[meteorite-list] Mars Rock Takes Unusual Form (Curiosity Rover)

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2013 09:55:14 -0800 (PST)
Message-ID: <201302121755.r1CHtEUX026874_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-053

Mars Rock Takes Unusual Form
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
February 11, 2013

On Mars, as on Earth, sometimes things can take on an unusual
appearance. A case in point is a shiny-looking rock seen in a recent
image from NASA's Curiosity Mars rover.

Some casual observers might see a resemblance to a car door handle, hood
ornament or some other type of metallic object. To Ronald Sletten of the
University of Washington, Seattle, a collaborator on Curiosity's science
team, the object is an interesting study in how wind and the natural
elements cause erosion and other effects on various types of rocks.

Find out what likely caused the shiny appearance of the Martian rock,
and see some examples of similar phenomena found on Earth. A PDF of the
images and explanatory text is available at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/images/msl/20130211/ventifacts.pdf .

Guy Webster 818-354-6278
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
guy.webster at jpl.nasa.gov

2013-053
Received on Tue 12 Feb 2013 12:55:14 PM PST