The Curiosity rover accidentally split one of the rocks on Mars, releasing yellow crystals of pure sulfur.
Although sulfates are not uncommon on the Red Planet, this is the first time pure sulfur has been found there. What is even more unusual, however, is that the Gediz Valley channel, where the rover found the rock, is dotted with similar blocks that may contain sulfur.
«Finding a field of stones consisting of pure sulfur is like finding an oasis in the desert This shouldn’t be there, so now we have to explain it. Discovering strange and unexpected things is what makes planetary exploration so exciting», — notes Curiosity project scientist Ashwin Wasawada from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Sulfates are salts where sulfur, usually in compounds, is present, mixes with other minerals in water. After the water has evaporated, the minerals mix, dry, and leave behind sulfates.
These sulfates can tell scientists a lot about the history of Mars, including the water and the reasons for its disappearance. However, pure sulfur is formed only under a limited number of conditions. These conditions are not present in the region where Curiosity accidentally discovered an unusual stone.
At the moment, researchers do not hide the fact that they do not know much about the geological history of the Red Planet. The discovery of large quantities of pure sulfur freely scattered on the surface indicates that there is something significant that remains unexplained.
Sulfur is one of the key elements for the emergence of all forms of life. Usually, it is stored in the form of sulfates and is involved in the formation of two essential amino acids that living organisms need in the production of proteins.
The next step will be to figure out how, based on our knowledge of Mars, sulfur could have appeared there. This will require a little more work, possibly including detailed modeling of the geological evolution of Mars.
The Gediz Valley Canal has a long history. It was once a major waterway. The rocks in this area preserve traces of an ancient river that flowed here many billions of years ago.
Curiosity has made a hole in one of the stones, took a powdered sample of its interior for chemical analysis, and continues to move deeper into the channel to see what other surprises might be waiting behind the next stone.
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