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Re: Mars Pathfinder Update - July 6, 1997

>First, the Imager will be taking what the Mars Pathfinder team
>affectionately calls the "monster panorama." It will image the entire 360
>degree view using both "eyes" and its red filter. The use of spectral
>filters enables geologists to get a good idea of the composition of rocks
>and soil.

In case you're wondering why I'm posting all of these Mars Pathfinder updates
to the meteorite mailing list, this is why.  The lander and rover carries
instruments that can determine the composition of the rocks on the Mars
surface.  These results can then be compared with the Mars meteorites and
see how well they match up.  Remember, the best evidence we have that the
SNC's come from Mars is the good match of the the Viking results (noble gases and oxygen 
isotope ratios, water analysis) with with the gases and water
extracted from the SNC's.

>This rock, now named "Barnacle Bill" has interesting features that Mars
>Pathfinder scientists and geologists are eager to see close-up. Today the
>rover will make a 20 degree turn and back up to this rock in order to place
>its Alpha Proton X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) there.

This rock is called Barnacle Bill because of some barnacle-like features
seen on its surface.  Note that this is appearance only, and we don't expect
this to be a evidence of any biological activity.  In fact, this rock
is probably a basaltic rock, which is particurly interesting since all
twelve of the Mars meteorites found on Earth are also basaltic rocks.
This will be the first rock the rover will use its APXS instrument on.
This rock was close to rear ramp, and was one of the reasons why they chose
to deploy the rover on the rear ramp instead of the front ramp.  

The landing site for Mars Pathfinder was chosen because it looked like a
safe site to land in and is in a flood plain.  There is quite a variety
of rocks visible in the images, as what hoped it would be.  Many of the
rocks have rounded corners and appear to be oriented on one direction,
strong evidence of being in a flood.  Also, there are some
rocks that are not rounded, and the scientists think these may be ejecta
from a nearby crater.  In fact, Barnacle Bill is one of these type rocks.
The hills off in the distance appear to have about 5 
layers in them, and indication of 5 large flooding events in the past.

Ron Baalke