By: Justin Hall
Mars is called the Red Planet. It is perhaps the most fascinating of all the planets for so many different reasons. It is near the sun which might suggest that it's very hot, but quite the opposite. It has two moons. It can have an enormous amounts of storms that last for months at a time. It has iron in its soil. These are just a few of the facts about the Red Planet itself.
However, one thing that is incredibly intriguing about Mars is its rocks and rock formations. The rocks on Mars tell us about the history of the atmosphere. The rocks also tell a great deal about the volcanic nature of its surface, the history of its surface water, and even its age.
If we take the time to better understand the history of Martian rocks, we can better understand the evolution of life here on Earth. Plus, we can also use this as aiding us to finding other life in the universe.
The rocks can also tell us so much more.
"Rocks can hold information about weathering on a planet," said Dr. Amy Lovell, Professor of Astronomy and Chair Department of Physics and Astronomy at Agnes Scott College. "Radioactive sampling relative to other rocks and other planets can indicate the age of the surface where the rock was situated, which is an important part of understanding the planetary context of the surface since its formation and how it has been shaped by geologic processes."
Rock samples are fundamental to analyzing and interpreting solid planetary surfaces. If it weren't for these samples, we would rely solely on remote observations which provide some use but ultimately do not help us understand such elements as chemistry, physics and geology.
Collecting rocks is also important in helping us make new discoveries about the Red Planet as well as helping us understand more and more about previous life in the universe we may have never known about.
The instruments on the rover are advance, but they can't determine whether chemical signatures of life that may be found in samples that did not come from other possible non-biological sources.
"The more samples you have, the more reliable your data is," said Mark Lancaster, Instructional Specialist, Astronomy, Fernbank Science Center. "Some recent findings suggest that Martian rocks contain carbon signals also found in Earth rocks. This points to the possibility of past life, but also calls for more research, as these carbon signals can also be caused by other non-biological events."
Sedimentary rocks are also indicative of sediments being deposited and layered in water. Metamorphic rocks also exist, but from low-grade metamorphism due to the fact that any possible tectonic activity is virtually extinct.
Methane can also be found on Mars as a clue to the ancient possibility of life. Nickel, copper, zinc and others have been found in small gatherings. However in larger gatherings could be potentially mined.
Other substances found on Mars could leave us feeling a little bit cold.
"There are ices," said Dr. Clayton Heller, Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Planetarium Director at Georgia Southern University. "These ices are both water and carbon dioxide in the polar caps and as permafrost below the surface."
Mars ultimately has a lot to tell us and this is merely the tip of the iceberg. If it weren't for these discoveries from esteemed professionals, we as Earthlings would be missing out on some truly significant findings that tell us about the past, the present and of course the future.
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