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Press Release Images: Spirit
04-Nov-2004
Spirit Adds Clues About History of Rocks in Martian Hills
Full Press Release
Layers in 'Tetl'
Layers in 'Tetl'

NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit has examined the layered structure of this rock, called "Tetl," in the "Columbia Hills." This approximately true-color view was made from frames taken by Spirit's panoramic camera on the rover's 264th martian day (Sept. 29, 2004). The rock is about 25 centimeters (10 inches) long. Spirit used its microscopic imager to inspect the region indicated as MI.

Image credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell
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Close-up of 'Tetl' Layers
Close-up of 'Tetl' Layers

Alternating layers of more-resisant and less-resistant material make up this portion of a rock called "Tetl," on the west spur of the "Columbia Hills" on Mars. NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit took this picture with its microscopic imager on the rover's 272nd martian day (Oct. 7, 2004). The view covers an area about 3 centimeters (1.2 inches) wide. The layers that are less resistant to eroding away recede in comparison to the more-resistant layers. Granules of apparently harder material can be seen eroding out of some layers. Several possible origins could account for this type of layering. One that scientists are considering for Tetl and similarly layered rocks is from multiple events of volcanic ash falling from the sky or flowing across the land. Another is from episodes of sediment precipitating from a body of water.

Image credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell/USGS
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'Palenque' Rock: Tempting Target, Poor Location
'Palenque' Rock: Tempting Target, Poor Location

A rock dubbed "Palenque" in the "Columbia Hills" of Mars has contrasting textures in upper and lower portions. This view of the rock combines two frames taken by the panoramic camera on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit during the rover's 278th martian day (Oct. 14, 2004). The layers meet each other at an angular unconformity that may mark a change in environmental conditions between the formation of the two portions of the rock. Scientists would have liked the rover to take a closer look, but Palenque is not on a north-tilted slope, which is the type of terrain needed to keep the rover's solar panels tilted toward the winter sun. The exposed portion of the rock is about 100 centimeters (39 inches) long.

Image credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell
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'Lutefisk' Rock
'Lutefisk' Rock

NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit used its panoramic camera to take this image of a rock called "Lutefisk" on the rover's 286th martian day (Oct. 22, 2004). The surface of the rock is studded with rounded granules of apparently more-resistant material up to several millimeters (0.1 inch) or more across. The visible portion of Lutefisk is about 25 centimeters (10 inches) across.

Image credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell
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'Uchben' Rock
'Uchben' Rock

NASA's Mars Exploration Spirit examined a rock dubbed "Uchben" in the "Columbia Hills" inside Gusev Crater. Spirit took this image with its panoramic camera as it approached the rock during the rover's 278th martian day (Oct. 14, 2004). The visible portion of Uchben is about 50 centimenters (20 inches) long.

Image credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell
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Abrasion Work on 'Uchben'
Abrasion Work on 'Uchben'

Researchers used the rover Spirit's rock abrasion tool to help them study a rock dubbed "Uchben" in the "Columbia Hills" of Mars. The tool ground into the rock, creating a shallow hole 4.5 centimeters (1.8 inches) in diameter in the central upper portion of this image. It also used wire bristles to brush a portion of the surface below and to the right of the hole. Spirit used its panoramic camera during the rover's 293rd martian day (Oct. 29, 2004) to take the frames combined into this approximately true-color image.

Image credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell
Browse Image | Medium Image (188 kB) | Large (2.1 MB)
Mix of Particles in 'Uchben' Close-up
Mix of Particles in "Uchben" Close-up

Close-up examination of a freshly exposed area of a rock called "Uchben" in the "Columbia Hills" of Mars reveals an assortment of particle shapes and sizes in the rock's makeup. NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit used its microscopic imager during the rover's 286th martian day (Oct. 22, 2004) to take the frames assembled into this view. The view covers a circular hole ground into a target spot called "Koolik" on Uchben by the rover's rock abrasion tool. The circle is 4.5 centimeters (1.8 inches) in diameter. Particles in the rock vary in shape from angular to round, and range in size from about 0.5 millimeter (0.2 inch) to too small to be seen. This assortment suggests that the rock originated from particles that had not been transported much by wind or water, because such a transport process would likely have resulted in more sorting of the particles by size and shape.

Image credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell/USGS
Browse Image | Medium Image (365 kB) | Large (1.7 MB)
'Lutefisk' Rock (Unlabeled)
'Lutefisk' Rock (Unlabeled)

NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit used its panoramic camera to take this image of a rock called "Lutefisk" on the rover's 286th martian day (Oct. 22, 2004). The surface of the rock is studded with rounded granules of apparently more-resistant material up to several millimeters (0.1 inch) or more across. The visible portion of Lutefisk is about 25 centimeters (10 inches) across.

Image credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell
Browse Image | Medium Image (175 kB) | Large (600 kB)
'Palenque' Rock: Tempting Target, Poor Location (Unlabeled)
'Palenque' Rock: Tempting Target, Poor Location (Unlabeled)

A rock dubbed "Palenque" in the "Columbia Hills" of Mars has contrasting textures in upper and lower portions. This view of the rock combines two frames taken by the panoramic camera on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit during the rover's 278th martian day (Oct. 14, 2004). The layers meet each other at an angular unconformity that may mark a change in environmental conditions between the formation of the two portions of the rock. Scientists would have liked the rover to take a closer look, but Palenque is not on a north-tilted slope, which is the type of terrain needed to keep the rover's solar panels tilted toward the winter sun. The exposed portion of the rock is about 100 centimeters (39 inches) long.

Image credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell
Browse Image | Medium Image (139 kB) | Large (3.3 MB)
Mix of Particles in 'Uchben' (Unlabeled)
Mix of Particles in "Uchben" (Unlabeled)

Close-up examination of a freshly exposed area of a rock called "Uchben" in the "Columbia Hills" of Mars reveals an assortment of particle shapes and sizes in the rock's makeup. NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit used its microscopic imager during the rover's 286th martian day (Oct. 22, 2004) to take the frames assembled into this view. The view covers a circular hole ground into a target spot called "Koolik" on Uchben by the rover's rock abrasion tool. The circle is 4.5 centimeters (1.8 inches) in diameter. Particles in the rock vary in shape from angular to round, and range in size from about 0.5 millimeter (0.2 inch) to too small to be seen. This assortment suggests that the rock originated from particles that had not been transported much by wind or water, because such a transport process would likely have resulted in more sorting of the particles by size and shape.

Image credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell/USGS
Browse Image | Medium Image (259 kB) | Large (1.9 MB)
Layers in 'Tetl' (Unlabeled)
Layers in 'Tetl' (Unlabeled)

NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit has examined the layered structure of this rock, called "Tetl," in the "Columbia Hills." This approximately true-color view was made from frames taken by Spirit's panoramic camera on the rover's 264th martian day (Sept. 29, 2004). The rock is about 25 centimeters (10 inches) long.

Image credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell
Browse Image (66 kB) | Large (727 kB)
Abrasion Work on 'Uchben' (Unlabeled)
Abrasion Work on 'Uchben' (Unlabeled)

Researchers used the rover Spirit's rock abrasion tool to help them study a rock dubbed "Uchben" in the "Columbia Hills" of Mars. The tool ground into the rock, creating a shallow hole 4.5 centimeters (1.8 inches) in diameter in the central upper portion of this image. It also used wire bristles to brush a portion of the surface below and to the right of the hole. Spirit used its panoramic camera during the rover's 293rd martian day (Oct. 29, 2004) to take the frames combined into this approximately true-color image.

Image credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell
Browse Image | Medium Image (177 kB) | Large (2 MB)
Close-up of 'Tetl' Layers (Unlabeled)
Close-up of 'Tetl' Layers (Unlabeled)

Alternating layers of more-resisant and less-resistant material make up this portion of a rock called "Tetl," on the west spur of the "Columbia Hills" on Mars. NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit took this picture with its microscopic imager on the rover's 272nd martian day (Oct. 7, 2004). The view covers an area about 3 centimeters (1.2 inches) wide. The layers that are less resistant to eroding away recede in comparison to the more-resistant layers. Granules of apparently harder material can be seen eroding out of some layers. Several possible origins could account for this type of layering. One that scientists are considering for Tetl and similarly layered rocks is from multiple events of volcanic ash falling from the sky or flowing across the land. Another is from episodes of sediment precipitating from a body of water.

Image credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell/USGS
Browse Image (74 kB) | Large (572 kB)

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