So Has Anyone Noticed the 'Horned" Rock Photo From Mars?

[jonathan]

If you pan to the right end of the outcropping and scroll down
about half way, you'll see a small rock with two obvious
cylindrical 'horns'. Perhaps the most intriguing photo so far.
The speculation is that this rock was formed by lightning
that crystallizes the sand into the tubed shape.

Or maybe it's a bunny ~g

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mer2004/rover-images/feb-02-2004/captions/image-1.html


Jonathan


s

[Rhymes of /darkness/ Oooo]

Post by jonathan
If you pan to the right end of the outcropping and scroll down
about half way, you'll see a small rock with two obvious
cylindrical 'horns'. Perhaps the most intriguing photo so far.
The speculation is that this rock was formed by lightning
that crystallizes the sand into the tubed shape.
Or maybe it's a bunny ~g

I think it is Emily Dickinson, formed by lightning
that crystallizes the sand into the tubed shape.

[jonathan]

Post by Rhymes of /darkness/ Oooo

Post by jonathan
If you pan to the right end of the outcropping and scroll down
about half way, you'll see a small rock with two obvious
cylindrical 'horns'. Perhaps the most intriguing photo so far.
The speculation is that this rock was formed by lightning
that crystallizes the sand into the tubed shape.
Or maybe it's a bunny ~g

I think it is Emily Dickinson, formed by lightning
that crystallizes the sand into the tubed shape.

That's it!

The little horned rock must be something
else since it seems to have blown away with
the wind. Perhaps some part from the spacecraft
instead of a rock.

On Jan 25 the first 360 pan doesn't show it.
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mer2004/rover-images/jan-25-2004/captions/image-1.html

A close up is here taken on Jan 26
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/1/p/002/1P128373055EDN0200P2211L6M1.HTML

In the Feb 2 360 pan it can be seen clearly and
casting an appropriate shadow.
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mer2004/rover-images/feb-02-2004/captions/image-1.html

On Feb 4 the rover drove right over the spot, and in the animation
it's not to been seen anymore.
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mer2004/rover-images/feb-06-2004/captions/image-8.html

[jonathan]

Why the surface near Opportunity has clumped into pebble
shaped mounds is still a mystery. So are the spherical
shaped silica seen in the microscopic images from
Opportunity. Also the sedimentary rock appears to have
almost annual layers of sediments evenly laid down.
It seems unlikely to me that volcanic sediments
would be so uniform.



The photo below from Opportunity shows the finely stratified sedimentary
rock that could be a form of shale
Loading Image...

The spherical clumping can be seen in this photo
Loading Image...


shale
Related: Geology
http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/s1/shale.asp

"sedimentary rock formed by the consolidation of mud or clay, having the property of
splitting into thin layers parallel to its bedding planes. Shale tends to be fissile,
i.e., it tends to split along planar surfaces between the layers of stratified rock.
Shales comprise an estimated 55% of all sedimentary rocks. The composition of shale
varies widely. Shales with very high silica content may have been formed when large
quantities of diatoms and volcanic ash were present in the original sediment. Large
numbers of fossils in shales may give them a high calcium content; such shales may
grade into limestones ."



diatom
Related: Microscopic Organisms
http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/d1/diatom.asp

"(diŽetom, -tom) , unicellular organism of the kingdom Protista , characterized by a
silica shell of often intricate and beautiful sculpturing. Most diatoms exist singly,
although some join to form colonies. They are usually yellowish or brownish, and are
found in fresh- and saltwater, in moist soil, and on the moist surface of plants. They
carry chlorophylls a and c and the carotenoid fucoxanthin contained in plastids. They
reproduce asexually by cell division. Some 40,000 species (5,600 living species) are
either bilaterally or radially symmetrical."


The photo from the microscopic imager of Opportunity shows
yet unexplained spherical silica shapes. Could they be fossilized
colonies of diatoms? Or just volcanic glass?
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mer2004/rover-images/feb-04-2004/captions/image-3.html
Loading Image...




http://www.indiana.edu/~diatom/diatom.html
"The image above is a scanning electron micrograph (JPEG) of Cyclotella stelligera.
Diatoms are unicellular algae generally placed in the family Bacillariophyceae. The
cell walls of these organisms are made of silica, and the varied shapes and beautiful
ornamentation of these walls made the study of the diatoms and related siliceous
organisms a favored pursuit of the microscopical pioneers. The cell wall is also one
of the major reasons why these algae are today a favorite tool of modern ecological
and evolutionary researchers, because the fossils are often well preserved in lake and
marine systems"

And the outside shape of the 'mystery' diatom found on earth
is surprisingly similar to the larger martian spheres seen from
the Opportunity microscopic images.
http://www.indiana.edu/~diatom/secret.html





So far the structural properties of the martial soil near
Opportunity is a mystery. On one hand the soil is an
extremely fine powder where the microscopic spheres
easily press through. Yet the soil on a larger scale is
more cohesive than such a powdery soil should be.
The only conjecture so far is that the odd properties
of the soil are influenced by static electricity in some
way.

But the soil appears to have non random and spherical
structure on both the microscopic and visible scales.
It seems to me these must be due to either electrochemical
reactions or biochemical.


I can't wait till they figure it out!
This mission is getting more interesting every day.


Jonathan

s



s

[jonathan]

Two more pics from the microscopic imager are in.
One shows clearly that spheres are embedded
in the sedimentary rock.
What the f***!

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/opportunity_m015.html


This is getting exciting~


All the raw Opportunity images are here
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/opportunity.html


Jonathan

s

[jonathan]

Ya know, it must be these spheres are a harder substance than the
sedimentary rock. So these spheres may not be blown in
from distant volcanoes, as one would expect if they were
volcanic glass. But eroding ...out of the underlying
sedimentary rock!

It just doesn't seem probable that each of these thin sedimentary
layers are the result of repeated volcanic eruptions. That
would mean the spheres formed ...in the sediment.

There's a shot here, maybe a long shot, but a chance
Opportunity is lying within a vast field of ....fossils.



Jonathan

s

[jonathan]

Here's a new picture with the spheres colored
blue to help spot them. They clearly ...are
weathering out of the sedimentary rock.


Loading Image...

[jonathan]

Could it be that several feet under the surface, in a layer
just above the bedrock, the soil is moist and warm?
Perhaps that's where the spheres are forming, then
becoming locked in a new layer of sedimentary rock.

OH MY GOD!


That could be the 'liquid' medium needed for life!

For life one needs a fluid or dynamic attractor
to allow the static and chaotic attractors to
self organize. On earth the static is of course
solid ground, the chaotic is the atmosphere, and
the dynamic attractor is surface water.

On Mars it just may be the static attractor is the
bedrock, the chaotic is the fine powdery surface
soil. And the dynamic or fluid attractor is the
subsurface soil just above the bedrock where
underground ice still exists.

Why Not?

So life on Mars could be silicate based subsurface
life that is constantly being formed into sedimentary
rocks.

The impacts bring the bedrock up to weather out the
harder silicates and a cycle is established.

If you look at this picture, look at the sphere at the very
center of the image. The one that has the left half mostly
broken off, the right half partially broken off and appears
to have been split open so the inside is visible. Look at
the radial structure....that looks like fossilized life to me.

Perhaps to Nasa as well, since they centered the image
on that sphere.

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/1/m/015/1M129514911EFF0312P2959M2M1.HTML



Jonathan

s

[jonathan]

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mer2004/rover-images/feb-09-2004/captions/image-2.html

The mystery deepens over the spherules. For one, the
smooth distribution on the surface. Some geologists
hint that it seems they are competing for nutrients.

In this latest false color image some more mysteries
surface. Notice on the left part of the image several
of them appear to be perilously attached to the rock.
Remember the surface of Mars is quite windy with
common sandstorms and dust devils.

Another very curious feature is that the larger ones
sit higher on the soil. While the smaller spherules
appear more level with the surface. Why would the
heavier ones lie higher?

If these are chemical accretions then water must
have been part of the process, yet they appear
the same whether embedded in ancient sedimentary
rock, or just sitting on the surface. There's just
too many of them to be simply eroding out.


They appear to be growing in place.


Jonathan

s

[jonathan]

So Nasa has only offered a couple of generic explanations
that appear to be mo more than a stall.


"This is wild looking stuff," Squyres said. "The rock is being eroded
away and these spherical grains are dropping out." The spheres may
have formed when molten rock was sprayed into the air by a volcano
or a meteor impact. Or, they may be concretions, or accumulated
material, formed by minerals coming out of solution as water diffused
through rock, he said"
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/releases/2004/54.cfm



But molten or impact material when heated would, on occasion, take
teardrop or oblong shapes. This picture makes it clear that is
not the case.

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/1/m/014/1M129426966EFF0300P2932M1M1.HTML


As for chemical accretion, the consensus is that spherical shapes
are very rare in geology, and only found as a direct result of
flowing water. But these spheres lie on the surface with no
water at all. So they would have to be sprayed across the
surface from impacts to bring them up from deeper underground
where water might be. If it was spray then it wouldn't be expected
to find an almost perfectly even distribution for...literally..as far
as the eye can see...to the horizon? As the pic below seems to show.

This pic also shows that the hill...above...the outcrop has
as many as below. Weathering should favor downhill. And
wind should scour them off the hill tops if they were simply
deposited loosely on the soil. The close ups show the
intact ones lying on top of the sand and on slopes with barely a
grain holding them in place.

Loading Image...


And in the following close up, look at the sphere just to the right
of center. Just below it appears to be a sphere in the process
of forming. Sort of a mold just beginning to form or perhaps
dissipate. Several of these patches can be seen. Also the one
at the bottom of the pic looks like twins, which doesn't seem
likely if they were simply chemical accretions boiling up
from beneath the soil.

Loading Image...


A clear characteristic many of the broken spheres have is a central
hole, but this hole can only be seen in broken ones, not intact
spheres. Some speculate, with only one very fuzzy pic to
back it up, is that some sort of a stalk would emanate
from the hole to help keep the sphere planted in the soil
or rock. Many can be seen hanging from the sides of
rocks as if glued on. And they hold to the side of the crater
hill even though lying on fine powdery sand. None appear
to have rolled or left any tracks.

Time for some wild speculation, but the only speculation for now
that can explain what is seen. These are Martian "mushrooms" <g>
But mushrooms made of sand.

A field of them that stretches for a few hundred square miles across
the entire Meridiana Planum. Life is very innovative it seems.


It just might be that Nasa did more than score a hole in one.


Jonathan

s

[Will-Dockery]

Post by jonathan
If you pan to the right end of the outcropping and scroll dow
about half way, you'll see a small rock with two obviou
cylindrical 'horns'. Perhaps the most intriguing photo so far
The speculation is that this rock was formed by lightnin
that crystallizes the sand into the tubed shape
Or maybe it's a bunny ~

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mer2004/rover-images/feb-02-2004/captions/image-1.htm

Post by jonathan
Jonatha

From twenty years ago, some interesting observations


This is a response to the post seen at
http://www.jlaforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=658144668#65814466

[Tarapia Tapioco]

Post by jonathan
If you pan to the right end of the outcropping and scroll down
about half way, you'll see a small rock with two obvious
cylindrical 'horns'. Perhaps the most intriguing photo so far.
The speculation is that this rock was formed by lightning
that crystallizes the sand into the tubed shape.
Or maybe it's a bunny ~g
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mer2004/rover-images/feb-02-2004/captions/image-1.html
Jonathan
s

Or maybe they're mould stubs that someone in the rush forgot to sender down and polish.


Thourn Whaul
ȼǻ
---

[Art]

Post by jonathan
If you pan to the right end of the outcropping and scroll down
about half way, you'll see a small rock with two obvious
cylindrical 'horns'. Perhaps the most intriguing photo so far.
The speculation is that this rock was formed by lightning
that crystallizes the sand into the tubed shape.
Or maybe it's a bunny ~g
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mer2004/rover-images/feb-02-2004/captions/image-1.html

Obviously a steer scull. Alá Georgia O'Keefe.

I /told/ NASA they shouldn't use the New Mexican desert for pretending
the rovers had landed successfully on Mars (after they were both
destroyed during the landing attempts). Colorizing the photos in Adobe
Photoshop won't fool ANYBODY for very long.

---
Art