Burns Cliff on Mars
Explanation:
The majestic walls of
Endurance Crater contain layers
of clues about the ancient past of
Mars.
In fact, the deeper the layer, the older the clue.
The particular crater wall
imaged above was dubbed
Burns Cliff and was in front of the
robot rover Opportunity last week.
Close inspection of different layers has found slightly different compositions
as well as interesting trends in relative
compositions.
For example, deeper
layers contain similarly decreasing amounts of both
magnesium and
sulfur,
indicating a common reason for their decline -- possibly
dissolution
in
water.
Today, more practically,
Burns Cliff blocks one exit direction for Opportunity to leave
Endurance Crater.
When combined with
slippery sand elsewhere
on the crater floor, controllers have decided to
program Opportunity to
back out of the crater the way it came in - after a few more days exploration.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
