This microscopic imager mosaic was taken after the initial grinding of the target "Diamond Jenness" by NASA's Mars Exploration rover Opportunity on sol 177.  A sliced spherule, or “blueberry,” is visible in the upper left corner of the rock abrasion tool hole. 

The rover has been hard at work in “Endurance Crater.”  Its busy rock abrasion tool, affectionately known as the Rat, has bored nearly a dozen holes along the rover’s path down the crater slope.  On sols 177 and 178 (      , 2004), Opportunity did double duty on the target called “Diamond Jenness.” Surface debris and the bumpy shape of the rock apparently contributed to a shallow and irregular hole, only about 2 millimeters or .08 inches deep, not enough to take out all the bumps and leave a neat hole with a smooth floor.  The extremely shallow depression was then examined by the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer.  

On Sol 178, the robotic rodent dined on “Diamond Jenness” once again, grinding almost an additional 5 millimeters (about 0.2 inches). The rover then started a Mössbauer spectrometer reading of the deepened hole.  This double grinding gave the science team a unique opportunity to examine the rock at varying layers.  They are now examining the results of the double dose of Diamond Jenness.  


Image Credit:  NASA/JPL/Cornell/USGS

APPROVED BY: 

CAPTION WRITER:  Colleen Sharkey 818/625-0653 cell

RELEASE DATE:  August 2, 2004

IMAGE FILE NAME:   _b177_holman3_post_rat_mi_mosaic.jpg

SOURCE FILE NAME(S): 1MM177ILF33PER36P2907M222M2

SUMMARY INFORMATION:  MI mosaic after Rat grind #1 

NAME OF SUBMITTER: Bob Deen 

INSTITUTION: JPL

THEME/TEAM/GROUP: MIPL

SOL OF OBSERVATION:  177

EARTH DATE OF OBSERVATION:  

TITLE OF IMAGE:  Digging into Diamond Jenness 

CAPTION:  Above