Images taken by the Perseverance spacecraft as it continued to explore the Red Planet reveal a geological formation that is “the first of its kind” that rests above the dried remains of an ancient lake.
Jagged dark blue boulders of volcanic basalt were seen surrounding a mottled white rock, which was found to have a mineral composition never before seen by NASA on Mars.
The NASA team supervising the spacecraft named this rocky field “Mount Washburn,” after a mountain in Yellowstone National Park.
Since February 2021, the Perseverance spacecraft, a car-sized, remote-controlled mobile laboratory, has been exploring the dusty basin of the site of an asteroid impact on Mars, called Jezero Crater.
Jezero Crater was flowing about 3.7 billion years ago, with evidence of an “ancient lake” and a long river delta lost within the rim of this 28-mile-diameter crater.
Scientists explain that most of the bluish-black rocks seen on the surface of Mars, such as those found on Mount Washburn, are volcanic basalt.
According to planetary scientist and geophysicist Dr. J. Jeffrey Taylor of the University of Hawaii, “Mars consists mostly of terrestrial basalt-like rocks called tholeiit, which make up most of the oceanic islands, mid-ocean ridges, and seafloor beneath the sediments on Earth.”
But the speckled white rock that jutted out in the middle of this basalt surprised NASA’s Perseverance team.
The Perseverance rover captured the image using Mastcam-Z, a 3D array of cameras mounted on a 198 cm (6.5 cm) high mast. feet) Top of the vehicle.
The Mastcam-Z camera offers 2 megapixel quality, “similar to that found in consumer digital cameras,” according to US space agency specifications, which explains the clear image of this rock formation.
The camera’s 3D images provide a resolution of 0.0149 cm (0.0059 inch) per pixel up close, and 0.7 cm (0.3 inch) per pixel at maximum zoom.
NASA named the attractive white rock, about 45 cm (18 inches) wide and 35 cm (14 inches) high, “Atoko Point” after a cliff more than 8,000 feet high in the Grand Canyon.
But it was the explorer robot’s full suite of chemical and geological analysis tools, SuperCam, that helped determine whether the Atoko Point rock discovery was unique.
Two lasers and four spectrometers in SuperCam found enough feldspar to confirm that this white rock is anorthosite, a type of rock that has long been theorized about, but never before documented, as existing on Mars. Dr. Stack Morgan noted.
Like basalt, anorthosite is also a volcanic rock, but it is richer in silica compounds, indicating that the “Atoko Point” stone may have come from deeper underground than the surrounding rocks.
Other examples of anorthosite may help determine whether Atoko Point was washed into the crater via ancient rivers or formed underground by lava, perhaps pulled upward by the impact that created Jezero Crater billions of years ago.
Source: Daily Mail
#NASA #publishes #clearest #image #Mars
Title: NASA’s Perseverance Mars Rover Discovers Unique Geological Formation on the Red Planet
In a groundbreaking discovery, NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover has stumbled upon a never-before-seen geological formation on Mars, specifically above the dried remains of an ancient lake. This discovery has garnered significant attention in the scientific community, and as a blog news writer, I will provide an in-depth analysis of this remarkable finding.
The Perseverance Mars rover, launched in February 2021, has been exploring the Jezero Crater, a 28-mile-diameter crater that was once home to an ancient lake and river delta. The rover, a car-sized, remote-controlled mobile laboratory, has been instrumental in uncovering the secrets of Mars’ geology.
According to the news article, the Perseverance rover captured images of a unique geological formation, featuring jagged dark blue boulders of volcanic basalt surrounding a mottled white rock. The mineral composition of this white rock was found to be unlike anything previously seen by NASA on Mars.
The NASA team has dubbed this rocky field “Mount Washburn,” after a mountain in Yellowstone National Park. This naming convention is a testament to the rover’s exploration prowess, as it continues to uncover the hidden wonders of the Red Planet.
The discovery of Mount Washburn is significant, as it provides valuable insights into Mars’ geological history. Scientists explain that most of the bluish-black rocks seen on the surface of Mars are volcanic basalt, which makes up a significant portion of the planet’s geology.
According to planetary scientist and geophysicist Dr. J. Jeffrey Taylor of the University of Hawaii, “Mars consists mostly of terrestrial basalt-like rocks called tholeiit, which make up most of the oc” (Source: News Article).
This discovery is a testament to the Perseverance rover’s capabilities and the dedication of the NASA team. Since its launch in February 2021, the rover has been exploring the Martian surface, collecting rocks, and taking photographs [[1]]. The rover’s mission is to seek signs of ancient life and collect samples of rock and regolith for possible return to Earth [[2]].
As a blog news writer, I must commend the Perseverance rover team for their outstanding work in uncovering the secrets of Mars. This discovery is a significant milestone in our understanding of the Red Planet’s geology, and we can only expect more exciting discoveries in the future.
For those interested in learning more about the Perseverance rover, I recommend checking out NASA’s official website or following the rover’s Twitter account [[1]]for the latest updates. Additionally, you can find LEGO Technic models of the Perseverance rover on Amazon [[3]].
the discovery of Mount Washburn is a remarkable achievement that sheds new light on Mars’ geological history. As we continue to explore the Red Planet, we can only expect more exciting discoveries that will help us better understand our place in the universe.
