INGRANDIMENTI DELLE SFERE

ENTRA
 

04-Feb-2004
 

 

.
  Il rover Opportunity ha esaminato la prima porzione di suolo nel piccolo cratere dove è atterrato e ha trovato singolari ciottoli sferici nel miscuglio di sassi e sabbia.

Sono delle sfere, parzialmente sotterrate, che risultano avere un aspetto non proprio "naturale". Esternamente lisce e lucide, stanno tenendo con il fiato sospeso gli scienziati del "Jet Propulsion Laboratory" di Pasadena.

"Vi sono elementi in questo suolo dissimili da qualsiasi altra cosa mai vista su Marte" ha dichiarato Steve Squyres, della Cornell University, Itaca, N.Y., principale ricercatore per la strumentazione scientifica dei due rover di esplorazione marziana.
 

  
'Berries' on the Ground
"Berries" on the Ground

This mosaic image shows an extreme close-up of round, blueberry-shaped formations in the martian soil near a part of the rock outcrop at Meridiani Planum called Stone Mountain. Scientists are studying these curious formations for clues about the area's past environmental conditions. The image, one of the highest resolution images ever taken by the microscopic imager, an instrument located on the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's instrument deployment device or "arm."

Image credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell/USGS
 
Browse Image | Medium Image (117 kB) | Large (995 kB)

 

  
'Berries' on the Ground 2 (3-D)
"Berries" on the Ground 2 (3-D)

This is the 3-D anaglyph showing a microscopic image taken of soil featuring round, blueberry-shaped rock formations on the crater floor at Meridiani Planum, Mars. This image was taken on the 13th day of the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's journey, before the Mössbauer spectrometer, an instrument located on the rover's instrument deployment device, or "arm," was pressed down to take measurements. The area in this image is approximately 3 centimeters (1.2 inches) across.

Image credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell/USGS/Texas A&M
 
Browse Image (60 kB) | Large (882 kB)

 

  
 

Home