opportunity pic; what's this? (no not ufo)it's a dirt thing

okay, help me out, what could this be? It's on the microscopic camera, and it's in several photos, these are just 2 views..really I am clueless and just want an explanation, it looks it doesn't quite belong, but hey this is mars, so who knows?
marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov...
marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov...

sorry too big, use the links


[Edited on 2-24-2004 by worldwatcher]

Are you talking about the circles? If so they could be from the tracks of the rover.

Are you talking about the pixel drop outs?

those images are being sent from a Long long long way away. The transmiision delay just from the speed of light is several minutes.

Oh, the circles. I think that is from one of the analytical instruments.

i am talking about that round cork looking thing in the lower right corner, it looks like it has dimension to it.

if it is equipment what is it analyzing?

I don't think that that is a piece of equipment, but rather it is an impression made by a piece of equipment. in other words, maybe that is the way the soil looks after the in-situ analysis.

aaahh, thanks howard

but tell me, do you see dimension to it? I see a shadow plus it looks very interesting, sorta smooth?

maybe i'm just looking too hard

I'm going with instrument indentation.

you know what, the more I look at this thing, the more I am leaning away from indentation, just look at it, the round penny shape smooth circle in the lower left

it has dimension, the dust/sand whatever is clinging to the sides, some are on the surface of the thing....and it looks very smooth, like jade or some other precious rock like that, but it's also so perfectly round.

sorry howard, I thank you for your suggestion, thought you had it explained it to me, but as you can see i am not convinced now.

Whatever.

I still think it is an artifact from the sampling and analysis process.

Second link, lower left corner circle, right side edge ... It's rasied above the rest of the ground along that edge. Not an indentation mark.

Same picture, lower right side circle, even against the ground, indentation would have made it lower than the surrounding ground.

I've also noticed the circle's have a sort of grain to them, sort of like wood, only without the growth ring's. Interesting pic.

[EDIT] Just noticed, the second 'rock' upper right edge, is raised a tiny bit above the surounding area.

[Edited on 24-2-2004 by ZeroLimit]

I think that the circle is an area of compressed soil. it was compressed by the pressure of the instrument on the ground. The looser material around it fell in when the instrument was withdrawn.

Didn't any of you play in sandboxes when you were kids?

[Edited on 24-2-2004 by HowardRoark]

i did play with sand howard, and compressed soil is plausible however the smoothness or different texture of the top of the "round thing" doesn't look like the sand around it.

Yeah, but notice that the soil just to the left of the circle has indications of the same color and texture. This part is clearly and instrument mark.

I don't know ...

Unless the rover has a shovel, bucket, and some water then I can't buy into the sandbox theory. Those 'compression' / 'indentation' mark's are raised above there surrounding's. They also are of different color, and have a grainy texture.

you're talking about the first pic right? I think i see what you are saying if that is the pic we are discussing

what about the second pic, which shows 2 of these "round things"??

maybe it's a semi-precious mars rock.... i could make a fortune if i could harvest those blueberries and these coins (sorry bout that, feeling a bit silly) i'm over it.

Originally posted by HowardRoark
Yeah, but notice that the soil just to the left of the circle has indications of the same color and texture. This part is clearly and instrument mark.

Odd, it's just that one tiny patch of dirt to the left there that has even the slightest hint of color and texture. Still hard to call it compressed from an instrument though. Look's like the circle is covered by that patch a little on the left, while on the right it's obviously raised more.

Originally posted by worldwatcher
you're talking about the first pic right? I think i see what you are saying if that is the pic we are discussing

I've been looking at the second pic. Has both 'rocks' in them, and offer's a better view of the right side of the lower left 'rock'.

question is, if it is indentations done by the rover, why did they perform 2 and so near to each other???

I don't think it would be scientifically beneficial to do the same analysis so relatively close to each other, but I ain't a scientist, so really i'm not sure.

indentation doesn't leave raised edge's of the area being indented. It's obviously not indentation. Just take a good close look at the edge's. The first 'rock' is partially cover on it left edge, while the right edge is raised. The second rock is pretty even all the way around except the upper right edge is raised just a little bit, no where as much as the first 'rock'.