Mars "blueberries" contain hematite
Posted: Sat, Mar 20, 2004, 10:11 AM ET (1511 GMT)
Small, spherical rocks dubbed "blueberries", found at the Opportunity Mars rover landing site, are rich in hematite, a mineral formed in the presence of water, scientists announced this week. The rocks, which are actually gray and the size of BBs, are too small for the rover to analyze individually, but the rover was able to find a concentration of them in a depression named the "berry bowl" within the crater the rover landed in. Analysis of that concentration shows that the blueberries contained significant amount of hematite compared to surrounding rocks. On Earth, hematite with crystals the size found in the blueberries usually form in the presence of water, providing additional evidence that this region of Mars was once a wet environment. However, the finding does not offer any additional clues regarding if the water was part of a lake or sea, or if it was groundwater that seeped through the rocks from below.
Small, spherical rocks dubbed "blueberries", found at the Opportunity Mars rover landing site, are rich in hematite, a mineral formed in the presence of water, scientists announced this week. The rocks, which are actually gray and the size of BBs, are too small for the rover to analyze individually, but the rover was able to find a concentration of them in a depression named the "berry bowl" within the crater the rover landed in. Analysis of that concentration shows that the blueberries contained significant amount of hematite compared to surrounding rocks. On Earth, hematite with crystals the size found in the blueberries usually form in the presence of water, providing additional evidence that this region of Mars was once a wet environment. However, the finding does not offer any additional clues regarding if the water was part of a lake or sea, or if it was groundwater that seeped through the rocks from below.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Thursday, February 19
More than 150 employees made redundant as rocket manufacturer officially enters administration
Inverness (UK) Courier — 6:40 am ET (1140 GMT) Orbex appoints FRP as administrators, advisory firm says
Global Banking and Finance Review — 6:39 am ET (1139 GMT) More than 150 staff facing axe as Scots manufacturing firm plunges into administration
The Sun — 6:39 am ET (1139 GMT) Scots space rocket company enters administration
STV — 6:38 am ET (1138 GMT) FRP Advisory administrators appointed to Scottish space launch company Orbex
Scottish Financial News — 6:38 am ET (1138 GMT) |
