Curiosity Rocks

Curiosity commences real science in Gale Crater

The Mars rover 'Curiosity' has completed an analysis of a rock named 'Jake Matijevic' which, it encountered on day 45 of its drive towards the Glenelg Area.  Curiosity's first real science  will be undertaken at Glenelg using its on board rock drill.

The route to Glenelg from Bradbury Landing

The Rock Jake

 
NASA engineers have adjusted the white balance of this image of Jake and exaggerated the colour of the rock to show differences in mineral composition.

The red marks show where Curiosity's Chem Cam Laser was aimed and hit the rock. The circular black and white areas were where the Chem Cam  looked for the pits created by the laser.  The purple circles indicate where the Alpha-Particle X-Ray Spectrometer trained its view whilst obtaining the spectra.




The graph shows the elements (the black-line) that were found in Jake by the Spectrometer. The red-line shows spectra from the calibration rock taken by Curiosity from Earth to Mars. Jake is probably volcanic in origin.  It has quite high levels of Sodium, Aluminium, Silicon and Potassium which are often common in feldspar minerals.  It is is relatively low in iron and magnesium compared with other rocks found elsewhere on Mars. It has very low levels of Zinc and Nickel. The chlorine and Bromine shown are thought to be from surface dust.

Feldspar minerals were also discovered during the Apollo missions to the lunar uplands.

Jake's Spectra

Credits to NASA for the images and information.