Curiosity Rover Explores Unique Crystal-Form Bedrock at Nazca Site on Mars

During sols 5063 to 5069, the Curiosity rover focused on completing drilling operations at a Martian site named Nazca, notable for bedrock containing distinctive disk-shaped, or 'potato chip' shaped, crystal formations. This drilling campaign aimed to collect samples for in-depth geological analysis.

The drilled samples were analyzed using the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument, designed to assess the chemical and isotopic composition of rocks and soil. Concurrently, the ChemCam instrument conducted Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) observations targeting various crystal types, such as 'Ahi Veremos,' 'Colca,' and 'Bermejo,' to reveal elemental compositions at different depths and locations.

In addition to crystal studies, Curiosity captured extensive visual data with the Mast Camera (Mastcam), including a mosaic of the Nazca area from near to mid distances and environmental recordings like dust devil surveys and atmospheric zenith movies. These observations help contextualize the geological findings within Mars’ current environmental dynamics.

Plans for sol 5067 included nighttime imaging employing the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) with both white-light and ultraviolet LEDs to characterize the crystal forms under different light conditions. Notably, the rover also observed an eclipse of the Sun by Mars’ moon Phobos, providing rare celestial event data.

Further remote imaging was accomplished with the Remote Micro-Imager (RMI), which produced mosaics of rock clusters below the Cordillera ridge and of dark lens formations beneath a planar surface on the Mishe Mokwa ridge. This high-resolution imagery supports geological mapping and analysis of Martian rock formations.

Finally, Curiosity executed a drive away from the Nazca drill site to continue its southerly traverse, maintaining the mission’s long-term goal of detailed exploration and discovery of Mars’ surface geology and environmental processes.