THEMIS: Ice-rich mantling in Utopia crater

Posted on April 16, 2019 by rburnham

Icy infill in northern crater (THEMIS_IOTD_20190416)THEMIS Image of the Day, April 16, 2019. This false-color VIS image shows a crater located in Utopia Planitia. The crater’s interior shows ample evidence for an ice-rich mantling material that has slipped and slumped away from the crater’s upraised rim.

The THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image.

Explore more THEMIS Images of the Day by geological subject.

 

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Curiosity update: Wrapping up at Aberlady

Posted on April 15, 2019 by rburnham

2375ML0126011100901068C00_DXXX-br2Sol 2379, April 15, 2019, update by MSL scientist Mariah Baker: With our time at Aberlady coming to a close, the search for our next drill target is in full swing. On Friday, the team discussed two different “bump” options that are near our current workspace and may be drillable. These targets were weighed against the option to head back toward a site we already passed or to do a small “walkabout” to scout out other promising bedrock outcrops. Ultimately, we decided to try our luck with one of the two nearby targets (one of which can be seen in the image above). However, the bump was postponed until Wednesday so that there would be enough time for the team to finish its assessment of the Aberlady workspace.

On the penultimate day of observations at Aberlady, we will focus on refining our understanding of the composition of local rocks and drilled material. ChemCam measurements of the drill hole and accompanying MAHLI images will be used to characterize a potential vein within the drilled rock. ChemCam will also target the edge of a large bedrock chunk, which appeared to get uplifted during drilling… [More at link]

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Latest weather at Gale Crater and Elysium Planitia

Posted on April 15, 2019 by rburnham

Daily Elysium charts and data (temperature, wind speed, atmospheric pressure) here.

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Curiosity: Looking at Lumphanan

Posted on April 15, 2019 by rburnham

CR0_608430428PRC_F0751386CCAM05376L1-br2Sol 2376, April 13, 2019. Curiosity’s Remote Micro-Imager took a look at the target that mission scientists have dubbed Lumphanan, tagged as a possible meteorite. Click the image to enlarge it.

Sol 2376 raw images (from all cameras).

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

HiRISE: Gullies on Gorgonum Chaos mesas

Posted on April 15, 2019 by rburnham

PSP_001948_1425Gullies on Gorgonum Chaos mesas. This observation shows part of Gorgonum Chaos, a large cluster of chaotic terrain found in the Southern Hemisphere. Many regions of chaotic terrain are found at the head of large outflow channels that were scoured by ancient floods. Gorgonum Chaos is one region that is not associated with an outflow channel.

HiRISE Picture of the Day archive. [More at links]

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

THEMIS: Arabia Terra crater dunes

Posted on April 15, 2019 by rburnham

Arabia Terra crater dunes (THEMIS_IOTD_20190415)THEMIS Image of the Day, April 15, 2019. Today’s VIS image is located in an unnamed crater in Arabia Terra. Dark blue in this combination is typically basaltic sands. The presence of sand dunes with this tone indicated that these dunes are of basaltic composition.

The THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image.

Explore more THEMIS Images of the Day by geological subject.

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Curiosity update: Refining composition and mineralogy at Aberlady

Posted on April 13, 2019 by rburnham

2370MR0125670011001888C00_DXXX-br2Sols 2376-77, April 13, 2019, update by MSL scientist Vivian Sun: We are continuing the sequence of drill activities at Aberlady. We will be collecting APXS of the dump pile with two offset observations to better understand any compositional variations, which are hinted at by the color variations observed in the drill fines (see above image). We will also be performing another CheMin integration to further refine the mineralogic analyses for Aberlady. We will also take MAHLI images of the dump pile and the drill hole. Discussions of whether we should drill again near our current workspace or drive away and drill elsewhere are still ongoing, but to cover our bases we planned an APXS and MAHLI observation of “Seil” for reconnaissance on potentially drillable bedrock… [More at link]

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

HiRISE: Pits and flows

Posted on April 12, 2019 by rburnham

ESP_054781_1715Pits and flows. This observation shows smooth-textured flows on the plateau south of the collapse pit chain of Ophir Catena.

HiRISE Picture of the Day archive. [More at links]

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Curiosity update: CheMin success at Aberlady!

Posted on April 12, 2019 by rburnham

PIA23138-16-640x350Sol 2375, April 12, 2019, update by MSL scientist Kristen Bennett: Today we received the initial results from CheMin’s analysis of the “Aberlady” drill sample, and they look great! This means that CheMin received enough sample and we do not need to deliver more material. Based on the initial questions about how much sample was obtained (see the Sol 2373 post), SAM decided to not use their resources to analyze this sample. So in today’s plan we will dump the rest of the sample on the ground where we can analyze it with Curiosity’s remote sensing instruments.

We are currently deciding whether we should drill at another location nearby so SAM can have a shot at analyzing this type of rock. To help with that decision, in today’s plan ChemCam will target two potential drill options, “Ulva” and “Sutors.” ChemCam will also target “New Lanark” to document a possible transition between two different rock types that were observed near the rover… [More at link]

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

InSight: More testing for the ‘mole’

Posted on April 12, 2019 by rburnham

8419_PIA23046-webUpdated at 5 p.m. PDT (8 p.m. EDT) on April 11: InSight’s Heat and Physical Properties Package (HP3) instrument completed a new round of diagnostic hammering into the Martian surface on March 26, 2019, while the spacecraft’s seismometer listened in. The team working with the heat probe is continuing to analyze seismic data from this test. Based on the time between hammer strikes, scientists may be able to learn something new about what’s obstructing the probe from digging farther underground.

This week, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) is busy wrapping up tests at a facility in Bremen, Germany, to better understand the properties of Martian soil. There are many questions about how the soil around InSight compacts or shifts during hammering. In addition to investigating whether the probe has struck a rock or a layer of gravel, scientists are exploring whether this sand isn’t providing enough friction for the probe, also known as “the mole,” to dig down. Find more information about DLR’s recent testing here…. [More at link]

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off