Getting to 'Big Crater', A little premature speculation Options

[Phil Stooke]

SFJCody said "One more reason to be interested in going to this place: the rim of Big Crater (certainly the eastern rim, probably also the western rim, although it's hard to tell at this resolution) is not coated in blueberries- there's no hematite signal there!"

I think that is just a data gap in the hematite colour overlay on the background image. There are others, showing as grey windows in the colour. The rim one appears more prominent because the rim itself is so contrasty.

Phil

[SFJCody]

I think that is just a data gap in the hematite colour overlay on the background image. There are others, showing as grey windows in the colour. The rim one appears more prominent because the rim itself is so contrasty.

Phil

There are data gaps, yes, but most of them appear as linear streaks that have no relation to the surrounding areas. If you look at the three big craters in a row (the eroded one being at the top) you'll see that each one is surrounded by a 'halo' of green-blue (indicating a weak signal) that conforms to the shape of the rim. The smaller middle crater has quite a big 'halo' for its size, and this may be because it has a noticeable ejecta blanket overlying the terrain. It's the same (but more pronounced) with the really big fresh crater to the south west- the crater and the ejecta blanket shows no signal, and the outskirts are green-blue.

[ugordan]

I'm with Phil on the data gap thought. While the big ejecta around the bottom-left crater is obviously devoid of hematite, the area in the "Big Crater" walls "lacking" hematite seems suspiciously coincident with the parts with greatest illumination/reflectance. It might well be instrument saturation occured there (this could be a ratio image used as color overlay) and no useful data exists for those spots.

[climber]

There are data gaps, yes, but most of them appear as linear streaks that have no relation to the surrounding areas. If you look at the three big craters in a row (the eroded one being at the top) you'll see that each one is surrounded by a 'halo' of green-blue (indicating a weak signal) that conforms to the shape of the rim. The smaller middle crater has quite a big 'halo' for its size, and this may be because it has a noticeable ejecta blanket overlying the terrain. It's the same (but more pronounced) with the really big fresh crater to the south west- the crater and the ejecta blanket shows no signal, and the outskirts are green-blue.

Can we deduce crater's ages and/or water depth with those data? I mean age in comparison of hematite formation and depth by followinh hematire signal around the craters.

[SFJCody]

It might well be instrument saturation occured there (this could be a ratio image used as color overlay) and no useful data exists for those spots.

How would instrument saturation account for the low-hematite green-blue 'halos' (particularly for the case of the smaller middle crater with the ejecta blanket) which cover what appears to be low-reflectance terrain?

[ustrax]

Darn. Already in use (look under "T")

Indeed...
That lead us to another hypothesis that even pleases me more...
Ithaca Crater!
At a same time the home of Ulysses/Odysseus, and an hommage to all the brains coming out from Cornell University in Ithaca (population: 29287)...
We have to remind that Ulysses returned to Ithaca...Will Opportunity make it?...

[ElkGroveDan]

I'm beginning to have doubts about whether the rover will actually be able to get inside Victoria--short of rolling off a clifftop.

You'll be glad to know that I heard a rumor how they are out at the JPL test bed right now practicing "rover rolls". The goal is to see exactly how to approach a ledge and roll off of it so that the rover lands upright after three or four tumbles. I hear it's not going well but it's really fun to watch....... (joking, just joking)

[Pavel]

Indeed...
That lead us to another hypothesis that even pleases me more...
Ithaca Crater!
At a same time the home of Ulysses/Odysseus, and an hommage to all the brains coming out from Cornell University in Ithaca (population: 29287)...
We have to remind that Ulysses never returned to Ithaca...Will Opportunity make it?...

I second that. Actually, I was going to propose the same name! I'm shocked. You must have read my thoughts.
One more reason for Ithaca. There are many interesting geological features around, and also many waterfalls, including Taughannock Falls, which is higher than Niagara falls. That fits well with the goals of the MER mission - study the geology and the role of water.

[ustrax]

Ithaca Crater!

Dream! Dream! Dream!
I'm already answering to myself...
But, as in other occasions provided by this two little wanderers, something magical happens from time to time...
We are reaching Victoria and Oppy will be there for a long time, but somehow some of us feel that she won't end up there. I do. And this poem...Oh man this poem...
Text version

EDITED: Pavel, it would be a great place to end this Odyssey wouldn't it?...

[Marz]

Dream! Dream! Dream!

Wow, this thread is zuper nuts! We're talking about 8-10km drive?

This may not be totally unreasonable, especially if the science return is low because the arm craps out during the Victoria campaign. Sadly, if this were the case, there would be fewer reasons to stop n' sniff, and perhaps a more aggressive drive campaign. If the terrain is favorable, we might get up to 80m drives again... placing the West Rim in reach before the onset of next winter, depending on how much time is spent at Victoria.

Then again, I had dreamed of Spirit exploring the Chaos terrain... which is gonna be quite a stretch for her to pull that off.

This really makes me wonder what the MSL mission will be like. That could cover some serious ground!

[ustrax]

Wow, this thread is zuper nuts!

Personally I've re-read already several times and I got severe cramps on my belly...
From Doug's "For the love of god" to climber's UMSF city..."Mad, mad, mad...I'm loving it"
It's truly a strong candidate for the forum Zuper Nuts Award 2006...And who knows 2007, 2008,...

[tim53]

Wow, this thread is zuper nuts! We're talking about 8-10km drive?

Um... ...12 kilometers, PAST Victoria, so from the southeast side of Victoria. And that's to the degraded rim (rimless). The north rim peaks are 22 kilometers away, and stick up about 80-100 meters above the local plains. The southeast rim peaks are 35 kilmeters away, and taller (though I don't have my topomap open at the moment).

This may not be totally unreasonable, especially if the science return is low because the arm craps out during the Victoria campaign. Sadly, if this were the case, there would be fewer reasons to stop n' sniff, and perhaps a more aggressive drive campaign. If the terrain is favorable, we might get up to 80m drives again... placing the West Rim in reach before the onset of next winter, depending on how much time is spent at Victoria.

If the shoulder joint fails while the arm is deployed, it will be impossible to completely stow the arm, so it will be in the field of view of the navcams and bouncing around a bit while driving, so the distances we'll be able to cover will be MUCH less than with the arm stowed.

Then again, I had dreamed of Spirit exploring the Chaos terrain... which is gonna be quite a stretch for her to pull that off.

There is a difference between planning on GETTING all that way versus driving in that direction to cover new ground. I don't think many of us expected we'd make it all the way to Victoria with Oppy, and yet here we are. Spirit may not be able to move far in a sol, but it may be able to move. And who knows how far it may go before something else breaks? Worth a try.

-Tim.

[Pavel]

EDITED: Pavel, it would be a great place to end this Odyssey wouldn't it?...

End? Never!
By the time we are there, we'll have another big crater in sight, perhaps the "big splat" further south.
An the software will be updated again allowing Oppy to chase dust devils on its own for the purpose of cleaning

[ustrax]

Um... ...12 kilometers, PAST Victoria, so from the southeast side of Victoria. And that's to the degraded rim (rimless). The north rim peaks are 22 kilometers away, and stick up about 80-100 meters above the local plains. The southeast rim peaks are 35 kilmeters away, and taller (though I don't have my topomap open at the moment).

One thing at a time...
12kms?...Do you guys have anything planned for 2009' Autumn?...

[tim53]

One thing at a time...
12kms?...Do you guys have anything planned for 2009' Autumn?...

Yeah! Launching MSL!

-Tim.