NASA’s Perseverance rover has found an uncommon black-and-white striped rock on Mars in Jezero crater. This rock, named “Freya Citadel” by scientists, has a particular texture and look that has not been noticed earlier than on the Crimson Planet. The invention was made in September, utilizing the digicam mounted on the rover’s mast. Regardless of already leaving the world, the photographs had been captured and analysed after Perseverance had moved on, sparking curiosity amongst scientists concerning the rock’s origin and composition.
What’s Freya Citadel?
Freya Citadel measures about 20 cm throughout and is believed to have fashioned as a result of igneous or metamorphic processes. NASA scientists recommend that the stripes might have been brought on by the crystallisation of magma or adjustments in rock as a result of excessive temperatures and stress. Because the rock is totally different from the underlying bedrock, it doubtless originated from one other location and rolled down into its present place within the crater.
The Hunt for Extra Clues
NASA representatives are wanting to be taught extra about Freya Citadel, hoping that because the rover continues its journey uphill, it’ll encounter extra rocks of this sort. Perseverance is presently navigating the slopes of Jezero crater, which it first reached in February 2021. The rover’s Crater Rim Marketing campaign marks its fifth main mission on Mars, specializing in discovering indicators of historic life and studying concerning the planet’s early geological historical past.
Perseverance’s Earlier Discoveries
All through its time on Mars, Perseverance has made a number of fascinating finds, from historic lake sediments to different uncommon rock formations. Artwork Thompson, Perseverance mission supervisor at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, expressed pleasure about what the staff would possibly discover because the rover continues to discover new areas.