Mars Exploration Rover Report - August 30, 2004

From: Ron (Ron_at_earthlink.com)
Date: 08/31/04 

Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2004 20:23:08 -0400

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_opportunity.html

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Photo shows dune at Endurance crater may have
been formed by water. August 30, 2004

The highest resolution photos to date of the dune at Endurance crater, taken on
sol 207, shows small parallel ripples within the numerous compartments in the dune
as shown in the first photo below. These ripples are aligned in many different
directions indicating that wind is unlikely to be the source of their formation.
The second photo below shows similar small water ripples running along the large
dune tendril.

Since the conditions on Mars make it improbable the source of the water is due to
weather, the water should be from the only other likely alternative, underground
thermal springs. A possible source of this water is indicated by the third photo
below, which shows what appears to be the remains of three small fumaroles
adjacent to the large tendril. This evidence helps to explain the unusual and
abundant hematite deposits at Meridiani Planum. According to Dr Jack Farmer
Director of the NASA funded Astrobiology Program at Arizona State University.
"This variety of hematite on Earth forms only in the presence of large amounts
of water, and typically at elevated (hydrothermal) temperatures."
http://geology.asu.edu/jfarmer/pubs/pdfs/morpho.pdf

Dr Farmer helps explain why this new evidence has generated so much excitement.
"Hydrothermal systems may have provided favorable environments for the prebiotic
synthesis of organic compounds necessary for life and may also have been a site for
life's origin . They could also have provided a refuge for thermophilic (heat-loving)
microorganisms" ... "and often exhibit high rates of mineralization, which favors
microbial fossilization." http://geology.asu.edu/jfarmer/pubs/pdfs/gsa.pdf
J. Schieber of the Department of Geological Sciences at Indiana University adds;
"It is this common association of microbes and iron deposition on earth that has
spurred hopes that robot crafts exploring the hematite anomaly of Mars' Meridiani
Planum might find evidence for ancient life. The hematite deposits of Meridiani
Planum, regardless of their exact origin, are considered to be a favorable host
for microorganisms that might have been associated with their formation."
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2004/pdf/1369.pdf

For more detailed information on hydrothermal environments, please
visit the website of Dr Farmer. http://geology.asu.edu/jfarmer/pubs/

Endurance dune close-up
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/1/p/207/1P146558829EFF35B8P2560R1M1.JPG

Dune tendril close-up
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/1/p/207/1P146558920EFF35B8P2561L5M1.HTML

Possible fumaroles at Endurance
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/1/n/189/1N144962609EFF3457P1966L0M1.HTML

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