Rover Senses Silicates
December 16, 2004
This graph, consisting of data acquired on Mars by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's mini-thermal emission spectrometer, shows the light, or spectral, signature of silicates - a group of minerals that form the majority of Earth's crust. Minerals called feldspars and zeolites are likely candidates responsible for this feature.
Topics:
Environment, Mars Exploration Rover, Spacecraft, Space exploration, Spirit, Thermal infrared spectroscopy, Mars Space Flight Facility, Spectrometers, Spirit rover, Mars
