Opportunity Mission Update Thread

[centsworth_II]

<font color="yellow">"I have no idea what the zinc enrichment means!"</font><br /><br />It's tough lining up the data points with the appropriate symbols, but I think it's the Br that's enriched. I don't know if that's any easier to explain than zinc enrichment.<br /><br />Actually, I'm all mixed up. On the graph, are the concentrations lower as the lines go up? I see 10 to the first power on the reference line and 10 to the zero power at the top of the graph.<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[fangsheath]

Judging from the tic marks on the vertical scale, something is indeed reversed. The tic marks suggest a logarithmic scale, while the numbers indicate a reverse logarithmic. But if we switch the numbers, the graph now indicates that Escher has roughly the same amounts of most elements post-RAT as Virginia. I think there must be more wrong with it than just the reversal.

 

[thechemist]

centsworth_II,<br />The graph presents ratios of concentrations (Escher/Virginia), so in effect it is equivalent to setting all compounds of Virginia at one (c=1), and seeing what happens to Escher (<1 or />1) at various stages. Absolute concentrations are not provided anywhere.<br /><br />fangsheath,<br />The tick placement shows that the labels should be reversed. The horizontal line is meaningfull only at ratio=1. Your conclusion that post-RAT the two rocks are similar is not necessarily wrong. JPL's point is that the their weathering history is different, i.e. the coatings of the two rocks should differ more than the interior.<br /><br />If the labels are reversed, Jon's conclusion for a halite (NaCl) coating on Escher looks ok. <br />May I add that the graph shows less SO3 (a measure of sulfates ?) on Escher's coating, indicating this rock was eroded, presumably by water according to JPL. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>I feel better than James Brown.</em> </div>

 

[exoscientist]

Centsworth, bromine would also be consistent with a salt water exposure.<br /><br /><br /> Bob <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[fangsheath]

The problem is, even if we reverse the numbers, without absolute amounts we still have no way to determine from this graph how the elements are changing in Escher, or Virginia for that matter. All we have are 3 sets of unconnected ratios. I realize that the intention of the graph was to show that the surface of Escher is more different from the interior than is the case with Virginia. But all it does is confuse the issues for me. Did the chlorine go up or down in Virginia after RATing? No way to tell from this graph.

 

[thechemist]

I agree completely. It is frustrating, but this ratios graph is all we got at the moment. <br />Maybe a good old live press release will be held sometime soon, and we won't have to wait for the papers to come out, although I doubt it.<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>I feel better than James Brown.</em> </div>

 

[muruga1]

Re Wopmay: Do you think it may be a fractured evaporite rock into which ground water containing sulphuric acid permeated along the fracture lines? The acid would weaken the rock structure near along the fracture lines and nearby. That material would be more readily worn away by wind/sand/spherule erosion and, as you move away from the fracture lines, you would have less weakened rock, and so less erosion, and thus a pattern of raised areas surrounded by eroded cracks as we see on Wopmay.

 

[anoolios]

An audio recording of the Oct. 7, 2004 teleconference is up at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/mer/briefing.cfm<br /><br />I think there was some discussion of Escher's chemical composition (hard to hear due to big brother circling overhead in the form of a police helicopter as I listened).<br />It's great to hear the scientists' enthusiasm that is not communicated through dry press briefings, I can tell these guys really love what they are doing.

 

[centsworth_II]

<font color="yellow">"It's great to hear the scientists' enthusiasm that is not communicated through dry press briefings..."</font><br /><br />This is why I like I like the live press briefings. Also, during the briefings little tidbits -- thoughts and information -- come out that never appear in printed reports. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[ilbasso]

Fascinating close-ups of Wopmay. A number of them (like http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/1/p/252/1P150554323EFF36A5P2433R7M1.HTML, see lower right of image) have "dangling blueberries" that to me seem suggestive of stalactites -- like water had been dripping over and off of this rock for a long time.

 

[silylene old]

Wopmay sure looks like it is covered by a cm-thick layer of evaporite (mud?). <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature" align="center"><em><font color="#0000ff">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</font></em> </div><div class="Discussion_UserSignature" align="center"><font color="#0000ff"><em>I really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function.</em></font> </div> </div>

 

[thechemist]

The curved dark "chanels" on Wopmay (in the above mentioned image) remind me of the straighter ones on Razorback. Could they be of similar origin ? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>I feel better than James Brown.</em> </div>

 

[fangsheath]

Wopmay must be viewed in anaglyph to really appreciate its morphology. It is apparent to me that portions of the rock have expanded considerably at some point, distorting the bedding lines.

 

[fangsheath]

It also appears that subsequent to this process, something broke this large rock apart. Notice how the edge on the left more or less matches that of the piece on the right. I believe the surface of the piece on the right facing us was formerly the interior of this rock.

 

[mikehoward]

Oh yes, I believe they are going to be looking at this rock for awhile.<br /><br />http://img28.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img28&image=1P150908172_fcL2L5L7.jpg

 

[thechemist]

A bunch of very old PanCam images from Sols 62-65 (approx) have<br />been released for the first time yesterday at Exploratorium !<br /><br />http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/pancam/2004-10-18/<br /><br />These were not available at the Mars Rovers JPL site either.<br /><br />Just curious <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /><br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>I feel better than James Brown.</em> </div>

 

[marslauncher]

Any idea when Oppy is due to leave the crater, I think I am all cratered out, I cant wait to get a close up of the heat shield.<br /><br />

 

[centsworth_II]

I admit to sharing your sense of looking forward to moving on from Endurance. BUT... not before enough information has been gathered to solve the mystery of the wierdly shaped rock, Wopmay. And not before Opportunity gets a good closeup look at the layers of Burns Cliff. <br /><br />Wopmay shows the effects of processes, the understanding of which will greatly increase the understanding of the hydro-geologic history of the area.<br />Studying the intact stack of layers at Burns Cliff will give a much clearer picture of the layers' relation to one another than has already been gotten from the much more disrupted layers of Karatepe. Other features of Burns Cliff may also help in understanding what erosional processes have taken place in the crater since its creation.<br /><br />While I also 'can't wait' to move on, I also hope they will spend at least two or three more weeks investigating Wopmay and Burns Cliff. They may also want to poke around the outside of the crater rim a little more before leaving Endurance for good. Maybe by Thanksgiving, you'll get to see the heatshield close up. Although I must personally admit to more interest in the hole it dug.... Go figure. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[trockner]

HI !<br /><br />This is my 1st post at Space.com !<br /><br />I HAD to come here first because I REALLY believe one or both of the Mars Rovers will discover things that will change our outlook on the Solar System FOREVER !<br /><br />This site is sure strange. I've lurked around the different areas for a few days now. There's some very weird posters around here.<br /><br />I LIKE IT ! <img src="/images/icons/tongue.gif" /> I like places with TONS of posts !<br /><br />So anyway, I gather that Opportunity was getting ready to check out yet another anomalous boulder. <br /><br />Is this the rock you're calling "Wopmay" ? I've only seen images taken from a few dozen feet away. Off-hand I thought it looked like a mass of dehydrated clay.

 

[mah_fl]

Have you all noticed that today over 1000 new or updated images have been added to the MER site. My question is were all these images just downloaded from the rovers, or have they been with JPL sometime and they just "found"them ?

 

[JonClarke]

Welcome trockner!<br /><br />Yes, the outer layers of Wopmay form some sort of crust and certainly have had some kind of shrinkage. Whether this is due to clay dehydration or some other process remains to be seen.<br /><br />Cheers<br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[trockner]

Are you and Fangsheath geologists?<br /><br />I'm not...and YES, I HAVE gone back a few pages in this forum to see what's been going on.<br /><br />This is all very interesting for a public forum. It almost seems like I'm reading JPL private messages or something.<br /><br />Is Space.com part of a NASA university network?

 

[trockner]

Slow DOWN!<br /> <br />NO, I haven't noticed any such addition to the MER raw image files.<br /><br />I'm feeling kind of dizzy. What are you saying?<br /><br />OK, I think I HAVE seen some sort of lag in the release of image files. But I thought it was due to hardware/software issues.

 

[trockner]

I just popped over to JPL/MER homepage. I see 27 new images for "Opportunity" and a similar number for "Spirit".<br /><br />I'm sorry to be argumentative.

 

[silylene old]

hello Trockner,<br /><br />welcome to these forums. Like you I was also happy when I first discovered these forums too.<br /><br />We are quite a interesting group of professionals and amateurs here: geologists, physicists, space scientists, aeronautics engineers, chemists, astronomers, hobbyists and even a few very good graphics artists. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature" align="center"><em><font color="#0000ff">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</font></em> </div><div class="Discussion_UserSignature" align="center"><font color="#0000ff"><em>I really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function.</em></font> </div> </div>