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 Purple Planet. The invention was made in September, utilizing the digicam mounted on the rover’s mast. Regardless of already leaving the world, the photographs have 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 shaped on account 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 on account of excessive temperatures and strain. For the reason that 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 study extra about Freya Citadel, hoping that because the rover continues its journey uphill, it’ll encounter extra rocks of this sort. Perseverance is at present 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 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 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 group may discover because the rover continues to discover new areas.