[NormsRevenge]

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[boomop1]

Shela Jackson Lee says one of the astronauts must have whizzed there.

[NormsRevenge]

sol 66, Apr 01, 2004: Biting into 'Bounce'

Opportunity's rock abrasion tool ground into "Bounce" for just over two hours, producing a 6.44-millimeter (0.25 inch) hole that will allow the rover's spectrometer's to analyze the rock's chemical composition.

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This is a plot of panoramic camera spectra extracted from three different regions on the rock dubbed "Bounce." The yellow spectrum is from the yellow box in the image on the left, from the dusty top part of the rock. The spectrum is dominated by the signature of oxidized "ferric" iron (Fe3+) like that seen in the classic Martian dust. The red spectrum is from the darker Meridiani Planum soils that were disturbed by the airbag when it bounced near the rock. That spectrum is also dominated by ferric iron, though the reflectivity is lower. Scientists speculate that this may be because the grains are coarser in these soils compared to the dust. The green spectrum, which is from the right side of the rock, shows a strong drop in the infrared reflectance that is unlike any other rock yet seen at Meridiani Planum or Gusev Crater. This spectral signature is typical of un-oxidized "ferrous" iron (Fe2+) in the rock, perhaps related to the presence of volcanic minerals like olivine or pyroxene. The possibility that this may be a basaltic rock that is distinctly different from the rocks seen in the Eagle Crater outcrop is being intensively explored using the rover's other instruments.

Image credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell

Browse Image (32 kB) | Large (287 kB)

Bon Jovi's "Bounce" woke Opportunity on its 66th sol, which ended at 2:41 a.m. PST on April 1. The martian morning began with the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer observing a target called "Glanz2" on Bounce. Miniature thermal emission spectrometer measurements of the ground and sky followed.

The rock abrasion tool was then placed on the target dubbed "Case." After the grind, the Mössbauer spectrometer was placed on the hole for an overnight integration.

In the afternoon, the rover also had time to complete more atmospheric science with its panoramic camera and miniature thermal emission spectrometer.

In the coming sols, Opportunity will remain parked at the intriguing Bounce rock to continue its investigations.

[blackdog]

I don't mean to be a simpleton here, but I have a question that's most likely pretty elementary, but has me wanting to know.

Just where does water go? In a planet with an atmosphere, it doesn't just go out into space thru osmosis. There is maybe a mantle system and did those oceans drain into the mantle layers like a big rocky waterbag underground?

I mean water is preumably there to stay as long as it does not get molecularly changed?

Can someone explain to me how water just goes away?

[The Other Harry]

More bullshit from NASA. It would make more sense to repair the Hubble.

[blackdog]

Notice the sharp defined edge of that one rock in the center of the picture? It would seem to be very unweathered and recently fractured somehow?

[So Cal Rocket]

Even more signs that there was water on Mars:

[John Jorsett]

[cvq3842]

Interesting. There should always be room for scientific exploration.

Good post!

:)

[Miami_U_Redskin]

That a future satellite photo of Fallujah?