QUOTE (RobertEB @ Feb 3 2009, 08:55 AM) 
That is what it looks like.
That either means that the dunes are very stable (in geologic time) or that the seismicity is high.The latter would argue for a seismic mission sometime soon.
Steve M
Full Version: Post Solar Conjunction/Santorini Study Drive
The latter would argue for a seismic mission sometime soon.
Steve M
And the former seems to me to be far more likely around here - apart from meteorite impacts I doubt that there could be any significant seismic activity in this region of Meridiani on any other scale than geologic time scales.
A seismic mission remains one of my own preferred next steps anyway but I wouldn't put Meridiani high on the list of targets.
A seismic mission remains one of my own preferred next steps anyway but I wouldn't put Meridiani high on the list of targets.
Not to drift (ta-dah, dah!) too far OT, but does it really matter where we land the first siesmometers in a global net? We have only the vaguest idea of global Martian siesmic activity, and we'd need a primitive net just to localize the current regions of activity.
In this view, Meridiani would be an ideal location for one sensor if for no other reason that the surface conditions are extremely favorable for the terminal phase of EDL.
In this view, Meridiani would be an ideal location for one sensor if for no other reason that the surface conditions are extremely favorable for the terminal phase of EDL.
Lots of Mars seismic network studies have been done over the years, and most of them assume that Tharsis is the most likely generator of seismic events. The most common design of a seismic network is three stations forming a triangle a few thousand km on a side around Tharsis, and one in the antipodal region. The triangle allows probing of the structure around Tharsis, the antipodal station probes the core using signals from the Tharsis area passing through or around the core.
Phil
Phil
I am guessing this fault was caused by a meteor impact. Could one side be slumping down? I don’t see much movement either vertical or horizontal.
Think about a landscape being churned up by impactors over the eons. I would think you would get some “air” pockets mixed in. Eventually, the ground would settle, wouldn’t it?
Think about a landscape being churned up by impactors over the eons. I would think you would get some “air” pockets mixed in. Eventually, the ground would settle, wouldn’t it?
An interesting curved drive over a small dune......testing perhaps for future long long drives ?
The interesting "curved drive over a drift" image that just came down is from back on sol 1774, just before we got to Ranger Crater. It's visible in this QuickTime VR mosaic (3 MB) of sol 1774. Ranger Crater is visible.
Lots of old images being returned currently; few or no new ones. So Oppy is alive but obviously something is up - maybe some temporary communication problem somewhere in the chain, if I were to hazard a guess.
Lots of old images being returned currently; few or no new ones. So Oppy is alive but obviously something is up - maybe some temporary communication problem somewhere in the chain, if I were to hazard a guess.
Or just freeing up memory?
Phil
Phil
Problem is we never got Navcams of the current position; that's a little worrying. But glitches happen from time to time, I hope it's nothing serious.
<guess mode on>
Perhaps the navcam sequences were not executed once the drive was known as aborted. Since the mid-drive navcams (those taken in visodom mode) were only downlinked today perhaps that's why we don't see any other activity in the plans because those are needed for further analysis. Too many guesses, but the situation is really unusual.
Touching again the point about the "big" increase on the altitude, which MMB represents as a flying rover
, now I see that it was a steady and smooth increase during the whole drive and not a false indication due to slippage. In this case, either the terrain as an E-W slope (3.5m change in 80m) or the rover's own calculated attitude has (had) an error and it was propagated on the z axis.
<guess mode off>
Perhaps the navcam sequences were not executed once the drive was known as aborted. Since the mid-drive navcams (those taken in visodom mode) were only downlinked today perhaps that's why we don't see any other activity in the plans because those are needed for further analysis. Too many guesses, but the situation is really unusual.
Touching again the point about the "big" increase on the altitude, which MMB represents as a flying rover
, now I see that it was a steady and smooth increase during the whole drive and not a false indication due to slippage. In this case, either the terrain as an E-W slope (3.5m change in 80m) or the rover's own calculated attitude has (had) an error and it was propagated on the z axis.<guess mode off>
I imagine Scott would be kicking himself if a self-terminated drive resulted in aborted post-drive remote sensing.
There's one nugget in a new Oppy update:
How did we miss this? The jpeg images are overexposed (something up with the autostretch, I guess), but you can still make out the moon if you look carefully at sol 1750 pancam frames like this one:
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all...BBP2682R8M1.JPG
QUOTE
Also of note this week, Opportunity recorded a transit of Mars' moon Phobos across the Sun. The rover used the panoramic camera to capture a series of images of the event.
How did we miss this? The jpeg images are overexposed (something up with the autostretch, I guess), but you can still make out the moon if you look carefully at sol 1750 pancam frames like this one:
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all...BBP2682R8M1.JPG
IIRC, Horton posted the pictures (an animated GIF) on the other forum some time ago.
QUOTE (Tesheiner @ Feb 4 2009, 10:42 PM)
Horton posted the pictures (an animated GIF) on the other forum
So, can we have a link to that?
Thanks for that reference, Tesheiner. But now I'm really confused: if you look at the sol 1750 pancam jpg images at the jpl site, you can see that they are all overexposed, as I wrote above. No amount of image processing can reveal Phobos directly in those images. Same for the exploratorium images.
But Horton's images aren't overexposed, and show Phobos clearly. ........
But Horton's images aren't overexposed, and show Phobos clearly. ........
Perhaps he used the much better exposed internal reflection image (for instance, on the upper left in the image referenced above).
Airbag
internal reflection image (for instance, on the upper left in the image referenced above).Airbag
QUOTE (ngunn @ Feb 4 2009, 06:54 PM)
So, can we have a link to that?
Ha. I'd forgotten where it was in the ensuing four years. Look at that! Guess it still exists.
QUOTE (Airbag @ Feb 5 2009, 01:20 AM)
Perhaps he used the much better exposed internal reflection image
internal reflection imageThanks, I hadn't noticed those internal reflections. But that can't be what Horton used, since there are similar reflections in Horton's animation if you look very closely.
To answer my own question, the eclipse images in Horton's animation appear to be thumbnails from the pancam database.
Opportunity Rover Sidelined by Charged Particle Hit
http://www.universetoday.com/2009/02/05/op...hit/#more-24717
QUOTE
The Opportunity rover recently surpassed the five-year mark on Mars. And what did she get as a birthday present? A thorough zapping by a charged particle, perhaps a cosmic ray, which has sidelined the rover for the past several days. "Opportunity stood down for a few sols as a result of a PMA (Panoramic Mast Assembly) error," said Scott Maxwell, one of the rover drivers for the two Mars Exploration Rovers, Opportunity and Spirit. "This turned out to be due to an SEU (Single-Event Upset), as reported by the on-board motor controller." An SEU happens when a charged particle whizzes through a transistor on the rover and flips a bit somewhere inside. "Fortunately, the motor controllers can detect and report these events, so that the rover can safely stop," Maxwell told Universe Today. "We have good reason to hope that Opportunity's PMA is undamaged and that she'll be back on the road shortly."
http://www.universetoday.com/2009/02/05/op...hit/#more-24717
"We have good reason to hope that Opportunity's PMA is undamaged and that she'll be back on the road shortly."
Today is scheduled as driving sol. Expect a short move because there are no "post-drive" images from the site available except for the hazcam pictures.
Today is scheduled as driving sol. Expect a short move because there are no "post-drive" images from the site available except for the hazcam pictures.
Surveyor Crater - sol 1782 108x81 degree rectilinear projection
Could somebody please turn off the universal cosmic ray generator? It is becoming quite a nuisance. 
OK - done!
Phil
Phil
QUOTE (Phil Stooke @ Feb 6 2009, 09:15 PM)
OK - done!
Phil
Phil
So you control it? There are some post C/A Iapetus images from Cassini we need to speak about.
Phil asked me to speak to Centaurus A (he's busy with the rest of the Universe)...I've got an appointment next Tuesday. 
Looking south on sol 1791.
It's quite hard to see, but I think in the middle of Mike's image, between the two large ripples, there is a small crater (more obvious in 3D) the crater is called Halfmoon and colour imaging is planned for tosol (1792).
Then driving again on sol 1793.
Then driving again on sol 1793.
QUOTE (jamescanvin @ Feb 7 2009, 11:57 AM)
colour imaging is planned for tosol (1792).
Then driving again on sol 1793.
Then driving again on sol 1793.
activity for two consequitive days: Does this mean we're in unrestricted sols again ?
P.S.: this was probably asked before but I could not find pointers/link to the answer yet:
what again is the formula for the restricted/unrestricted Sols schedule ?
I know they approximately alternate every two weeks or so (?) but it would be nice to have place/link (or formula) to determine the actual schedule ....
QUOTE (mhoward @ Feb 7 2009, 01:12 AM)
Looking south on sol 1791.
I just would like to say thank you (again, because it can not be said often enough) for your prompt "navcam-panorama coverage" which makes this Trek an almost live-experience
Thanks
I'm in a rectilinear kind of mood these days myself; I think it adds some realism. Now I just need to do something about the sky...
I'm in a rectilinear kind of mood these days myself; I think it adds some realism. Now I just need to do something about the sky...
Thanks for pointing out that crater, James. I had suspected something was there based on the orbital imagery:
Click to view attachment
Here's an anaglyph view of the west side of the crater (the Halfmoon side?)
Click to view attachment
A nice little crater overrun and almost buried by large dunes.
Click to view attachment
Here's an anaglyph view of the west side of the crater (the Halfmoon side?)
Click to view attachment
A nice little crater overrun and almost buried by large dunes.
Yikes - I was thinking they should drive that way. Looks like a sandtrap in the anaglyph version.
Actually it looks like my guess was wrong - now there is pointing data for the thumbnails it looks like 'Halfmoon' is the small crater further to the southwest
(in this navcam: http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportuni...00P0705R0M1.JPG )
I had assumed it was closer than that one, as multiple pointings were taken, which didn't seem necessary for that more distant one.
Still, the little one next to us does look like a small buried crater - and rover trap!
(in this navcam: http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportuni...00P0705R0M1.JPG )
I had assumed it was closer than that one, as multiple pointings were taken, which didn't seem necessary for that more distant one.
Still, the little one next to us does look like a small buried crater - and rover trap!
QUOTE (jamescanvin @ Feb 7 2009, 08:28 AM)
Actually it looks like my guess was wrong - now there is pointing data for the thumbnails it looks like 'Halfmoon' is the small crater further to the southwest
(in this navcam: http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportuni...00P0705R0M1.JPG )
I had assumed it was closer than that one, as multiple pointings were taken, which didn't seem necessary for that more distant one.
Still, the little one next to us does look like a small buried crater - and rover trap!
(in this navcam: http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportuni...00P0705R0M1.JPG )
I had assumed it was closer than that one, as multiple pointings were taken, which didn't seem necessary for that more distant one.
Still, the little one next to us does look like a small buried crater - and rover trap!
James, you are correct. 1/2 moon is the crater in the above NAVCAM. We were supposed to drive next to it but the rover decided it didn't want to so we decided to turn left and head south, then SW instead.
Paolo
Opportunity Sol 1791 drive-direction Pancam analgyph
Good luck with that drive.
Nice to have a long view to the horizon again.
Part of Endeavor again visible on the left of this navcam image?
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportuni...00P0705R0M1.JPG
Part of Endeavor again visible on the left of this navcam image?
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportuni...00P0705R0M1.JPG
Yup. The terrain right ahead looks also a bit smoother in the HiRISE shots.
It would be great to have some pancams on the direction you pointed to see more in detail that feature on the horizon. I did this sort of "combo" including the background I'm now using on my map and a polar view from the current site to cross check the headings and whatever that feature is, it appears a bit off to be part of Endeavour.
Click to view attachment
OT: Can someone provide me a link to a picture like that on the background but including Endeavour completely?
Edit: Oops. I changed a bit the "overview" part of my route map to include the whole Endeavour on it and now I see that the feature on the horizon actually matches the northern rim.
It would be great to have some pancams on the direction you pointed to see more in detail that feature on the horizon. I did this sort of "combo" including the background I'm now using on my map and a polar view from the current site to cross check the headings and whatever that feature is, it appears a bit off to be part of Endeavour.
Click to view attachment
OT: Can someone provide me a link to a picture like that on the background but including Endeavour completely?
Edit: Oops. I changed a bit the "overview" part of my route map to include the whole Endeavour on it and now I see that the feature on the horizon actually matches the northern rim.
QUOTE (Tesheiner @ Feb 8 2009, 07:54 AM)
OT: Can someone provide me a link to a picture like that on the background but including Endeavour completely?
http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.p...st&p=127283
Ripples on Sol 1792
No problem with the small craterlet then - and the sol 1793 view is almost featureless.
Seing Tesheiner's latest map I'm here thinking if Porcupine is still a valid hypothesis, I'm a bit distracted, has been any info that I missed pointing in another direction?
Anyway...according to my clairvoyant powers we're exactly two years from reaching Endeavour (forget that fact of my powers failed concerning the end of leg 01...), I'll celebrate it!
EDITED: Is Halfmoon an official name?
Anyway...according to my clairvoyant powers we're exactly two years from reaching Endeavour (forget that fact of my powers failed concerning the end of leg 01...), I'll celebrate it!
EDITED: Is Halfmoon an official name?
Like Ranger and Surveyor? Yes.
Thanks Tesheiner, I believe I found the original:
http://www.hrmm.org/halfmoon/halfmoon.htm
"Henry Hudson was the first European to explore the Hudson River throughout its navigable length and leave behind a detailed description of his voyage. In the fall of 1609, Henry Hudson and his ship, the Half Moon, with a crew of 20 Dutch and English sailors explored the Hudson River from New York harbor up to present day Albany, NY."
http://www.hrmm.org/halfmoon/halfmoon.htm
"Henry Hudson was the first European to explore the Hudson River throughout its navigable length and leave behind a detailed description of his voyage. In the fall of 1609, Henry Hudson and his ship, the Half Moon, with a crew of 20 Dutch and English sailors explored the Hudson River from New York harbor up to present day Albany, NY."
New official route map continues to show a projected route towards the southwest. I'm a bit baffled by that, since the direct route to the southeast looks fine at this point. I suppose there may be a specific target or interesting region to the SW that they want to taste.
QUOTE (fredk @ Feb 10 2009, 03:42 PM)
I suppose there may be a specific target or interesting region to the SW that they want to taste.
Porcupine maybe? I can't see any other reason to continue SW. May be quite an interesting target - and photogenic as well, I'm getting bored of these endless ripples again now.
I think the route planners are trying to pass the west end of a big band of purgatoids that extend right up to the eastern edge of "Porcupine". They need to get past that before turning east.
Phil
Phil
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