WHAT LOOKS LIKE THE SAND OF MARS?
Mars rover Curiosity has completed the first-ever detailed X-ray analysis of Martian sand. It turned out that it contains minerals similar to those found in the volcanic soil of Hawaii.
According to a press release from the space agency NASA, the study was to operate one of the top ten scientific instruments rover - the analyzer CheMin. It exposes the soil samples by X-rays and the nature of their reflections determines the mineral content of the soil.
Previously, this method was used only on Earth. Equipment required size is not less than the fridge and it was not possible to use it on other planets. But engineers have recently made significant progress and have made a compact analyzer, comparable to a shoebox.
The device Curiosity collected several samples of soil in an area called Rocknest. Then he placed the Martian sand in one of the cells of the device that vibrates when a sample (performed 2000 movements per second). Shaking allows X-rays to better interact with the grain, determining the relative position of the atoms.
Thus the device can accurately determine what minerals and how many are in the studied soil.
The first analysis showed that contains feldspar sand, olivine and pyroxene. On Earth, these minerals are found in basalt and igneous rocks formed during volcanic activity. In this case, the scientists report that these rocks do not contain traces of interaction with liquid water, which the rover recorded earlier.
Scientists note that the first tests have not yielded information that could surprise them. But the possibility of a direct measurement of soil is difficult to underestimate.
`Mars is covered with dust, and we are poorly represented its mineral content - says principal investigator David Blake CheMin instrument (David Blake). - Now we know that the collected material is reminiscent of basaltic rocks. It is about half of the non-crystalline materials - such as volcanic glass#39;.
The study of the mineral composition of the Red Planet will help you understand what natural conditions have been on Mars in the past. After all, each mineral can tell a lot about the circumstances under which it was formed.
`Our team is in a very good mood thanks to the first results, which received aid. They give great hope for the future results#39; - adds Blake.
