Sols 4382-4383: Team Work, Dream Work
Written by Ken Herkenhoff December 3, 2024
Today, on Mars, the team that is planning the operations of the Curiosity rover continues to study the rocks on Vera Rubin Ridge. These rocks were formed billions of years ago by sediments from the wind, water and perhaps eruptions of volcanoes.
This video shows part of the plan for this weekend; check it out.
Curiosity’s weekend plan on “Vera Rubin” Ridge at Gale Crater on Mars.
This plan includes two geology-themed drives for a total of about 155 feet (47 meters). Along the way, Curiosity will “sniff” the atmosphere with its Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument, and its Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) instrument will analyze a drilled sample from yesterday. We’re calling this one “Glen Torridon.”
Glen Torridon is a part of a laminated, or layered, rock unit at the base of Vera Rubin Ridge. We’re curious about the very fine laminations in this unit, which may have formed in a variety of ways. The CheMin analysis could tell us more.
Curiosity will also use its Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) on a “touch and go” target this weekend. This target is part of the laminated unit that was first seen last week (“Old Soaker”). The APXS will build upon the observations made by Curiosity’s Mastcam and Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instruments last week.
In addition, ChemCam will be used to investigate “Sgurr of Eigg,” a large, dark pebble on the ground. This will be the second time ChemCam has analyzed a pebble on Vera Rubin Ridge. In October, “Easdale” pebble showed evidence of manganese-enrichment, which could be related to the action of groundwater. “Sgurr of Eigg” was selected for ChemCam analysis based on its color and texture, which is different from other pebbles seen at this location.
This weekend’s activities will wrap up Sol 4383 and begin Sol 4384 on Mars. I’ll feature another update on Monday.
Sols 4382-4383: Team Work, Dream Work
The AI has provided us with the news.
I’ve asked Google Gemini the following question, and here’s its response.
NASA a new article on 2024-12-03 18:45 titled “Sols 4382-4383: Team Work, Dream Work”. Please write a detailed article on this news item, including any relevant information. Answers should be in English.
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