A funnily promiscuous - intone boulder on Mars is completely unlike any other rock’n’roll we ’ve seen on the Red Planet up to now . blob by NASA’sPerseverance roverat a site call Mount Washburn - which sits within the wider study emplacement of Jezero Crater - the strange object may supply some challenging clues into the ancient geologic processes that helped to shape the Martian surface .
“ The diversity of textures and compositions at Mount Washburn was an exciting discovery for the team , as these rocks interpret a grab udder of geologic gifts brought down from the crater brim and potentially beyond , ” said Brad Garczynski , co - lead of the current science crusade , in astatement . “ But among all these different rock-and-roll , there was one that really caught our attention . ”
Measuring 45 centimeters ( 18 inches ) in width by 35 centimeters ( 14 inches ) in tallness , the out of the blue brilliant careen pops out against the darker boulders that palisade it , and has been nickname “ Atoko Point ” in quotation to a alike feature of the Grand Canyon . “ In terms of the sizing , shape , and organisation of its mineral grains and crystals — and potentially its chemical composition — Atoko Point is in a conference of its own , ” reads the statement from NASA .
Using its SuperCam and Mastcam - Z instruments , Perseverance was able-bodied to determine that the stone is made up of the minerals pyroxene and feldspar , although how it ended up on Mount Washmore , surround by rocks of an solely different composition , is unclear .
One hypothesis is that it initiate in a subterranean body of magma that became expose at some point , although the rock may also have been transported to its current emplacement by a river that flowed across theMartiansurface in the ancient yesteryear . “ Either style , the squad believes that while Atoko is the first of its kind they ’ve seen , it wo n’t be the last , ” continues the statement .
After briefly stopping to admire and analyze theunique rock , Perseverance retain its journeying towards its next stop , known as Bright Angel , where it will , erm , persevere in its quest to find sign of ancient sprightliness on Mars .
