Red Rocks with Green Spots at ‘Serpentine Rapids’
October 25, 2024
NASA’s Perseverance rover has spotted something unexpected on Mars: red rocks with bright green spots. The rover’s Mastcam-Z camera captured images of the rocks on October 20, 2024, while exploring an area called “Serpentine Rapids” in Jezero Crater.
The green spots are thought to be caused by the presence of a mineral called olivine. Olivine is a magnesium-iron silicate that is often found in mafic rocks, such as basalt. When olivine is exposed to water, it can be altered to form a green mineral called serpentine.
The presence of olivine and serpentine in the rocks at Serpentine Rapids suggests that the area was once exposed to water. This is consistent with the rover’s previous findings in Jezero Crater, which indicate that the crater was once filled with a lake.
The rover’s scientists are excited about the discovery of the green spots because it provides further evidence that Jezero Crater was once a habitable environment. The presence of water and the alteration of olivine to serpentine suggest that the crater could have supported life in the past.
The rover will continue to explore Serpentine Rapids in the coming weeks, looking for more evidence of past water activity and potential signs of life.
Background on Jezero Crater
Jezero Crater is a 45-kilometer-wide impact crater located on the western rim of Isidis Planitia, a large plain in the northern hemisphere of Mars. The crater was formed about 3.5 billion years ago by the impact of a large asteroid or comet.
Jezero Crater is of particular interest to scientists because it is thought to have once been filled with a lake. Evidence for this includes the presence of ancient river deltas and beaches around the crater’s rim.
The rover Perseverance was sent to Jezero Crater in 2020 to search for signs of past life. The rover is equipped with a variety of instruments that will allow it to study the crater’s geology and search for evidence of past microbial life.
Significance of the Discovery
The discovery of red rocks with green spots at Serpentine Rapids is significant because it provides further evidence that Jezero Crater was once exposed to water. This is consistent with the rover’s previous findings in Jezero Crater, which indicate that the crater was once filled with a lake.
The presence of water and the alteration of olivine to serpentine suggest that the crater could have supported life in the past. The rover’s scientists are excited about the discovery of the green spots because it provides another target for their search for signs of past life.
The rover will continue to explore Serpentine Rapids in the coming weeks, looking for more evidence of past water activity and potential signs of life.
Red Rocks with Green Spots at ‘Serpentine Rapids’
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