NASA’s Curiosity rover made an unprecedented discovery in the red planet: yellow crystals pure sulfur in a region known as the Gediz Vallis channellocated in the Monte Sharpwithin the Gale Crater. This discovery occurred by chance in May of this year, when the roverweighing 899 kilograms, passed over a rock and accidentally crushed it, revealing bright yellow crystals inside, a pure form of elemental sulfur which had never before been detected in Marte.
The discovery, described by Ashwin Vasavadaproject scientist Curiosity in it Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) of the NASAas “the strangest and most surprising” of the mission, has unleashed a wave of questions about the geological history of Marte. “Find a field of stones made of pure sulfur “It’s like finding an oasis in the desert,” he said. Vasavada. “It shouldn’t be there, so now we have to explain why.”
He elemental sulfuralthough essential for life in the Tierrais extremely rare in its pure form and requires specific geological conditions to form. While the sulfatessulfur compounds that combine with other minerals in the presence of water, are common in Martethe appearance of elemental sulfur in the region of Gediz Vallis poses an enigma.
These formations are usually related to processes such as volcanic activity or the presence of hot springsbut these conditions had not been previously identified in this area of the red planetaccording to a report by CNN.
The rock that revealed the elemental sulfur It stood among a field of hand-sized white stones, visible along the canal. The texture of the rocks, according to the researchers, had been eroded by the Martian weather, hiding their internal characteristics until the rover he accidentally broke them.
Briony Horganteam scientist rover Perseverance and professor of planetary sciences at the Purdue Universitydescribed the discovery as a “great mystery.” “In the Tierrawe find elemental sulfur mainly in places such as hydrothermal vents, similar to those of Yellowstone. It is puzzling to think how these rocks were formed in Marte”.
He Gediz Vallis channellocated at the base of the Monte Sharpis an area of particular geological interest, as it represents an imprint of ancient water and debris flows that shaped the landscape more than 3 billion years ago. Since March, Curiosity has been exploring this region rich in sediments and rock layers that reflect different climatic periods in the history of Martefrom humid times to its transition to a drier and more arid environment.
The scientific team suspects that the channel formed due to a combination of massive floods and landslides. In his climb up the Monte Sharp, Curiosity has documented evidence of rounded rocks, probably transported by water, along with more angular ones, suggesting the impact of dry avalanches. Subsequent chemical reactions would have impregnated the rocks with unique structures visible on the surface.
The discovery of elemental sulfur It was not an isolated event. In June, the team collected dust from a nearby rock nicknamed “Mammoth Lakes” to analyze its chemical composition. According to Vasavadathis sample revealed a wider mineral variety than had previously been found during the mission. “The joke among the team is that this rock seems to contain almost all the minerals we have seen on the mission, all together,” he said.
He sulfur It is a key element for life in the Tierraused by living organisms to produce essential amino acids. Although the discovery does not directly suggest the existence of life in Marteit could provide important clues about the geological processes that once made the planet habitable.
The discovery is compared with a previous discovery of the rover Spirit of the NASAwhich in 2007, by accidentally dragging one of its damaged wheels, exposed silica-rich soil, an indication of the possible past existence of hot springs. Vasavada He stressed that this experience inspired the team of Curiosity to carefully observe the traces of the rover for possible unexpected revelations.
Since landing in Marte on August 5, 2012, Curiosity has ascended 800 meters through the base of the Monte Sharpinvestigating the sedimentary layers that document the planet’s transition from a wet to a dry environment. In it Gediz Vallis channelhe rover has used its instruments to analyze the chemical and physical characteristics of the terrain, but has not been able to drill the rocks of sulfur due to its fragility.
Despite these limitations, the scientific team hopes that the analysis of the collected samples will help model the geological evolution of the planet. This work could shed light on the mechanisms that allowed the formation of elemental sulfur and other associated minerals.
The mission Curiositydesigned to investigate whether Marte may have hosted habitable conditions in the past, continues to surprise scientists. The findings in the Gediz Vallis add to a series of key discoveries, such as the identification of ancient lakes, deposits of sulfates and organic molecules in the Gale Crater.
While the rover continues to advance through the channel, scientists remain attentive to new surprises in this terrain rich in Martian history. Vasavada concluded: “Seeing with our own eyes the complexity of Gediz Vallisafter years of observing it from orbit, it is an incredible experience. We are exploring a unique chapter in the history of Marte”.
