NASA‘s Perseverance rover has found an uncommon black-and-white striped rock on Mars in Jezero crater. This rock, named “Freya Fort” by scientists, has a particular texture and look that has not been noticed earlier than on the Purple Planet. The invention was made in September, utilizing the digital camera mounted on the rover’s mast. Regardless of already leaving the realm, the photographs have been captured and analysed after Perseverance had moved on, sparking curiosity amongst scientists in regards to the rock’s origin and composition.
What’s Freya Fort?
Freya Fort measures about 20 cm throughout and is believed to have shaped as a consequence of igneous or metamorphic processes. NASA scientists suggest that the stripes might have been attributable to the crystallisation of magma or modifications in rock as a consequence of excessive temperatures and stress. For the reason that rock is totally different from the underlying bedrock, it seemingly 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 study extra about Freya Fort, hoping that because the rover continues its journey uphill, it is going to encounter extra rocks of this sort. Perseverance is at the moment 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 historical life and studying in regards to 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 historical lake sediments to different uncommon rock formations. Artwork Thompson, Perseverance challenge supervisor at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, expressed pleasure about what the staff may discover because the rover continues to discover new areas.
