[meteorite-list] What are those blueberries on Mars?

From: Charles Viau <cviau_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:31:22 2004
Message-ID: <002001c3f284$42518730$1800a8c0_at_chupa>

Those spheres are really something. I am in the camp of them falling
into the sediment along with ash. Low gravity ejection of molten
volcanic material could be a possibility but I like a tektite type of
process from an impact, which seems the likely suspect in the perfect
spherical shape, and minimal staining of the surrounding rock. An
incoming bolide with an air burst could probably be an answer but what
are the odds of landing on such a strewnfield. Any concretion I have
ever seen left an irregular spherical shell of stained rock around it,
and it does not look like this is the case here (but what the hell do I
know about how Mars would deal with such processes). The analysis of the
spheres themselves should tell the whole story. Very exciting stuff.

CharlyV

-----Original Message-----
From: meteorite-list-admin_at_meteoritecentral.com
[mailto:meteorite-list-admin_at_meteoritecentral.com] On Behalf Of Bj=F8rn
S=F8rheim
Sent: Friday, February 13, 2004 5:17 PM
To: meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] What are those blueberries on Mars?

Mark,
It certainly is the science team at JPL's idea that
the 'round guys' are embedded in the outcrop.
For instance Dr. Squyres were talking about wheter they could
see the layers curving above or below the balls, or wheter it is=20
possible to see if the balls have made a small dent in the layering=20
when they, possibly, fell down from above.
Also the closeup pictures suggest the balls are firmly embedded
in there.
The big question is how did they all get so perfectly round, and
what kind of geologic process would produce such a weird 'bedrock'.

Regards,
Bj=F8rn S=F8rheim
  =20

At 15:40 13.02.04 -0500, you wrote:
>> Hello List,
>> I guess you all have seen those pictures coming from Mars at the
>> the Meridiani Planum/Opportunity site.
>>=20
>> Embedded in, and eroding out of the bedrock in the sidewall of the
>> 20 m crater where Opportunity is located, are those <5mm perfect
>> spherical stones.
>
>> Regards,
>> Bj=F8rn S=F8rheim
>>=20
>
>Curious stuff, and this was my initial reaction, too. But, on closer
>examination, I remain unconvinced these spherules are actually
>weathering out of the exposed bedrock. It looks to me as though
they're
>everywhere, including on and in the "soil" above the outcrop. Assuming
>these things gradually migrate downslope, I don't suppose it is
>impossible for some of them to lodge in the cracks and bedding planes
of
>the exposed rock.
>
>Stay tuned ...
>
>Mark


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Received on Fri 13 Feb 2004 05:53:50 PM PST