MOSCOW, Sept. 26 – RIA Novosti. Martian rock “Jake Matievich” rover studied during his first stop, formed from igneous rocks in the presence of liquid water, say scientists in one of the publications in Journal of Science, on the work of Curiosity on the Red Planet.
Since Curiosity landing on Mars in early August 2012, the rover had time to test all of its 10 scientific instruments in the case, including the Russian neutron detector DAN, laser a “chemical” and the camera ChemCam microlaboratory SAM. During this time, scientists have made several important discoveries, including the found traces of water and an organic matter in the soil, confirmed the possibility of life on early Mars and mapped the winds in Gale Crater.
Curiosity science team announced these findings after analyzing data transmitted rover on Earth, but its complete processing and preparation of scientific publications required time. As many as five teams planetary scientists working with Curiosity, took stock of the first phase of the rover on the surface of the Red Planet.
“Water Stone”
In the first article
Edward Stolper of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena (USA) and his colleagues analyzed the chemical composition of the stone, “Jake Matievich,” which became the first “target” for the camera ChemCam, APXS spectrometer and other instruments rover.
Also, a preliminary analysis showed that it is extremely unusual piece of rock, analogues of which scientists have not yet encountered on Mars. Thus, it contains an unusually high proportion of the alkali metals, and is composed of mineral grains that are present on Earth, but are almost never found or missing on the Red Planet.
After re-analysis of data from APXS and ChemCam Stolper group found that “Jake” contains about 1-2% water. Taking into account the chemical composition of the stone, it makes it a close “cousin” of one of the earth’s rocks – the so-called mudzhierita, which is usually found on the volcanic islands on Earth or in underwater rift faults.
This fact suggests that the water is often met on ancient Mars, as on Earth mudzhierity formed only in the presence of liquid. In turn, this confirms that the Red Planet was much “friendlier” to life in the distant past than today.
in search of water
Pierre-Yves meslin from the Institute of Astrophysics and planetary scientists in Toulouse (France) and his colleagues compared the chemical composition of the soil of Mars, using data collected by the device and the camera CheMin ChemCam rover as it moves across the surface of the Red Planet. In total, the researchers analyzed the composition and structure of the 139 plots of soil, allowing them to distinguish two main types of soil.
The first one consists of finely milled fragments of the main species formed in the deep layers of the mantle, and contains a relatively large proportion of magnesium and calcium. The second group consists of acidic soils and rocks contains predominantly coarse grains with a high concentration of aluminum, quartz, and other compounds that include silicon. On the other hand, the main common feature of these soils was that all of the samples contained hydrogen and water.
According to scientists, the soil and the atmosphere of Mars are not exchanged water, as evidenced by the absence of differences in the concentration of hydrogen ions in the inner and outer layers of the soil during the day and night. This also means that the water in the soil Mars chemically bound to other compounds and this gives us hope that the frozen liquid or even water can be hidden at great depths.
Secrets “Rocky nest”
third group of planetary scientists led by David Blake of NASA’s Ames Research Center (USA) conducted an unusual study by examining the structure of the sandy soil on the site of the second stop of Curiosity, the so-called “Rocky’s Nest”, in micrographs obtained by cameras and laboratories at SAM aboard the rover.
According to scientists, the soil in the “rocky nest” about half consists of milled fragments of basalt and other rocks, particle size not exceeding 150 micrometers. Another major component of a mixture of amorphous materials, which contain iron, water, oxygen, carbon oxides, sulfur and chlorine.
The authors note that the deposits of sand in the “rocky nest” are very similar in texture and chemical composition of the soil at Gusev Crater and Meridiani plateau, where they worked Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity. This suggests that such “dunes” are formed on the same principles as the equator of Mars, and at high latitudes.
Their counterparts led by David Bisch from Indiana University in Bloomington (USA) made a map of minerals in the “rocky nest” with the device CheMin, preliminary results of which were announced in October last year.
Scientists have confirmed that the soil in this part of Mars are similar to the volcanic tuff from the Hawaiian Islands, and also found that contains a set of glass beads, which could arise as a result of a meteorite near the “Rocky Nest” and the spreading of molten drops of Martian volcanic rocks.
main question
In the most recent
Laurie Leshin of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy (USA) and colleagues reported about one of the greatest discoveries of Curiosity – detection of organics on Mars, as NASA announced in early December 2012.
This conclusion scientists came after the spread soil samples from the “Rocky Nest” in a chemical laboratory inside the rover and the “enlightened” them using a mass spectrometer. In addition to the previously observed Perchlorate, researchers found in samples of a large amount of water, sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide. Judging from the low decomposition temperature, they were the source of the molecule of cyanic acid, hydrogen sulphide and unknown organic compounds.
Overall, the scientists were able to confirm the scientific community and to all the discoveries, which they claimed in the first year of Curiosity on Mars. Detection of water and organics on Mars really shows that life could have arisen on it in the past, but its possible traces of it will be extremely difficult to find with Curiosity because of the lack of tools on board. On the other hand, this problem will be the main mission of NASA’s next rover that will be sent to Mars in 2020.
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Mars Rover Curiosity: year of operation on Mars
Vladimir Fokin. Photo: pharmcluster.ru 
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