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First pictures of Mars Rover (Opportunity) "trenching" . . . comments/speculation encouraged
NASA - JPL ^ | 2-16-2004 | NASA/JPL

Posted on 02/16/2004 5:00:05 PM PST by Phil V.

Comments/speculation?

stereo strip of trench . . .



TOPICS: Breaking News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: mars
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To: Khurkris
Crop Circles?

My god man, those are pure american Donuts!

Burn rubber dude!
101 posted on 02/16/2004 6:21:38 PM PST by tet68
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To: tet68
Re: My god man, those are pure american Donuts!

Burn rubber dude!

We're muddin' !

102 posted on 02/16/2004 6:22:59 PM PST by ChadGore (Viva Bush. He's EARNED a second term.)
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To: ChadGore
I got to give it to ya,ya sure know how to slow up a thread
and I'm on DSL.
103 posted on 02/16/2004 6:23:37 PM PST by tet68
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To: ChadGore
Sure glad that was #100.

Whoa!
104 posted on 02/16/2004 6:24:38 PM PST by tet68
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To: Phil V.
We know two things from these images: that the underlying rock is lighter in color than surface sediments, and that the lighter colored rock appears to be soft.

Terrestrially, magnetite can be found in association with many other minerals including allanite, apatite, arsenopyrite, axinite, biotite, carbonates, chromite, epidote, hematite, garnet, ilmenite, leucaugite, microcline, molybdenite, orthoclase, phlogopite, quartz, rutile, scapolite, spinel, titanite, and zircon.

My guess is that we are looking at the Martian equivalent of a pegmatite and the lighter rock could be weathered orthoclase.

105 posted on 02/16/2004 6:26:55 PM PST by Aracelis
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To: Phil V.
My opinion: Mars is covered by oxidized iron. It is simply a thick layer of rust. I believe Nasa already knows this, but is not saying so. You read it here first...or, I didn't know someone posted it already.
106 posted on 02/16/2004 6:27:16 PM PST by MeneMeneTekelUpharsin (Freedom is the freedom to discipline yourself so others don't have to do it for you.)
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To: Phil V.
Could be just a high contrast from the black and white pic? Doesn't the spectral analysis rule out salts? It looks like almost the same consistency as the dust from the surface, but with a vastly different color which could be enhanced by the black and white photo. I wonder what the color pic looks like?
107 posted on 02/16/2004 6:28:10 PM PST by I got the rope
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To: job; All
what is the powdered doughnut stuff in the trench?

That's not a trench. It's Bush's fault.

108 posted on 02/16/2004 6:32:19 PM PST by Veritas_est (Truth is)
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To: All
My speculation:

It looks like the rover drove over the pile of dirt it excavated, leaving a white track of the substance that was stuck to the wheel.

How did they manage to end the dig at nearly the precise point where the white substance starts?
109 posted on 02/16/2004 6:33:31 PM PST by Djarum
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To: Piltdown_Woman; Phil V.
the lighter rock could be weathered orthoclase

Or heck, it could be spodumene, a crumbly gabbro, muscovite reflecting sunlight, calcite, gypsum...auggh!

110 posted on 02/16/2004 6:33:37 PM PST by Aracelis
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To: BenLurkin
That should be: "Need to dig holes on Mars so we have somewhere to dump tax dollars."
111 posted on 02/16/2004 6:35:20 PM PST by BenLurkin (Socialism is Slavery)
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To: tet68
Ooops! Have just been severely chastized by the posting police so will now confine my comments to a more scientific
nature in keeping with the guidelines established by the posting police.

Sir, Yes SIR!

112 posted on 02/16/2004 6:35:50 PM PST by tet68
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To: Djarum
How did they manage to end the dig at nearly the precise point where the white substance starts?

I take that back. Looking closer, it appears a fine layer of dust fell into the trench, possibly obscuring any visible stratum.

113 posted on 02/16/2004 6:36:36 PM PST by Djarum
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To: BenLurkin

"Pesky inane posts . . . grumble . . . mumble . . "
114 posted on 02/16/2004 6:38:22 PM PST by BenLurkin (Socialism is Slavery)
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To: wirestripper
Moisture, as we know it, (humidity) has been pretty much ruled out.

How much is "pretty much?" Someone (I can't find the post now) suggested some other liquid like oil. I hadn't considered the effect of gravity. Anybody know what the gravity on Mars is compared to Earth? (Like that's the missing piece of the puzzle, and if you just tell me that, I can solve the mystery. lol) Hmmm.... I still think there has to be some kind of liquid (oil-based, water-based, or whatever) in the soil. And the more I think about it, the more I think it's water-based. It seems to have evaporated from the surface.

115 posted on 02/16/2004 6:39:21 PM PST by BykrBayb (Temporary tagline. Applied to State of New Jersey for permanent tagline (12/24/03).)
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To: shaggy eel
Oh great. Now they found our cheese.

It's enough to make a puppy want to bite the Mailman...again.
116 posted on 02/16/2004 6:44:42 PM PST by PoorMuttly ("Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in." -- Twain)
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To: MeneMeneTekelUpharsin
I like your freep name.
117 posted on 02/16/2004 6:49:26 PM PST by I got the rope
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To: PoorMuttly
,,, not the mailman!
118 posted on 02/16/2004 6:50:05 PM PST by shaggy eel
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To: BykrBayb
I know it looks nice and sunny but keep in mind it's way below freezing. -70f on average. perhaps somewhat warmer there at a low latitude. Any water would show itself as a frost ice perhaps a soil upheaval unless pretty well down in the earth or should I say in the mars?

Better?
119 posted on 02/16/2004 6:58:29 PM PST by tet68
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To: BenLurkin
He's not really playing with a deck of cards with his own pix on it, is he?
120 posted on 02/16/2004 7:00:18 PM PST by tet68
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