Mars rover Perseverance finally studied unusual purple spots on Martian rocks
Scientists have finally performed an analysis of the unusual purple spots on the rocks using the rover's equipment.
These formations were originally discovered already in the distant 1970s by Viking devices. And after some time, experts realized that these spots are formations that, in their structure, resemble something like a thin film.
Engineers working directly with the rover used several tools at once to study education. So, in particular, a specialized Mastcam-Z camera was used, which has a set of filters, blocking certain wavelengths of light, and due to this, scientists are able to gain a rough understanding of the composition of the breed.
The scientists also used the SuperCam camera, which has a powerful laser built in, which allows you to literally evaporate the rock and, thus, obtain accurate spectroscopic characteristics.
And sensitive microphones installed on Perseverance make it possible to catch the so-called “click” during a laser shot and thus determine the density of the rock by sound.
So, using all this arsenal, scientists have found that these notorious spots consist of a variety of iron oxides, which are additionally enriched with hydrogen and magnesium.
And the presence of hydrogen makes it possible to put forward the assumption that these spots were formed under the influence of water. It is doubly curious that the rover is now studying igneous rocks, and not plowing through the lake sediments of the Lake crater.
In addition, astrobiologists are also interested in such spots, because similar formations appeared on Earth during the life of bacteria.
Well, we will follow the new discoveries of the rover. Indeed, it is quite possible that sooner or later he will find evidence of the existence (albeit in antiquity) of life on Mars.
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