MECA (microscope) Images Options

[MahFL]

Sample delivery to MECA ?

[peter59]

Probably to WCL

[ElkGroveDan]

Looks like my kids were playing around there.

[jmknapp]

By that token no raw images would ever be released because cosmic ray hits would inevitably be (and have been) interpreted as artificial objects in the distance, UFOs, etc.

It's interesting that of all the scientific data amassed by the spacecraft, only photographic data is released immediately in (somewhat) raw form. In the spirit of getting greedy, why not, for example, raw temperature/pressure readings throughout the day from the weather instruments, or dust readings from the laser?

[helvick]

The photographic data that we get is "obfuscated" slightly by the auto-levelling process used to make the images look acceptable for general purpose web browsing, that also eliminates much of the risk of anyone confusing the quickly released images for calibrated data.

The more basic non image data (like temperature measurements) present a problem because there is no acceptable way to carry out a similar sort of modification of the data that preserves an effective presentation of the form of the data without being too specific (so as to prevent confusion between uncalibrated and calibrated data).

[silylene]

Do any of you know what, if any, are the possible sources of tiny fibers which could have fallen onto the collection slide from the lander? For example, thermal blankets, insulation, or a woven wrapping around a cable ?

thanks!

[djellison]

Got a sample image?

[silylene]

Got a sample image?

There is a small fiber stuck which to me appears to be stuck by one end on the slide, the other end of which which appears to move in the wind by time lapse, perhaps also as focus was changed. (Perhaps the focal change makes it appear to move? I don't think this is the case.)

See the post by rlb2 who found this first in the middle of this page, for stills, and also read the discussion for the exact location: http://www.space.com/common/community/foru...elife.space.com

And here is a Flash animation of the apparent movement by a_lost_packet: http://www.zshare.net/flash/140388723809779c/

rlb2 has estimated the fiber's length to be 0.1 mm. In some posts, this apparently moving fiber has been termed a 'worm'. (and no, I don't think there is any chance that it is, though it is amusing!) I am just interested in what are the sources of fibers which could have fallen off the lander and onto the slide.

[djellison]

Given that this is from a clean slide that hadn't been exposed to the landing dustfall - anything seen is simply artifacts of a non-perfect collection slide. The illumination is entirely from within the OM ( http://www.mps.mpg.de/images/projekte/phoe...ca-om01_xxl.jpg ) and the LED's are in a ring around the OM optics, causing the change in shadows as the different LED's are turned on to image the slide. Notice how the 'worm' moves in exactly the same way as the shadow around all the other imperfections on the substrates?

Disappointing, but not all together surprising that people would try and make something out of it.

[silylene]

Thanks for the explanation and picture.

[ahecht]

Do any of you know what, if any, are the possible sources of tiny fibers which could have fallen onto the collection slide from the lander? For example, thermal blankets, insulation, or a woven wrapping around a cable ?

There are many things in a clean room which could leave tiny 0.1mm fibers in the microscope: the bunny suits, hair nets, booties, kimwipes, paper, etc. Any of those that contained optical brighteners (such as white paper or laundered fabric) would also fluoresce in UV.

[Ipparchus]

Do you know when are they going to use the Atomic Force Microscope? why didn`t they use it so far?

[Del Palmer]

Do you know when are they going to use the Atomic Force Microscope?

Probably real soon now. From Mark Lemmon's raw images page:

Sol 042: Clean and scrape Wonderland, AFM checkout part 1

[Ipparchus]

Do you know if the Atomic Force Microscope could detect and "photograph" any (possibly existing) micro-organisms in the soil samples? what size(nm) should the microbes have to be detected?

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[01101001]

Do you know if the Atomic Force Microscope could detect and "photograph" any (possibly existing) micro-organisms in the soil samples? what size(nm) should the microbes have to be detected?

University of Arizona, Mars Phoenix MECA

The optical and atomic-force microscopes complement MECA's wet chemisty experiments. With images from these microscopes, scientists will examine the fine detail structure of soil and water ice samples. Detection of hydrous and clay minerals by these microscopes may indicate past liquid water in the martian arctic. The optical microscope will have a resolution of 4 microns per pixel, allowing detection of particles ranging from about 10 micrometers up to the size of the field of view (about 1 millimeter by 2 millimeters).
[...]
The atomic force microscope will provide sample images down to 10 nanometers - the smallest scale ever examined on Mars. Using its sensors, the AFM creates a very small-scale "topographic" map showing the detailed structure of soil and ice grains.