[X] My Assistant

[dilo]

They are studing solar cells with microscopic camera:
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/mi...IIP2959M2M1.JPG
Do someone knows the reason?

[Chmee]

These images give as a good idea of the size of the particles are that are being carried by the wind (which we cannot tell just by looking at the ground). Some of these particles are surprisingly large, like someone said, almost like cat litter.

It also looks like there is "corrosion" on some of the metallic parts in the picture. It would not surprise me, since I understand that the planet is full of oxides.

[abalone]

These images give as a good idea of the size of the particles are that are being carried by the wind (which we cannot tell just by looking at the ground).  Some of these particles are surprisingly large, like someone said, almost like cat litter.

The particle size we are seeing in the microscope images does not necessarly imply that they are that big when they are being carried by the wind. Remember the clumping of the dust that we were seeing on the images of the magnets early in the mission. Also the dry environment leads to the buildup of large static charges when the wind blows. This could cause different minerals to become oppositly charged and thus clump.

These static charges may well contribute as much to the solar panel cleaning events as the wind itself. Back at school you may have seen a demonstation using a Van Der Graaf generator. If you put a hand ful of sawdust on it and turn it on, the sawdust becomes charged and just lifts off and hey presto, the top is clean, no wind needed.