Spring at Cape York, Sol 2947 (after Greeley Haven) - sol 3040 Options

[ElkGroveDan]

For what it's worth, the micros from sol 2960 again as 3D mosaic:
http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.p...st&id=26866

Whatever that is, it's really soft. It appears the sides of the RAT hole just crumbled into the center after it was removed. Now what about that vertical impression on the right? Was that something on the IDD? or is it a natural feature?

[Phil Stooke]

This is in the rover tracks, it's a wheel impression.

Phil

[fredk]

Looks like a short drive back south on 2971 - perhaps to check whether this gypsum vein is wide enough for IDD work?
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportuni...0M1.JPG?sol2971

[RoverDriver]

Yep, that's what we are trying to do. Possibly we will need one more bump before IDD work can begin. That's what you get with a 4 DOF (degrees of freedom) arm.

Paolo

[Tesheiner]

The images are still on the queue but I presume the vein is what has been labeled Monte Cristo; an island with a massive hidden treasure (from the novel).

02971::p2363::30::40::40::0::0::2::82::pancam_Monte_Cristo_3x1_L234567Rall

[jvandriel]

Looking back through the eyes of the L1 Pancam on Sol 2967.

Jan van Driel

[Tesheiner]

Last month's report by Salley Rayl is available here (*): http://www.planetary.org/blogs/guest-blogs...ion-rovers.html.
Some tidbits about the vein we drove over this weekend.

Opportunity closed in on a longer vein earlier this week and there are plans for the rover to bump itself into a position this weekend to look at it up close, if the scientists decide it's worthy. "We are planning a small bump to try to get one of the veins into the IDD work volume," expounded Stroupe. "We're also going to take some color pictures of it. On Monday, we'll decide whether to go ahead and use the IDD or drive to another nearby one."

And about phyllosilicates:

There is little doubt that Opportunity will make it to one of the phylliosilicate-rich areas along Endeavour's rim, but positively identifying clay minerals will be something of a challenge, considering the rover's two specially designed mineral detectors are no longer working. "It will be harder without the Mössbauer and the Mini-TES, but there are things we'll see in the APXS data if there is a high enough concentration of phyllosilicates," assured Squyres.

(*) Couldn't find a permalink.

[mhoward]

A question for Paolo, out of curiosity: I notice you've been taking some overlapping Pancam images of the veins recently. For example, the '3x1' Pancam mosaic of Monte Cristo actually has four camera pointings, the center two of which overlap at a slight offset. Is that about some different way of obtaining stereo, or what's up with that?

[stevesliva]

^ I thought it had to do with dust on the camera.

[RoverDriver]

A question for Paolo, out of curiosity: I notice you've been taking some overlapping Pancam images of the veins recently. For example, the '3x1' Pancam mosaic of Monte Cristo actually has four camera pointings, the center two of which overlap at a slight offset. Is that about some different way of obtaining stereo, or what's up with that?

I have not been on shift lately but the PANCAMs are now quite dusty and IIRC we use only about 10 degrees of horizontal field of view for critical observations. I could well be mistaken tho. I will ask around and let you know.

Paolo

[mhoward]

Not a big deal, Paolo, we know you've got stuff to do. Getting around dust contamination would make sense, I guess.

[vikingmars]

Sol 2965 : the horizon is still crystal clear (quick & raw outline herewith) : features located more than 30 km away (including the Iazu Crater rim) seem to be visible !
===> I'd really like the Rover team to take an L7 PanCam horizon look around the rim of Endeavour before it goes dusty...
Enjoy !

[Stu]

Colour image of gypsum vein...

[Tesheiner]

From sol 2974: In action taking MIs of "Monte Cristo".

[Stu]

"Monte Cristo" MI mosaic...