Mastcam-Z image (Sol 1088, zcam05068) of the Comet Geyser core. The partially brightened core shows up in this image of Perseverances coring bit. The diameter of the core is 1.3 cm. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASUThe current acquisition of Perseverances 21st core sample, Comet Geyser, from Bunsen Peak reveals significant geological interest due to its composition of carbonate and silica– key minerals for protecting biosignatures.After examining the high-standing bedrock at the Bunsen Peak workspace deep within the Margin Unit, the special nature and structure of this rock was deemed worthy for collection of Perseverances 21th rock core sample, Comet Geyser!Bunsen Peak is named after a prominent peak in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA, and the namesake for Comet Geyser is the silica-sintered cone geyser also in Yellowstone National Park.Although this rocks origin remains under examination and the rover group continues to check out different hypotheses, this core is particularly interesting since it appears to be made up mostly of two minerals: carbonate and silica. Carbonate and silica are both exceptional minerals for maintaining biosignatures (ancient indications of life). These minerals also have the potential to tape the environmental conditions in which they formed, making them crucial minerals for comprehending the habitability of Jezero crater billions of years ago.This illustration illustrates NASAs Perseverance rover studying rocks with its robotic arm. Credit: NASA/JPL-CaltechThe presence of carbonate within the Comet Geyser sample suggests that water, carbon dioxide, and chemical elements obtained from rocks or sediments in and around the ancient Jezero crater when responded here to form carbonate. Carbonate minerals from Earths rock record are typically used to reconstruct ancient environment– including conditions like aridity, rainfall, and temperature– and the history of life. Similarly, silica phases form when water engages with sediments or rocks. The composition and crystallinity of silica can reveal the degree of the interaction with water, such as the intensity or period of weathering and the pressure/temperature conditions during formation.On Earth, biosignatures can be preserved in carbonate and silica for millions of years, and even billions of years when it comes to silica. Some of the oldest proof we have of life in the world is from rocks that consist of pieces of microbial cells that were “permineralized” by silica, a fossilization procedure that entombs the residues of ancient life and secures them from deterioration. Therefore, rocks containing these materials are thought about amongst the greatest priority samples for examining whether Jezero crater was once host to microbial life.Perseverances 21th core sample at Bunsen Peak represents a significant milestone towards a collection of a scientifically varied set of samples for ultimate return to Earth as part of the Mars Sample Return mission.With rock core # 21 now onboard, Perseverance presses forward towards its next tactical objective of examining an area called Bright Angel, which is a light-toned outcrop exposed in the ancient channel wall of Neretva Vallis. Difficulties might emerge on this journey, as the terrain ahead is cluttered with sharp stones and sand that are showing difficult for the rovers auto-navigation system. The missions rover coordinators are working hard to manually browse this tricky terrain. In the meantime, the science group is excitedly expecting the tricks the rocks of Bright Angel may hold!
