Strongest evidence yet of "WET MARS" . . . input please!

NASA - JPL ^ | 02-22-2004 | NASA/JPL

[Phil V.]

Microscopic Imager Non-linearized Full frame EDR acquired on Sol 28 of Opportunity's mission to Meridiani Planum at approximately at approximately 12:26:38 Mars local solar time, Microscopic Imager dust cover commanded to be OPEN. NASA/JPL/Cornell/USGS

VIEW FULL IMAGE

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"stereo" strip . . .

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Just below center and just to the left of center notice what appears to be a fractured "spherule". Notice the dark center. This is STRONGLY suggestive of growth by accretion - an increase by natural growth or by gradual external addition . . . a process FREQUENTLY associated with a water environment. This is MY interpretation. But the picture is NASA/JPL . . . it is worth a thousand words. Feel free to contribute.

[Phil V.]

If you'd like to be on or off this MARS ping list please FRail me

[ChadGore]

thank you PhilV!

[Miss Marple]

I agree. Accretion seems the most likely cause.

[tet68]

Atomic Fireball?

Accretion is certainly a possibility, wonder what the composition is?

[ChadGore]

Can you give some sence of scale ? How big is the picture, and/or the feature in discusion ?

Holly cow, is that round thing Tiger Woods golf ball? I knew that guy was big off the tee, but . . . .

[ChadGore]

O.K. My other question is: Is it attached, or not ?

[ColdSteelTalon]

It is a form of Alien fungal life that has the ability to blend into its surroundings to avoid predators. I have seen fungus like this growing on trees back home in Ohio and Georgia where I now live.

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

When my people first immigrated to America we had to make a potty stop on Mars.

Did the rover have paper stuck to its wheels?

I believe I heard that.

[ColdSteelTalon]

fractured "spherule".

I looks like an eyeball to me, and if it is a fractured "spherule". Then who put it there and who fractured it.

[Phil V.]

scale . . . approximately 1.2"sq

[Psycho_Bunny]

Fossilized ladybug.

Those suckers get everywhere.

[Indie]

I would like a second pic of that area to see if the "bug" with antennae [above the accreted crinoid] has moved any.

[Fitzcarraldo]

Strange detail from "El Capitan" (?).

Linear rows of what resembles rows of 'teeth' or 'vertebrae'.

These were evident in earlier pictures, where they were seen at the edges of layers with the spherules.

There are no layers here, and gashes that are obviously impressions where rows have fallen out.

Perhaps these are life forms fossilized in some kind of sulphate mineral.

When you see linear forms composed of repeating units it seems to indicate biology.

[LibWhacker]

Check out the stem on that mushroom.

[quantim]

Stalactite remnants?

[Far Right Field]

Excellent Images, Phil. As to accretionary Chrondrules, I see no evidence for a single cause. The 3 mechanisms I see as most probable are the impact crater spalling artifact, the volcanic glass ejecta (spheroidal bombs), or accretionary processes. I would be willing to bet there are probably artifacts from all 3 mechanisms.

In addition, the "mud" evidence seems to be building. I cannot explain the little sphere sorting and surface transport mechanism except by surface water flow. I am suggesting rainfall runoff. The distribution of the spheres, the obvious weathering of the outcrop, and the mudlike infill of the weathered fractures, is certainly suggestive of recent rainfall. I know that is theoretically impossible but the visual evidence is overwhelming.

[Fitzcarraldo]

stem?

[LibWhacker]

I should've put quote marks around 'stem' and 'mushroom.' I don't know what it is . . . It looks like a stem to me, lol.

[Phil V.]

the "stem" . . . this is not the first example of that feature. Do you recall where the other picture/pictures might be suggesting the same structure?