PIA16706: Spherules in 'Yellowknife Bay'


Spherules in ‘Yellowknife Bay’

Caption:

Click here for larger version of PIA16706
Annotated Image
Click on the image for larger version

This image from the right Mast Camera (Mastcam) of NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows roughly spherical features. These are called spherules, and they are common in this stratigraphic unit, the Sheepbed Unit, which defines the lower part of the sequences of strata exposed in "Yellowknife Bay." These features are interpreted as concretions, implying they formed in water that percolated through pores in the sediment. Spherical concretions have previously been discovered in other rocks on Mars.

Mastcam obtained these images on the 139th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's surface operations (Dec. 25, 2012). The image has been white-balanced to show what the rock would look like if it were on Earth.

Cataloging Keywords:

Name Value Additional Values
Target Mars
System
Target Type Planet
Mission Mars Science Laboratory (MSL)
Instrument Host Curiosity Rover
Host Type Rover
Instrument Mast Camera (MastCam)
Detector
Extra Keywords Color, Water
Acquisition Date
Release Date 2013-01-15
Date in Caption 2012-12-25
Image Credit NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
Source photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA16706
Identifier PIA16706