NASA’s Curiosity rover makes its ‘most unexpected’ find on Mars | CNN
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The Curiosity rover has made a groundbreaking discovery on Mars, finding rocks composed solely of sulfur. This discovery occurred when the rover inadvertently drove over a rock, causing it to crack open and reveal never-before-seen yellowish-green crystals on the Martian surface.
Ashwin Vasavada, Curiosity project scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, described this find as the most unexpected and unusual of the mission. He attributed the discovery to luck, emphasizing that not every rock on Mars holds something as intriguing inside.
The Curiosity team was particularly interested in investigating the Gediz Vallis channel, a meandering groove estimated to have formed 3 billion years ago from a combination of water flow and debris. This channel is part of the 3-mile-tall Mount Sharp, which the rover has been exploring since 2014.
During its exploration, the team noticed white stones in the distance and decided to get a closer look. By maneuvering Curiosity into the right position, the rover’s cameras captured a detailed mosaic of the surrounding area.
On May 30, Vasavada and his team observed Curiosity’s mosaic images and spotted a crushed rock near the rover’s tracks. Upon closer examination, they were astonished by the discovery of the pure sulfur rock formation.
Curiosity’s previous findings, such as ancient lakes and organic materials, have been significant in the mission’s overarching goal of determining Mars’ potential habitability.
Scientists are now focused on understanding the implications of finding pure sulfur on Mars and unraveling the planet’s geological history.
Although sulfates were previously discovered on Mars, the presence of pure sulfur was unexpected. The team had previously identified calcium sulfate (gypsum) in cracks on the Martian surface, remnants of past water flows.
The texture of the sulfur rocks, described as translucent and crystalline by Vasavada, had been weathered to blend in with Mars’ predominantly orange landscape. The team was awestruck by the vibrant colors and textures inside the rock and the confirmation of pure sulfur from Curiosity’s analysis.
The unexpected discovery of rocks made entirely of sulfur has opened up new avenues of exploration and research on Mars, providing valuable insights into the planet’s geological composition and history.NASA’s Spirit rover experienced a wheel malfunction, forcing it to drag one wheel while using the other five to drive backward. During this drag, the rover uncovered bright white soil containing nearly pure silica. The presence of silica indicates the past existence of hot springs or steam vents on Mars, potentially creating conditions suitable for microbial life if it had ever existed on the planet.
The discovery of silica remains a significant achievement by the Spirit rover, which operated on Mars between 2004 and 2011. This finding inspired the team to investigate further, leading to the observation of crushed sulfur behind the Curiosity rover.
The sulfur discovery surprised scientists, such as Briony Horgan, a researcher on the Perseverance rover mission, who likened it to formations found in places like hydrothermal vents, such as those in Yellowstone. This finding raised questions about the sulfur rock’s formation on Mount Sharp, where Curiosity is exploring.
Curiosity also detected a peculiar area near the Gediz Vallis channel, featuring a flat surface littered with bright white rocks. Initially thought to be debris, a closer examination revealed that the uniform rock field likely formed in place. Despite the team’s eagerness to study these rocks, drilling was challenging due to their small and brittle nature.
Pure sulfur typically forms under specific conditions on Earth, like volcanic activities or in spring environments, leading to the creation of various minerals simultaneously.
In a recent sampling mission, Curiosity examined a rock named “Mammoth Lakes” from the channel and identified a wide range of minerals, providing new insights compared to previous findings throughout the mission.
Since its Mars landing in August 2012, Curiosity has climbed 2,600 feet up Mount Sharp from the Gale Crater floor. The mountain, located in a dry ancient lake bed, offers layers that reveal Mars’ diverse history, including wet and dry periods.
Curiosity’s ongoing exploration includes investigating the geological features of Mount Sharp, like the Gediz Vallis channel. This channel, forming after the mountain’s creation, showcases distinct layers carved by water and debris, leaving behind a visible trail of boulders and sediment that the rover continues to study.Scientists have been curious about whether floodwaters or landslides caused the debris on Mars, and investigations by the Curiosity rover suggest that both violent water flows and landslides played a role. Some rocks appear rounded like river rocks, indicating water transport, while others are angular, likely deposited by dry avalanches.
Subsequently, water seeped into the debris, leading to chemical reactions that formed distinctive “halo” shapes on some of the rocks studied by Curiosity.
According to Becky Williams, a scientist involved with Curiosity, Mars experienced significant activity during this period, including energetic floods and flows rich in boulders.
Researchers are eager to uncover more about the presence of water that helped shape the channel initially in Mars’ Gediz Vallis region, an area of interest for scientists for a long time.
There is ongoing analysis to understand the formation of sulfur without a definitive answer, with data collected by Curiosity being examined to determine the formation times of minerals.
Curiosity continues exploring the channel on Mars, seeking more surprises, and plans to travel west along the mountain to discover other interesting geological features.
Despite experiencing wear and tear over 12 years, including wheel and mechanical issues, Curiosity remains in excellent condition, according to Vasavada, one of the scientists involved in the mission.
The team feels fortunate but cautious about potential future challenges, aiming to maximize the remaining mission time at a landing site that has provided valuable scientific insights over the years.
