Since 2012, NASA’s Curiosity rover has been exploring Gale Crater for clues to Mars’ past and possible evidence that it once survived. Over the past year, this search has focused on the lower levels of Mount Sharpe, a transition zone between a clay-rich region and one full of sulphates (a type of mineral salt). These regions may offer a glimpse into the warm, watery past of Mars, but the transition zone between them is also of scientific value. In short, exploring this region can provide a record of the great climate change that occurred billions of years ago on Mars.
For example, this region has unique geological features that include clay minerals that look like scaly layers of sedimentary rocks. One in particular, The Prow, was recently portrayed by Curiosity and made the mission’s scientific teams buzz. These characteristics are formed when water is still flowing in Gale Crater, depositing sediment at the base of Mount Sharpe. Higher up the mountain, the hill was probably covered with wind-swept dunes, which eventually solidified into rock. Between them is where the scaly layers form, probably as a result of small ponds or streams that float them among the dunes.
As the rover climbs higher on Mount Sharpe and through the transition zone, it finds fewer clayey deposits and more sulfate-rich rocks. The rover will soon break through its latest sample from this area and analyze it to learn more about the changing mineral composition of these rocks. The analysis of this region is also expected to give an idea of how groundwater has weakened and bloomed over time, leaving behind a complex geological record that shows how the region experienced many “wet” periods before becoming frozen. and a dedicated place that is today.
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Ashwin Vasavada, a Curiosity scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, explained:
“We no longer see the lake deposits we have seen for years down Mount Sharpe. Instead, we see a lot of evidence of drier climates, such as dry dunes, which sometimes had streams flowing around them. That’s a big change from the lakes that existed maybe millions of years before. “
In other news related to the rover, Curiosity has some health concerns that indicate that the rover is showing signs of age. These include additional damage to its treads, plus an obvious problem with the instrument that caused the rover to go into safe mode. On June 4, the engineering team took new photos of Curiosity’s wheels, something they did every 1,000 meters (3,281 feet) to check their overall health. This became especially important after the rover team noticed the first fractures in their treads in 2017. Initially, the team conducted inspections of the wheels every 500 meters (1640 feet).
This was doubled after the introduction of a traction control algorithm to slow down the degradation of the wheels, which was seen as an excuse for fewer inspections. However, recent photos of Curiosity wheels have revealed that the left middle wheel has damaged one of its characteristic zigzag treads – four of the nineteen loaders on this wheel have already broken, making this fifth. This prompted the mission controllers to return to their original rhythm and take pictures of the wheels every half kilometer (0.62 miles). Said Megan Lynn, Curiosity Project Manager at JPL:
“We have proven through ground tests that we can ride safely on the wheels if necessary. If we ever get to the point where a wheel has broken most of the pears, we could make a controlled break to dispose of the debris. Due to recent trends, it seems unlikely that we will take such action. The wheels hold up well, providing the traction we need to keep climbing. ”
Image taken by Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) on the wheels of Curiosity on March 19, 2017. Credit: NASA
The other problem occurred on June 7, when Curiosity’s internal temperature sensors showed that one of the instrument’s control boxes was overheated. This caused the rover to automatically enter safe mode and turn off everything but its most important functions. Mission engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory returned the rover to normal operation two days later, but are still trying to determine the exact cause of the problem. They suggest that this may be the result of incorrect temperature readings and have since switched to backup temperature sensors.
These indications of wear, tear and possible malfunctions do not preclude the tenth anniversary of Curiosity, which will take place on August 5th. With his extended mission indefinitely, he has no set schedule for his operations and will continue to investigate until his radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) dies or suffers catastrophic damage. Curiosity, meanwhile, continues to fight and take over Mount Sharpe, gathering evidence of Mars’ past and looking for potential clues that it once sustained life (and perhaps still could!)
Further reading: NASA
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