There are signs that the climate on Mars is drying up.
The long-running NASA mission, which will reach its 10th Earth-yearanniversary on the Red Planet this August, is making its way up the slopes of Mount Sharp to trace the changing climate of Mars over the eons. The transition zone filled with salty sulfate has been noticed by the rover for about a year. According to a NASA statement, scientists believe those features mark where sand dunes formed.
The lower slopes of the mountain are not as common as the higher ones. "We see a lot of evidence of dry climates, like dry dunes that sometimes had streams running around them," said Ashwin Vasavada, the project scientist at JPL.
There are amazing photos from the Perseverance rover's first year on Mars.
Scientists are interested in geologic features. The team members nicknamed one of the stacks " The Prow" because of it's resemblance to a volcano.
JPL stated that the region has a dry origin story as a sand dune-filled area and some zones that appear to have been carried in by water.
The knowledge that there were multiple periods in which the water ebbed and flowed over time makes the story more complicated.
While the rover is still operating well, JPL noted it is showing inevitable signs of age, notably holes on its aluminum wheels that have been navigating the Martian terrain for the past two years.
The left middle wheel has more damage than the right one. JPL said that it is unlikely that the grousers will fall apart, but that the rover can drive on the rim of its wheels if needed.
A temperature spike on an instrument control box caused a brief safe mode incident. Team members are investigating the cause of the rover's exit from safe mode.
JPL stated that safe mode may have been triggered after a temperature sensor provided an inaccurate measurement, but there is no sign it will affect rover operations.
You can follow Elizabeth on social networking sites. We encourage you to follow us on social networking sites.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
