failing miserably...

Posted by: mhoward Jan 6 2012, 05:49 PM

QUOTE (Stu @ Jan 6 2012, 08:30 AM) *
Trying to find a name given to that feature and failing miserably...


"Bedrock Foreground" smile.gif

Posted by: Stu Jan 6 2012, 05:58 PM

Wow, they thought long and hard about that one, eh..? laugh.gif

Posted by: fredk Jan 6 2012, 11:16 PM

A couple of notable comments from the latest http://planetary.org/news/2011/1231_Mars_Exploration_Rover_Update.html

QUOTE
“The radio science experiment will be the first priority, and the second priority will be Mössbauer data to get at the iron mineralogy of the Shoemaker Formation, and then the third priority is to get a beautiful Pancam panorama of Greeley Haven,” said Arvidson. “If it turns out that after 40-60 hours the Mössbauer data looks really neat then we’ll probably continue the integration, go into the winter low time, and then come out the other side and get even more hours.”

QUOTE
For each of the experiments in its winter science campaign, it's best if Opportunity stays parked in place, although the rover can move a little, up to a meter, Arvidson pointed out, “as long as we track locations within centimeters using visual odometry."

Posted by: PDP8E Jan 7 2012, 05:12 AM

On SOL 2810 Oppy's right front wheel was imaged 9 times during what seems to be an engineering test.
This is an animation that goes forwards then backwards before repeating (is there a word for that?)
The left wheel, also imaged at the same time for 9 images, does not move (other than the shadows advancing).





Posted by: Stu Jan 7 2012, 11:57 PM

Artistic take on "Morris Hill"


Posted by: Matt Lenda Jan 8 2012, 02:24 AM

QUOTE (PDP8E @ Jan 6 2012, 09:12 PM) *
On SOL 2810 Oppy's right front wheel was imaged 9 times during what seems to be an engineering test.
This is an animation that goes forwards then backwards before repeating (is there a word for that?)
The left wheel, also imaged at the same time for 9 images, does not move (other than the shadows advancing).


Yes, we had a drive "hiccup" where we stressed the right-front wheel too much and she faulted out. (Faulting out is a good thing, because it protects the hardware.)

On 2810, we sequenced an itsy-bitsy drive to test that we weren't in real trouble. Something like a 3cm drive, close to the smallest Oppy will allow. All is well even with that right-front wheel.

Cool gif! Love animations.

-m

Posted by: marsophile Jan 8 2012, 05:19 AM

http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/marsmicro2009/pdf/9006.pdf

http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/marsmicro2009/pdf/9008.pdf

These abstracts suggest that the dust in dust devils on Mars is mostly raised by temperature gradients caused by rapid changes in illumination---not by wind per se.

If this is so, then Oppy might get some cleaning of the solar panels if it could somehow arrange for a shadow to pass over the deck! It's not clear how that could be achieved, though.

[EDIT: Another possibility is that rapid opening and closing of the miniTES cover while the sun is shining down the barrel might help to clear dust from the MTES by thermal effects such as the Knudsen Compression effect.]

Posted by: algorimancer Jan 10 2012, 07:49 PM

QUOTE (marsophile @ Jan 7 2012, 11:19 PM) *
....opening and closing of the miniTES cover while the sun is shining down the barrel might help to clear dust from the MTES by thermal effects such as the Knudsen Compression effect.


That strikes me as a really promising notion -- replace external winds with internal convection. I don't know if the mechanical configuration of MiniTES is conducive to this, but it might be worth a try. This is one thing which may be much more economical to test empirically, rather than by simulation.

Posted by: jamescanvin Jan 10 2012, 11:10 PM

Morris Hill

http://www.nivnac.co.uk/mer/index.php/b2827

James

Posted by: DFinfrock Jan 11 2012, 03:11 AM

QUOTE (Stu @ Jan 7 2012, 11:57 PM) *
Artistic take on "Morris Hill"


Thanks for the new wallpaper Stu! Beautiful!

Posted by: walfy Jan 11 2012, 04:18 AM

A closeup from sol 2829:


Posted by: Nirgal Jan 11 2012, 05:25 PM

QUOTE (jamescanvin @ Jan 11 2012, 12:10 AM) *
Morris Hill
James


Yet another one for the 'most scenic MER photos' gallery !

Congratulation, james smile.gif

Posted by: Stu Jan 11 2012, 07:51 PM

(only) section (I've been able to stitch together properly) of the Greeley Panorama, looking north...



Posted by: marsophile Jan 11 2012, 08:01 PM

QUOTE (marsophile @ Jan 7 2012, 09:19 PM) *
... arrange for a shadow to pass over the deck...


A rotation in place of the rover could cause a shadow of the mast to pass over the deck. The movement would be the most rapid in areas of the deck that are furthest from the mast.

If this were to be tested empirically, the well-delineated dark area near the sundial platform (at the rear of the rover) could be used as a test area to detect any motion of the dust on the deck resulting from the passage of the shadow.

Posted by: Matt Lenda Jan 12 2012, 03:24 AM

QUOTE (Stu @ Jan 11 2012, 11:51 AM) *
(only) section (I've been able to stitch together properly) of the Greeley Panorama, looking north...



fyi, that's only nine parts of a twenty-something-part panorama... gonna be gorgeous.

-m

Posted by: James Sorenson Jan 12 2012, 04:13 AM

That was a rather large CR hit in the far right frame in Stu's pan.

Posted by: Stu Jan 12 2012, 07:38 PM

Looking north, down, and off, Cape York...


Posted by: fredk Jan 13 2012, 05:21 PM

This new frame from the big pan gives us our first (full frame) pancam view of the "notch" coming off the NE end of CY:
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/pancam/2012-01-13/1P379683476EFFBR43P2261R2M1.JPG?sol2833
Only L2/R2 so far (and very little 3D effect at that distance) - it'll be cool to see this in colour once the L5/7 are down...

Posted by: Floyd Jan 13 2012, 07:45 PM

I would hope the mission explores the "notch" before we leave Cape York. Following the edge around CY would allow us to determine the frequency of gypsum veins and no doubt a few other interesting things...

Posted by: Matt Lenda Jan 14 2012, 02:08 AM

QUOTE (Floyd @ Jan 13 2012, 11:45 AM) *
I would hope the mission explores the "notch" before we leave Cape York. Following the edge around CY would allow us to determine the frequency of gypsum veins and no doubt a few other interesting things...

Indeed. Give it until about... May of this year. We'll start boogeying. I don't know what the strategic plan is other than to go to the juicier bits to the south on the inboard side; who knows if we want to explore the northern apron or not. Would be great to see.

Posted by: ElkGroveDan Jan 14 2012, 03:15 AM

Regardless of what created that notch, I would expect it would be like like having a road-cut cross-section to examine. Surely the pointy-heads won't want to pass that opportunity up (NPI).

Posted by: ngunn Jan 14 2012, 11:23 AM

I'm not so sure that thinking of it as a notch (that is - something cut out) is helpful. Maybe we should think rather of its right hand side as an isolated spike of apron material and ask how that could have formed. Current thinking among the team seems to be that the apron consists of meridiani material altered by contact with groundwater with different chemistry originating from the ancient crater rim rocks. Could the influence of this groundwater extend a few metres farther out in one particular place to form a spike? Maybe, if the overdraped sediments cracked and slumped a little towards the centre of Endeavour and the noachian-flavoured groundwater exploited the crack. It seems to me that the orientation of the notch/spike roughly parallel to the crater rim is what you would expect for the alignment of a crack formed by downslope slumping.

Posted by: MarkG Jan 14 2012, 05:37 PM

The possibility exists that the notch is just a rim slump crack filled in (long ago) by sediment.

(or the scar from an errant laser blast in a long-ago interstellar conflict...)

Posted by: PDP8E Jan 14 2012, 06:18 PM

On 2820 the NAVCAM took a low angle shot of the notch/dagger
I straightened it up and stretched it 5x



MarkG: I like your thinking, but a laser blast might be a stretch, its probably something more mundane like Storm Drain Outflow Pipe - No. 23

Posted by: Stu Jan 14 2012, 10:06 PM

Personally I really don't care that much at this point what the geological explanation for "the Notch" is. Be it magnificent or mundane, I just want to see it. Ever since I saw it for the first time, on the first HiRISE image of Cape York that I looked at with the IAS Viewer after the decision ws taken to head for Endeavour, this feature has called out to me. It just fascinates me. Oppy is a geologist, true, but she's also an explorer, and we're all - those of us that want to, anyway - walking alongside her as she explores this fascinating place just for the sake of exploration. I'm sure the MER team feel the same drive to peer around the next corner, and look over the horizon, just as we do.

We won't be this way again for a long, long time.

C'mon. Let's go look at cool stuff.

smile.gif

Posted by: PDP8E Jan 15 2012, 01:28 AM

QUOTE (Stu @ Jan 14 2012, 05:06 PM) *
We won't be this way again for a long, long time.
C'mon. Let's go look at cool stuff.


I second that motion!
Let's see, Winter Solstice is March 30, 2012, so we can be mobile again by May 30th (?)

Posted by: CosmicRocker Jan 15 2012, 06:13 AM

I'd have to agree with everyone that the notch would be an exciting place to visit with the rover, but we should remain aware of the responsibility that the MER team bears as they control this rather expensive scientific instrument. As much as many of us would like to see them have some fun with the vehicle, sight-seeing has clearly not been a priority on this mission.

Any target is going to have to offer a scientific return...period. I'd have to agree that Oppy is an explorer as well as a scientist, and that serendipity has always had much to do with scientific discovery.

The notch is certainly the only road-cut cross-section around (as EGD has pointed out). It appears to me that the notch should provide a rather nice, 3D view of the lower stratigraphic section of the sediments draped over the Noachian crater rim, and that section of rocks which has been locally altered by paleo groundwater.

It should be intereting to see if they head north or south after the seasons change. wink.gif

Posted by: Bill Harris Jan 15 2012, 12:34 PM

And I'll agree with CR that the notch would provide an excellent road cut to peer into the past, although some features may be covered by the "QAL" type of deposits. Another good roadcut would be that fresh-ish crater on the NW side of the winterhaven area, giving a view into the onlap on the Meridiani side, with convenient hand specimens.

But the actively-eroding Eastern face of CY, which will give a good section through the upturned pre-Endeavour strata, will also give an excellent science return for our plucky explorer. We'll see what she does come Spring Thaw.

--Bill

Posted by: Stu Jan 15 2012, 12:38 PM

Panorama taking shape nicely now... I'm not a skilled enough image mage to handle the job of combining everything in colour, I'll leave that to you James! smile.gif Instead, restricting myself to collecting and stitching L2s to make a sweeping bw panorama... too big to post here, so a link to my what-I've-got-so-far image on my blog:

http://roadtoendeavour.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/jan-15.jpg

Posted by: ngunn Jan 15 2012, 02:09 PM

Very impressive already. smile.gif The clarity of detail visible across the crater is magnificent now. Fredk can probably read my 3D thoughts.

On the upturned pre-Endeavour strata Bill mentioned: I was expecting to see those on Morris Hill but instead everything there looks draped downslope, more like a Victoria bay than a Victoria cape.

Posted by: CosmicRocker Jan 16 2012, 05:15 AM

Yeah, these beds dipping into the crater have perplexed me for quite some time, now. We could even see them dipping off of Solander Point as Opportunity came around the south end of Cape York.

I have been mapping the dips of strata ever since we arrived at Cape York, expecting to see the upturned layers that were predicted from the HiRise imagery. I think we were seeing some westerly dips on the southern end of Cape York, but as we've come north on the cape, easterly dips have been more apparent. I'm not sure how to interpret these layers dipping into the crater, but my best guess is that they are rocks that are younger than Endeavour Crater. Perhaps they are the equivalent of the Burns Formation sulfate sands draped over the crater rim, or perhaps they are sediments eroded from the rim after it was uplifted.

These are questions that could be answered if Oppy could go back to investigate some of the outcrops she flew by on her rush to her winter haven. I'd sure like to get a closer look at those layers on Morris Hill.

Posted by: MarkG Jan 16 2012, 11:18 PM

Those beds could be actually almost-overturned --A folded over flap of layers. I'm not sure we have been able to see which way is up in the strata yet...

Posted by: CosmicRocker Jan 17 2012, 06:03 AM

It is certainly possible that the layers are overturned, and that is one reason why I would like to get a closer view of the rocks on Morris Hill. There are some hints of cross-lamination there which could point upward in the section, but it is really at the limit of the image resolution.

But I really have a hard time sketching a structure that includes such a tight fold, putting the easterly dipping rocks in such close proximity to the westerly dips we saw at the south end of Cape York. (see imagery from sols 2710-2735) Let's hope we eventually get some images that allow us to better elucidate the structure and stratigraphy here.

Posted by: Bill Harris Jan 17 2012, 10:23 AM

There is something odd going on here. The observed (assumed?) dips aren't matching up to what "oughtabe". We did rush to get here and all we have are passing glimpses at interesting structure. Not to mention, we don't know what the undisturbed (pre-Endeavour) strata was like (structurally or lithologically)-- remember, we're a skip-hop-and-a-jump from Miyamoto. And from a terrestrial standpoint, we have little experience with the giga-ton impact energies and large impacts this (relatively) well preserved.

I know that beds can be overturned by high-energy impacts but I wonder if the beds can also be crumpled? Tis a mystery.

In an ideal world, we'd have a drilling traverse with core samples and beaucoup seismic imagery to drool over. In this real world, we have to wait for more puzzle-pieces to drift by.

I hope Oppy makes it to the points south of CY.

--Bill

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