Curiosity’s location as of Sol 3318. Distance driven 16.57 miles/26.67 kilometers.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona

NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover at Gale Crater is now performing Sol 3319 duties.

Scott Guzewich, an atmospheric scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, reports that Curiosity is preparing to “shoot the gap” and dash through the Maria Gordon notch in the sols ahead. “Already we have a spectacular view of the 12 m (39 feet) tall cliff on the right/west side of the Notch.”

“Shoot the Gap” – Curiosity Front Hazard Avoidance Camera Right B image taken on Sol 3318, December 6, 2021.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

A recent plan included additional imaging of the cliff face.

Curiosity Left B Navigation Camera image acquired on Sol 3318, December 6, 2021.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Neutron bombardment

A mini-campaign is on tap for the robot’s Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) to study the composition of the cliff face. DAN “active” sequences — when DAN generates neutrons to bombard the ground below the rover and help determine its hydration and composition– and a long DAN “passive” sequence — when Mars researchers let the Universe provide the neutrons.

Curiosity Left B Navigation Camera image acquired on Sol 3318, December 6, 2021.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

 

Also scheduled, Guzewich adds, were brief contact science periods with the Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) and Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) on a large block in the workspace, a drive, and a late afternoon Mastcam sky survey to study airborne dust particles.

A rover drive will bring the Mars machinery into the edge of the valley where scientists can identify an ideal location for DAN’s planned campaign later this week.

Gifts from above! Image taken by Curiosity’s Front Hazard Avoidance Camera Sol 3314, December 2, 2021.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

 

Juicy workspace

In an earlier report, authored by Lauren Edgar, a planetary geologist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center in Flagstaff, Arizona, Curiosity is continuing to investigate “a juicy workspace full of a variety of boulders.”

Curiosity Left B Navigation Camera image acquired on Sol 3318, December 6, 2021.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

One rover team member described these as “gifts from above,” Edgar notes, “which sounds like the perfect description for these beautiful rocks!”

Curiosity Left B Navigation Camera image acquired on Sol 3318, December 6, 2021.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

These boulders have tumbled downslope from the pediment capping unit above the robot, providing a great opportunity to investigate the chemistry of the different textures seen.

Curiosity Left B Navigation Camera image acquired on Sol 3318, December 6, 2021.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Back on the road

A recent 3-sol plan (sols 3316-3318) focused on wrapping up contact science at these boulders and then getting back on the road to the south.

“Normally we would only plan one contact science target in a weekend,” Edgar explains, “but we managed to get two targets for MAHLI and APXS observations (named “Whaligoe Steps” and “Laurentia”) and an additional MAHLI mosaic across the boulder which includes “Whaligoe Steps” to assess different textures.”

Beautiful views ahead

“We also planned [Chemistry and Camera] ChemCam observations on ‘Small Seal Islands, ‘Dura Den,’ and ‘Sarclet’ to investigate variability in the chemistry of these boulders, and Mastcam mosaics to document their sedimentary textures and spectral characteristics,” Edgar says.

In addition to all of the geology observations, Curiosity was to have a busy weekend monitoring the sky and searching for dust devils and clouds at different times of day.

“On the third sol we planned a drive to the south,” Edgar concludes, “heading towards ‘Maria Gordon notch.’ Stay tuned for some beautiful views ahead!”

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