PIA05030: Dust Spectra from Above and Below


Dust Spectra from Above and Below

Caption:

Spectra of martian dust taken by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's mini-thermal emission spectrometer are compared to that of the orbital Mars Global Surveyor's thermal emission spectrometer. The graph shows that the two instruments are in excellent agreement.

Rover Senses Carbon Dioxide figure 1 for PIA05030 Click on image for larger view

This graph, consisting of data acquired on Mars from the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's mini-thermal emission spectrometer, shows the light, or spectral, signature of carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide makes up the bulk of the thin martian atmosphere.

Rover Senses Silicates figure 2 for PIA05030 Click on image for larger view

This graph, consisting of data acquired on Mars by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's mini-thermal emission spectrometer, shows the light, or spectral, signature of silicates - a group of minerals that form the majority of Earth's crust. Minerals called feldspars and zeolites are likely candidates responsible for this feature.

Rover Senses Bound Water figure 3 for PIA05030 Click on image for larger view

This graph, consisting of data acquired on Mars from the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's mini-thermal emission spectrometer, shows the light, or spectral, signature of an as-of-yet unidentified mineral that contains bound water in its crystal structure. Minerals such as gypsum and zeolites are possible candidates.

Rover Senses Carbonates figure 4 for PIA05300 Click on image for larger view

This graph, consisting of data from the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's mini-thermal emission spectrometer, shows the light, or spectral, signatures of carbonates - minerals common to Earth that form only in water. The detection of trace amounts of carbonates on Mars may be due to an interaction between the water vapor in the atmosphere and minerals on the surface.

Cataloging Keywords:

Name Value Additional Values
Target Mars
System
Target Type Planet
Mission Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Mars Global Surveyor (MGS)
Instrument Host Spirit (MER-A) Mars Global Surveyor
Host Type Rover Orbiter
Instrument Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES) Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES)
Detector
Extra Keywords Atmosphere, Color, Dust, Thermal, Water
Acquisition Date
Release Date 2004-01-09
Date in Caption
Image Credit NASA/JPL/Arizona State University
Source photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA05030
Identifier PIA05030