The image provides the team a clear road map for investigating the ridgeline and the area\u2019s ancient rock variety, including what appear to be megabreccia \u2014 large fragments (some the size of skyscrapers) hurled by a massive meteorite impact that occurred on the plain called Isidis Planitia about 3.9 billion years ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat I see in this image is excellent exposure of likely the oldest rocks we are going to investigate during this mission,\u201d said Ken Farley, Perseverance\u2019s deputy project scientist at Caltech in Pasadena. \u201cThere is a sharp ridgeline visible in the mosaic whose jagged, angular texture contrasts starkly with the rounded boulders in the foreground. We also see a feature that may be a volcanic dike, a vertical intrusion of magma that hardened in place and was left standing as the softer surrounding material eroded away over billions of years.\u201d<\/p>\n
The rock color in the mosaic offers less information to the science team than the distinctive textures, which help them differentiate the rock types. Unlike Jezero Crater\u2019s river delta, which is composed of sedimentary rock, some rocks here appear to be extrusive igneous rocks (molten rock that reached the surface as lava flows) and impactites (rocks created or modified by a meteorite impact) believed to have formed before the crater about 4 billion years ago, offering a window into the planet\u2019s deep early crust.<\/p>\n
New ballgame, near-marathon distance<\/p>\n
\u201cThe rover\u2019s study of these really ancient rocks is a whole new ballgame,\u201d said Stack Morgan. \u201cThese rocks \u2014 especially if they\u2019re from deep in the crust \u2014 could give us insights applicable to the entire planet, like whether there was a magma ocean on Mars and what initial conditions eventually made it a habitable planet.\u201d<\/p>\n
After studying Arethusa, Perseverance drove northwest to the Arbot area, where it has been analyzing other rocky outcrops. When the team is satisfied with the work accomplished there, the rover will drive south to \u201cGardevarri,\u201d a site with a notably clear exposure of olivine-bearing rocks. Formed in cooling magma, these types of rocks contain information that can help scientists better understand Mars\u2019 volcanic history and provide context for large-scale geological processes. From there, the rover is expected to head southeast toward a region the team is calling \u201cSinging Canyon\u201d for more insights into the planet\u2019s early crust.<\/p>\n
After more than five years of surface operations, Perseverance has abraded 62 rocks, collected 27 rock cores in its sample tubes (25 sealed, 2 unsealed), and traveled almost 26 miles (42 kilometers) \u2014 in other words, just shy of a marathon (26.2 miles, or 42.195 kilometers).<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving the benefit of four previous rover missions, the Perseverance team has always known our mission was a marathon and not a sprint,\u201d said acting Perseverance project manager Steve Lee at JPL. \u201cWe\u2019ve almost reached marathon distance. Our selfie may show that the rover is a bit dusty, but its beauty is more than skin deep. Perseverance is in great shape as we continue our explorations and extend into ultramarathon drive distances.\u201d<\/p>\n
More about Perseverance<\/p>\n
NASA\u2019s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed for the agency by Caltech, built and manages operations of the Perseverance rover on behalf of NASA\u2019s Science Mission Directorate in Washington, as part of NASA\u2019s Mars Exploration Program portfolio. The WATSON imaging system was built by, and is operated by, Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego.<\/p>\n
For more information on NASA\u2019s Perseverance, visit:<\/p>\n