Continuing into Glenelg, Leaving Rocknest behind, sols 102-166 (Nov 18 2012-Jan 23, 2013) Options

[elakdawalla]

According to the caption of a version of the Rocknest mastcam pan released by the mission today, the site that Curiosity drove to after Rocknest (where the sol 107 panorama was taken) is called "Point Lake."

[iMPREPREX]

Well, this Point Lake it awesome.

Do you know if that dune that is all the way to the left is named? It's actually 3 or more if I'm not mistaken.

[ngunn]

I think that Glenelg may be just what it looks like. A dried up lake bed with a fairly obvious shoreline.

There are two things to explain - a remarkably clean and empty basin, and the fact that this is just the lowest part of the high thermal inertia unit (HTI). I suggest HTI indicates exposure of ancient rocks long predating the fan. Something exposed and maybe eroded those ancient rocks. That process was able to operate on a slope and wasn't confined to the Glenelg basin. That's the first puzzle. The second is the basin itself. What created it and what may have occupied it? Whatever it was it's gone.

The basin has distinct margins to the right of our view, but to the left it rises into the rest of the HTI unit without any obvious 'shoreline'.

[Julius]

I suppose that the Glenelg bedrock composition would have been identified by CRISM on MRO??!

[Don1]

There are two things to explain - a remarkably clean and empty basin, and the fact that this is just the lowest part of the high thermal inertia unit (HTI).

I think that the crater floor is partly filled with several alluvial fans, and that the 'basin' is simply the space that is left between the alluvial fans. There may also be some material which came down from Mt Sharp to form the unit to the right.

I think the basin is clean because the surface is young compared to the rest of the Martian surface. The older, rockier more cratered surfaces are buried beneath material left behind when the last lake evaporated. When Mars really dried out, the sediments dessicated and cracked into polygons.

Like dry lakes in the Mojave, it may only have been wet for short periods.

The rock composition at Glenelg was not identified by CRISM, other than that it had high thermal inertia. Hopefully Curiosity will teach MRO to recognise a new type of material.

[elakdawalla]

Before you go off the deep end arm-waving about Gale geology, I suggest you visit the MSL FAQ thread and follow the links to resources on Gale geomorphology, geology, composition, etc. This is not a dried-up lakebed. It's an erosionally exposed surface. Also, CRISM didn't measure thermal inertia, THEMIS did. Curiosity can, and will, ground-truth orbital observations.

[Zelenyikot]

They are beautiful. I waited long ago this shot.

Full panorama (14,7 mb)
Medium (2,3 mb)

Attached thumbnail(s)

 

[Ant103]

Wow, this is getting much BIGGER Some extra frames coming from Sol 109.

[vjkane]

I think Curiosity may be spending awhile there...

[rob66]

So many features in that image to look at ! I want to be there

[pmetschan]

So many features in that image to look at ! I want to be there

What are those concentric "ribs" sorry, I know, I know, but I can't be the only one that jumped out too?

[elakdawalla]

It is totally fine on this forum to describe things as looking like "ribs" or "sea lions" as long as you are not asserting that that is what they are! I'm curious too, it must be some trick of lighting but I can't wrap my head around the geometry.

[Phil Stooke]

http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/news/item/sol...yellowknife-bay

Tomorrow! A short drive coming up, just a bump to put the arm down.

Phil

[pmetschan]

It is totally fine on this forum to describe things as looking like "ribs" or "sea lions" as long as you are not asserting that that is what they are! I'm curious too, it must be some trick of lighting but I can't wrap my head around the geometry.

I have been scanning the full pan awhile looking for them and can't seem to locate them. I would have to agree with you that it will most likely end up being some trick of light. That being said there are some very very interesting structures in this terrain, what an incredible site the science team must be over the moon with this place

[ddan]

It's about here:



http://www.db-prods.net/marsroversimages/C..._Mastcam100.jpg