Perseverance rolls over volcanic rocks, what a big surprise!

It’s been nearly a year since Perseverance, the rover of NASALanded on Mars. Almost a year travels through the crater Jezero. And the researchers who use the data you send back to Earth have just announced incredible news. According to them, perseverance will roll from the start into a land made up of Magmatic.

Even before sending their rover there, NASA researchers wondered what the Earth would look like in this crater. They wondered if it consisted of more than sedimentary rocks or igneous rocks. The first is the result of the accumulation of mineral particles carried by an ancient river system. seconds as a result of hardening a magma starting from long dormant volcano.

This is thanks to the Pixl tool – for Planetary instrument for x-ray lithochemistry Researchers have finally found the answer. The purpose of the instrument is to determine the elemental composition of materials in Mars surface By X-ray petrochemistry. It takes advantage of the holes provided by the drill installed at the end of the arm robotic determination. This can actually scrape or crush rock surfaces.

Volcanic rocks in Jezero crater

A few days ago, a rock nicknamed Brak was revealed and captured south of Sittah. Its composition: large crystals ofolivina You drink pyroxene crystals in unusual quantities. The rock mark was formed by crystals deposited in a slowly cooling pond.

The researchers add that the rocks in question were subjected to frequent storms of water. This makes it a treasure that will allow future researchers to chronicle the events that occurred in Jezero crater, to understand the period in which it was.Water was more common on its surface. Revealing the beginning of the history of Mars, identifies Ken Farley, a researcher on the team, in a NASA press release. It remains to be determined whether these olive-rich rocks formed in a lake a knife Strong cooling on the roof or in an underground room that was subsequently subjected to corrosion.

Because Perseverance also aims to obtain samples of Martian rocks – in particular to search for traces of life – due to be returned to Earth by another mission. What to study in more detail the respective samples.

Exciting Preliminary Results

Researchers took advantage of a press conference on Wednesday to also mention that a machine called Sherlock – for Sweep Habitable Environments Using Raman and Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals “In the meantime, it picked up organic particles, not only from eroded rocks but also from uneroded rock dust. It is sufficient to map the spatial distribution of Material It is associated with the organic matter within the rocks and this organic matter. metal That’s right there. This helps us understand the environment in which organic matter was formed. Further analysis is needed to determine how these molecules are produced. “, identifies Luther Beagle, responsible for Project Sherlock. Therefore, there is still no certainty regarding the proof of life. But it seems that the presence of preserved organic matter at least means that potential bio-fingerprints can also be preserved. To find out more, we will have to wait for the samples to return to Earth.

Meanwhile, scientists are also continuing to use the data Rimfax sent to Radar image of the Mars experiment under the Earth’s surface -, the “radar” from which underground structures appear red planet Its depth reaches 10 meters. They have already shown that an intermediate region formed before a region The rough floor of the trench shattered. And they should soon give you other valuable information about geology Marciano.