MARS CHIPS SEEM TO GO POOF!

JPL ^ | 5 Feb 2004 | self

[Fitzcarraldo]

Below are before and after micrographs of a patch of martian surface as seen by the rover Opportunity. Notice the effect that an applied pressure had on some of the particles.

Post your comments and theories here.

[avg_freeper]

If these NASA guys were true geeks they would of named the upper "bead" Death Star.

[Paradox]

Looks like they stuck to the disk that applied the pressure.

Wouldn't that have left depressions in the sand where the pebbles had been before the disc was retracted? I see a couple of depressions, but not enough to account for all the pebbles which went poof.

[JoeSchem]

What do you mean by 'applied pressure?' Did they have a big exam to study for? Did their boss give them a deadline? Did Coach say they had to win this game or they wouldn't make the playoffs?

[Johnny_Cipher]

Rover better be careful if they are composed of exploding chips!

Better we know now than to have our next Neil Armstrong say "One small step for (a) man, one giant LEEEEEEEEAPPPPPP!!!! ..."

[Fitzcarraldo]

So they can stick to the plate, get pushed underground, and/or explode.

[RWR8189]

Here's a color version of the first picture.

[Stars N Stripes]

Somebody call Dick Hoagland!! FAST...

[RWR8189]

Or maybe its a slightly different picture...

[Fitzcarraldo]

It's rotated 180 degrees.

[Paradox]

I suspect they went "poof". Some of those particles look translucent, I had originally thought it was some kind of camera or compression artifacting. Perhaps some of these particles are some kind of very un-dense ash from an old volcanic eruption, floating around the planet for eons...

[Sacajaweau]

hmmm.....Martians live in tunnels underground. Soap from doing the dishes escapes to the surface (upside down septic system) where it becomes encapsulated by the atmospheric conditions.

Geez, how did I ever come up with that??

[NeonKnight]

Perhaps hollow and very thin artifacts.

[gatorgriz]

You forgot to state the most obvious... Al smoked it;-)

[festus]

It must be a fake. I don't see Janet Jackson nipple anywhere.......

[Fitzcarraldo]

Perhaps some of these particles are some kind of very un-dense ash from an old volcanic eruption, floating around the planet for eons...

They have enough strength to withstand being blown by the wind (these are the strongest, because they have survived this long), but when a strong force is applied they might disentegrate (or be pushed down into the soil if they are extra strong). Now sticking to the plate implies some kind of attractive contact force, like static electricity or adhesive. I assume that the plate is smoothly polished and that they are able to equalize electric potential between the plate and ground before contact, thus minimizing any chance of sticking...recall the way the ground changed when the airbags hit - and they didn't notice any collection of particles on the rover bags at all...

[Fitzcarraldo]

now the strongest particles would be the spherical ones - with the maximum volume and the minimum surface area...

[BobS]

But that means somebody shot craps and lost their bet.

[Tennessee_Bob]

Geez, how did I ever come up with that??

I don't know, but I have my suspicions - and if you don't share, I'm going to tell.

[sergeantdave]

Looks like animal crackers spelling out the message: "Help! I'm being held prisoner in a cookie factory."

[Fitzcarraldo]

LOL!