NASA Phoenix Lander Bakes Sample As Arm Digs Deeper

MARSDAILY

This color-coded elevation map shows the "Dodo-Goldilocks" trench dug by the Robotic Arm on NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander. The trench, originally two separate trenches nicknamed "Dodo" (left) and "Goldilocks" (right), became one after further digging on the 18th Martian day, or Sol 18, of the mission (June 12, 2008). The trench is 7 to 8 centimeters (2.7 to 3 inches) at its deepest (blue). Because the terrain itself is inclined at a 14-degree angle, the highest areas (pink) are about 20 centimeters (7.8 inches) above the lowest areas. The trench is 22 centimeters (8.7 inches) wide and 35 centimeters (13.8 inches) long. Its deepest portion is closest to the lander.Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/Texas A and M University/NASA Ames Research Center

by Staff Writers
Tucson AZ (SPX) Jun 18, 2008
One of the ovens on NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander continued baking its first sample of Martian soil over the weekend, while the Robotic Arm dug deeper into the soil to learn more about white material first revealed on June 3.

"The oven is working very well and living up to our expectations," said Phoenix co-investigator Bill Boynton of the University of Arizona, Tucson. Boynton leads the Thermal and Evolved-Gas Analyzer (TEGA), or oven instrument, for Phoenix.

Phoenix has eight separate tiny ovens to bake and sniff the soil and look for volatile ingredients, such as water. This baking is performed at three different temperature ranges.

On Sol 18 (June 12), the lander's Robotic Arm dug deeper into the two trenches, informally called "Dodo" and "Goldilocks," where white material was previously found. This created one large trench, now called "Dodo-Goldilocks."

"We have continued to excavate in the Dodo-Goldilocks trench to expose more of the light-toned material, and we will monitor the site," said Robotic Arm lead scientist Ray Arvidson of the University of Washington, St. Louis. "If the material is ice, it should change with time. Frost may form on it, or it could slowly sublimate." Sublimation is the process where a solid changes directly into gas.

The Dodo-Goldilocks trench is 22 centimeters wide (8.7 inches) and 35 centimeters long (13.8 inches). The trench is seven to eight centimeters (2.7 to 3 inches) deep at its deepest. The deepest portion is closest to the lander.

The white material is located only at the shallowest part of the trench, farthest from the lander, indicating that it is not continuous throughout the excavated site. The trench might be exposing a ledge, or only a portion of a slab, of the white material, according to scientists.

Community
Email This Article
Comment On This Article

Share This Article With Planet Earth

del.icio.us Digg Reddit

YahooMyWeb Google Facebook

Related Links
Phoenix at LPL
Phoenix at NASA
Mars News and Information at MarsDaily.com
Lunar Dreams and more

Memory Foam Mattress Review

SPACE MEDIA NETWORK PROMOTIONS
Solar Energy Solutions
Tempur-Pedic Mattress Comparison ...

Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News

MARSDAILY

NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander Inspects Delivered Soil Samples

Tucson AZ (SPX) Jun 16, 2008
New observations from NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander provide the most magnified view ever seen of Martian soil, showing particles clumping together even at the smallest visible scale.

ENERGY TECH Sakhalin II Operator Secures Project Financing Japan PM says 'strong likelihood' of resolving China gas dispute Oil Has Grounded Airlines Gazprom To Invest Up To 420 billion Dollars In Projects By 2020	CIVIL NUCLEAR Japan PM says wants 'normal' ties with NKorea IAEA meet to protect nuclear plants from earthquakes Areva reaches deal to boost uranium production in Kazakhstan Romanian operator says IAEA 'positive' on nuke plant
BLUE SKY US And UK Research Centers Launch Major Collaboration On Atmospheric Studies NASA Satellites Illuminate Influence of Pollution On Clouds And Climate New clean air rules may endanger parks National Study Examines Health Risks Of Coarse Particle Pollution	WOOD PILE Plan To Conserve Forests May Be Detrimental To Other Ecosystems Britain, Norway launch fund to preserve Congo Basin rainforest If A Tree Falls In The Forest And No One Hears It Does The Climate Change Sierra Leone imposes logging rules after lifting timber ban: minister
FARM NEWS EU to raise ceilings on fishing fuel aid, but no move on tuna ban US breadbasket state Iowa faces crop losses from flooding Italian and French fishermen oppose blue fin tuna ban Panic over delayed rainfall grips northern Nigeria	CAR TECH Hungarian "Solo" concept car, super-light and super-ecological Toyota says to ramp up production in China Ford, GM see boost in trade with China Honda starts producing next-generation fuel cell car
AEROSPACE The Tu-144: The Future That Never Was China's new jumbo-jet firm no threat to Airbus, Boeing: state media China unveils new jumbo jet company: report NASA And JAXA To Conduct Joint Research On Sonic Boom Modeling	NUCLEAR SPACE Nuclear Power In Space - Part 2 Outside View: Nuclear future in space Nuclear Power In Space

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2007 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement