Over the previous year we have seen prominent spots of purple peppered atop the rocks. Other Mars rovers, like Curiosity and Opportunity, have actually likewise observed purple-colored rocks, however not with this kind of splotchy texture and definitely not at such an abundance. Mars Perseverance Sol 376– Left Mastcam-Z Camera: MastCam-Z image of a rock informally names Sid. My function on the objective is to assist run the SuperCam instrument, which can use a laser beam to “zap” rocks and determine their chemistry. We tape this radiation and use it to translate what the rocks are made of.
In this illustration, NASAs Mars 2020 rover uses its drill to core a rock sample on Mars. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Perseverance is adding a pop of color to Mars regular collection: purple.
The color combination of Mars surface is among muted hues. Burnt orange tones reflect the iron-bearing minerals that have rusted under an oxidizing atmosphere while soft greys characterize the un-rusted moms and dad rock.
Nevertheless, over the past year we have actually seen popular patches of purple peppered atop the rocks. The spots range from thin veneers to thick splotches and usually have a smooth, dull texture. Other Mars rovers, like Curiosity and Opportunity, have also observed purple-colored rocks, however not with this kind of splotchy texture and definitely not at such an abundance. We are keen to understand what these enigmatic rock finishes expose about the history of Jezero. Did they form when ancient waters reacted with the rocks? Or did they form through millions of years of dust accumulation and cementation on an already dry world? We need more details about their cosmetics to be sure.
Mars Perseverance Sol 376– Left Mastcam-Z Camera: MastCam-Z picture of a rock informally names Sid. The purple patch we drilled into depend on the lower left-hand corner. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU
My role on the mission is to help operate the SuperCam instrument, which can utilize a laser beam to “zap” rocks and identify their chemistry. We tape-record this radiation and use it to interpret what the rocks are made of. An included advantage of this method is that we can utilize the vaporization to efficiently drill into a target: by consistently firing the laser on the exact same area, we vaporize progressively more material and penetrate deeper, permitting us to study the interior.
To discover about the purple patches on Jezeros rocks, we aimed the laser at a small spot and commanded it to fire 150 times (5x more than our normal operation!). The goal is to vaporize through the purple product and into the rock listed below, consequently revealing how the chemistry changes in between the two layers.
Analyses like these are very small– our drill hole will be less than 1 mm deep– however might reveal ideas about the ecological advancement in Jezero crater as a whole. Understanding how and when these purple finishings formed will assist unravel how Jezero transitioned from a lake to a dustbowl..
Written by Erin Gibbons, Student Collaborator at McGill University.