NASA's Curiosity Rover uncovers rare sulphur stones on Mars as it wraps up exploration in Gediz Vallis.
Curiosity's Mastcam captures panorama near Gediz Vallis on November 2, 2024
Photo Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
NASA's Curiosity rover has completed its study of the Gediz Vallis channel. In this process it has captured a 360-degree panorama before moving towards a new target called the boxwork. This mysterious region, located on the slopes of Mount Sharp, has been under scrutiny to uncover the role of water in Mars' transition from a wetter climate to a dry one. The rover's findings, which include a unique discovery of sulphur stones, are expected to offer more fresh insights into the planet's geological history and past habitability.
A major highlight of the mission has been the detection of pure sulphur stones in Gediz Vallis, which had gone unnoticed in previous imaging by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). Once Curiosity reached the region, these bright white stones revealed yellow crystals when crushed under its wheels. Ashwin Vasavada, Curiosity's project scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, described the discovery as an intriguing mystery, noting that typical terrestrial sources of sulphur—volcanic activity and hot springs—are absent on Mount Sharp. Researchers are now analysing data to determine how these unusual deposits formed.
Observations from Gediz Vallis have painted a complex picture of Martian history. Scientists believe that rivers, wet debris flows, and dry avalanches contributed to the formation of features such as the mound nicknamed “Pinnacle Ridge.” By studying these structures, the mission team is piecing together a timeline of events that shaped the channel during Mars' climatic transformation.
Curiosity's next objective is the box work. It is a network of mineral ridges resembling spiderwebs. Kirsten Siebach, a scientist at Rice University, explained that these structures likely formed from minerals crystallising in fractures as water receded. Their vast expanse—spanning up to 20 kilometres—offers a rare opportunity to explore environments where early microbial life could have survived.
The rover, which has travelled over 33 kilometres since its landing in 2012, continues its mission to uncover Mars' secrets and search for signs of ancient habitability.
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