I use a special version of our planning software that has my 35 gigapixel georeferenced HiRISE/CTX base map as a background, and projects the Navcam panoramas onto a terrain mesh derived from the stereo. So, rocks and stuff are not only in the right direction, they're at the right distance, too. The terrain mesh falls apart about 20 meters out, on flat terrain, though.

-Tim.

Here is a preliminary Rx21 (an R721 with guesstimated Red channel info) of the IDD site Boesmanskop on Sol-2801, indicated as "post-Brush". I've not been able to match the MI's up with the Pancams, but I think they are near the center of the image or slightly above center. And I can't hardly see the Brushed area, though I've not closely compared the pre- and post-brush grayscales. Hopefully we'll get a few more Pancams over the next few days, so enjoy.

In the meantime, let me toss out my initial impression of the MIs of this site: "drusy vugs".

--Bill

The result is very nice. Any advantage in blending the stereo terrain mesh into a HiRise DTM at 20 meters to extend this process?

SteveM

I can think of a lot of advantages! I sometimes use another program written by Jeff Hall in MIPL to map project the pancam data, which extends these maps out another 20 meters or so, where the pancam data is available. But the project doesn't have the resources to include the HiRISE DTM in the planning software. Curiosity will, however. I wish I were a programmer, but I'm not. I have to enlist the services of those who are.

-Tim.

Wishes:

1) More project resources for more of the pretty
2) Navcam complete 360s at 1 bazillion bits per pixel

I do believe that would satisfy our Tim!

-m

No kidding... If I could do it all over again I would do a second degree, or major, or at least a minor in computer programming. Being a scientist or engineer with the ability to write computer code would be an incredible advantage in today's world.

Very interesting rock close-up from Sol 2803. There's a particularly sharp "spike," and some bright material as if a seagull had perched there. Powdered/eroded gypsum? Very nice in 3D! Looking forward to color renditions of this outcrop.

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Some more luvverly rocks...

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You're right, Walfy... this is one fascinating-looking rocky area...

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Wow, I didn't even notice that one...

The one we're IDD'ing (or now done IDD'ing) was that smoother bit to the left, a "clast". The science team wanted the "matrix" rock (Boesmanskop), some soil near it, and a nearby "clast" to tell a full story. I'm not sure what they expect. Compositionally I don't expect anything different than Transvaal, though I'm no scientist...

-m

This should be a productive stop on the traverse. Site Oshoek on Sol-2804. Since this area is not one with a north-facing slope it will likely be examined after conjunction.

--Bill

Wow indeed! That sharp spike looks very much like the gnomon of a sundial. It looks like Oppy just discovered the first Martian-made clock!

Many many pointy spiky rocks have been seen - possibly the most famous http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA06267

Oh no, Matt, this site is a wonderful bowl of Rocky Road. And this rock will prove to have an interesting history.

--Bill

Interesting micro from Sol 2805:

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Edit: Should note that the above micro is rotated 90° CW from original, as that worked best for 3D. It's probably from the "clast" that Matt spoke of, to the left of the spike, as this shot was taken on the same Sol:

1F377204006EDNBR08P1121L0M1.JPG

But I can't identify it!

Found it! (Location of above micro):

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Also, a very crude composite of micro-images revealing the whole rock:

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Best I can do...

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Here are the capture (top) and filter (bottom) magnets on Oppy, Sol 2804.
The capture magnet is stronger.
By analyzing the wavelengths from the different PanCam images, people much more skilled than your humble poster can figure out what is on the magnets.

Here is a link for a 2007 paper on the magnet experiment so far... http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/7thmars2007/pdf/3104.pdf

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A couple of L456 composites:

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This is an R721 Pancam of the site Boesmanskop and IDD target Oshoek on Sol-2804 showing wonderful compositional and textural differences. This rock is an impact breccia that was melted and appears to have been emplaced in the later matrix. If rocks could talk, the tales this one would tell...

--Bill

Those "sparkly bits" spotted inside Homestake after Oppy ran over it, that were referred to during recent reports, can - I think? - be seen in an image on the Pancam site...

http://marswatch.astro.cornell.edu/pancam_..._1_True_RAD.jpg

Here is Boesmanskop on Sol 2804, using L2,3,4,5,6,7

R = (((L2 + 2(L3) ) / 3) + ( 2(L4) / 3 )
G = L5
B = ((2(L6)) + (L7)) / 3

... processed for crispness

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I'll see your L2,3,4,5,6,7 and raise you a saturated L257...

--Bill

OK Wild Bill,
I will see that saturated L257 ...
... and raise you a hyper-contrasted L2-3-4-5-6-7

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This L456 set was badly clipped in brights and darks, I attempted to bring back some of the rock shadow areas using the blue frame which wasn't destroyed as much. Still looks pretty bland overall.

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I'll fold. Too rich for my blood.

Your second rendering, OTOH, is likely contrary to Family Friendly Forum rules and probably a couple of international agreements...


On Sol-2806 Oppy looked droolingly to the south at Shoemaker Ridge showing tantalizing stratigraphy...


--Bill

A couple L257R21 anaglyphs

I knew that looked familiar.

Fantastic anaglyphs, especially that first one. I tried for *yonks* to get those L & Rs to align. You nailed it.

Thanks, Stu. Here's the full left and right if anybody wants:

Took mhoward's excellent L & R images to make this "super gif," using Start3D website:

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Had to compress the gif a lot to keep within file-size limitation, lost some color. But original can be viewed here: http://www.start3d.com/en/2454477057/0003

I've been doing a literature search on "impactites" and "impact breccias", since this is clearly what we are looking at on Cape York. There are extensive resources at the LPI:

http://www.lpi.usra.edu/search/?cx=0028034...amp;q=impactite

And one of the top listings of that search is a .PDF of a book chapter that contains many photos and discussions that are apropos to what we see at Boesmanskop, Oshoek and indeed the entire Winterhaven area.

http://www.lpi.usra.edu/publications/books...54/chapter5.pdf

It's sorta like deja-vu all over again...

--Bill

Following a succesful trial run at Homestake, looks like the new driving guidelines have been implemented.

1) Identify interesting feature
2) Take photographs
3) Drive RIGHT over it.

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"Todays downlinks will be interesting i guess. "

Ha.

Actually I'm not sure we intended to bump so little and go almost nowhere. I didn't stick my fat head into the room on Friday or today, so I have no idea...

-m

My take would be that she's repositioning to do an IDD on the matrix material on the other side of the large ejecta chunk.

More "hope" than take...

--Bill

We're planning to bump slowly along the ridge -- there are a slew of features all along there. Currently we're doing some engineering diagnostics while we've got the time. Holidays give us lots of time to do these things.

-m

Good thinking. I think we'll see a _lot_ of variability in the rocks as Oppy moves along the ridgetop, differences laterally within the same time horizon. A refreshing change from the Meridiani uplands where the rocks were consistent to the point of "boringly so". Time was when I'd get excited over a weathering crust of an odd color.

I'm curious about the dark rocks on the other side of the ridge from where we are now, as seen in HiRISE imagery. May be nothing, but I'm hoping that Oppy'll tippy-toe to the edge for a peek...

--Bill

Pancam foreground stereo pair from sol 2810. I'm posting these in a slightly different format since Emily's my3D blog article has reminded me that the "3D PictOMatic" app exists. I've kind of been hinting at this previously, but if you're into MER images and you've already got an iPhone or iPod Touch, especially one of the nice ones with the high-resolution screens from the last year or two, you should probably just get a my3D already.

On Sol 2811, pictures were taken of Oppy's high gain antenna assembly (for some reason ... )
And also an image of a nearby rock off the port-side back-deck.
All the pictures were taken around local noon.
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No reason to worry -- the reason is just two posts higher:


If I can make a request to you Opportunity image processors, I would LOVE it if you would be willing to take the time, where it's possible, to make right-eye color matches to some of the left-eye color images that you assemble. The color won't be a perfect match because of the lack of a green channel, but your work will still likely be much better than mine.

Oooh, hardware!

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This is the beginning of a "P2288 pancam_deck_pan_part1_L456" sequence which may be done for Engineering reasons (check the health of the rover, check dust accumulation or cleaning) or by Operation for a self-portrait in preparaton for a 360* Panorama. This point is, after all, pretty much the Acme of the traverse thus far.

I'm still wanting to have something named after Gracie Allen, a fitting companion name for the "Burns Formation"...

--Bill

... and another 3 sequences' worth of the Pancam Deckpan coming in a few days.

-m

Holy kilobits, this has to be a record image transfer for Oppy (at least in recent time)-- 114 L4, L5 or L6 images and this is only the first part of Part 1.

And lots of shiny bits on the ground around Oppy...

--Bill

Given that deck-pans are usually down sampled by 50%, that's not surprising. Pancam is slightly out of focus at that range, so downsampling to 512 x 512 before downlinking makes a lot of sense, you don't really drop any detail. . It also means you can fit 4x as many images into any given downlink session. Thus - 114 images of that size is actually only equiv to 30ish normal sized images.

Bang on the money, my friend.

Pancam PUL has been hard at work this week. We pulled a lot of really slick timing antics to fit it all in.

... unfortunately at the expense of a Pancam superres of Endeavour. We'll have to hold off on that one for a few sols.

-m

From the latest update:

Of interest also are the solar power/tau/dust factor figures in the updates. Holding steady...

--Bill

... aaaaaaaaaaaaand now I can talk about it!

Imagine standing on a hill, right side facing downhill and left side facing uphill. Now try and turn in place on your right foot without letting it twist relative to your leg. You won't like it since more of your weight is on your right side.

Meh. NBD. There was this initial state of "wtf" when we saw the data. We had some quick chats and sequenced itsby bitsy drives with lots of hazcams. Turns out, everything is fine. It was sort of a "well, duh" kind of thing when we thought about the geometry more carefully.

In the meantime we could get that Pancam Deckpan in there.

-m