[X] My Assistant

[dot.dk]

Looks like Spirit is ready to attack Jibsheet



When I saw this picture I thought I had seen it somewhere else before. Some place at Meridiani

http://marsrover.nasa.gov/gallery/all/1/f/...54P1214L0M1.JPG

[Bill Harris]

It might be that, stratigraphically, the top of Husband Hill is no higher than we are at the Lookout area. After she's done here, I'd vote to travel along the contour towards the Inner Basin-- the Ultreya feature and the Homeplate unit have potential.

--Bill

[dvandorn]

It might be that, stratigraphically, the top of Husband Hill is no higher than we are at  the Lookout area.  After she's done here, I'd vote to travel along the contour towards the Inner Basin-- the Ultreya feature and the Homeplate unit have potential.

--Bill

Stratigraphically, what we really want is to get *lower* in the sequence, not higher. The lower we get, the older the rocks. And the older the rocks, the more complete the story we can buld up as to the history of geologic, aqueous and atmospheric processes that carved this landscape.

With the discovery that the Columbia Hills seem to be formed out of dipping beds of layered rock (which had to have been uplifted by tectonic or impact activity), it makes sense that the summit of the hill would become a lower priority. Getting to the summit just means we're following along the top of the stratigraphic sequence. Think of taking a piece of plywood and breaking it, then propping it up so that the broken edge sits at an angle above the tabletop. If you just move along the top of the piece of plywood to the point highest above the table, you're not going to gain any deeper insight into the structure or composition of the plywood -- you'll be staying right on top of the top layer. And in the hills, the "broken" edge of the layered bedrock has been spilled down and eroded such that it's mostly a jumbled mess.

It sounds like they've identified a spot where a much lower section of the stratigraphic sequence is exposed in place. To a geology enthusiast, that is a *lot* more exciting than getting an impressive view of what are, after all, drab ochre plains stretching into the distance....

-the other Doug