CRISM: Carbonate minerals near Huygens Crater

Posted on October 16, 2014 by rburnham

carbonatesHere we see Fe/Ca carbonates (pink) along the southeastern wall of an unnamed crater’s central pit. Because these carbonates are seen in the central pit, it is thought that they were formed in the subsurface (underground) but then brought up and exposed by the impact that formed this crater. The high resolution image on the right shows a close up of the location of the carbonates…. [More at link]

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Curiosity update: ‘MARDI video’

Posted on October 16, 2014 by rburnham

Sol 780, October 15, 2014, update from USGS Scientist Ken Herkenhoff: “We were originally planning to perform some arm tests on Sol 780 to help diagnose the fault that occurred last weekend, but it was decided that they were too risky….” [More at link]

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THEMIS: Candor Chasma

Posted on October 16, 2014 by rburnham

Candor Chasma (THEMIS_IOTD_20141016)THEMIS Image of the Day, October 16, 2014. Today’s VIS image shows part of the floor of Candor Chasma.

More THEMIS Images of the Day by geological topic.

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MARCI weather report: October 6-12, 2014

Posted on October 15, 2014 by rburnham

releaseimg_141006_141012Storm activity continued in earnest this week, with regional scale storms in the northern hemisphere and smaller local storms in the southern hemisphere. In the north, storm activity along the Acidalia storm track picked up, with storms travelling north to south into Chryse and leaving residual dust haze in parts of eastern Vallis Marineris… [More at link, including video]

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Curiosity update: ‘Using the arm’

Posted on October 15, 2014 by rburnham

FLB_466554239EDR_F0430000FHAZ00323M_Sol 779, October 14, 2014, update from USGS Scientist Ken Herkenhoff: “The Sol 778 data show that the arm instruments are safe, and the arm is ready for more activities. MAHLI will not be used until the recent arm problems are better understood, to ensure that MAHLI’s lens does not get dirty if the dust cover is left open again.  However, the APXS can be used, so the Sol 779 plan includes another attempt to measure the chemistry of “Morrison” (see Sol 767 blog)…” [More at link]

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THEMIS: Valles Marineris

Posted on October 15, 2014 by rburnham

Canyons of morning light (THEMIS_IOTD_20141015)THEMIS Image of the Day, October 15, 2014. This VIS image shows part of the north wall of Valles Marineris near Melas Chasma.

More THEMIS Images of the Day by geological topic.

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Opportunity field report: October 10, 2014

Posted on October 15, 2014 by rburnham

Lipscomb_targetSol 3808 (October 10, 2014) Rover Field Report by Larry Crumpler, MER Science Team & New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science: “Opportunity continues to work its way up Wdowiak Ridge as it ascend southward along the rim of Endeavour crater. Currently Opportunity is examining some rocks that were excavated and thrown out of a nearby small impact crater, Ulysses Crater…”

“We are trying to get a good look at this rock [Lipscomb] that is currently in front of Opportunity. It is odd because it has a slabby layer or coating on the outside, yet is a different composition than most of the rocks along the crater rim. The abundance of small rocks from the nearby crater ejecta is proving difficult to step around without slipping and tripping…”

[More at link, including Comet Siding Spring observation plans]

 

 

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Mars Orbiter Mission: Phobos in motion

Posted on October 15, 2014 by rburnham

6782C675C61133760076214169600_2.5.1.8295492310491926854.mp4Did you see that? It moved! Oh, it’s just Phobos.  [Flash animation at link]

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THEMIS: South polar features

Posted on October 15, 2014 by rburnham

South polar mesas and buttes (THEMIS_IOTD_20141014)THEMIS Image of the Day, October 14, 2014. Today’s VIS image shows a region of plateaus and depressions near the south polar cap.

More THEMIS Images of the Day by geological topic.

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Curiosity update: ‘MAHLI recovery’

Posted on October 15, 2014 by rburnham

NLB_466479628EDR_F0430000NCAM07753M_-br2Sol 778, October 13, 2014, update from USGS Scientist Lauren Edgar: “Over the weekend, Curiosity was supposed to perform a number of MAHLI activities to image the drill hole and the target Morrison, along with APXS on Morrison, but unfortunately an arm fault occurred during the observation of the drill hole.  This left MAHLI with its cover open.  Fortunately, some JPL engineers came in on Saturday to make a recovery plan and successfully closed the MAHLI cover.”  [More at link]

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