Martian parrot
I didn’t want to touch upon this topic separately, but the wave went too wide to ignore it, even this infection reached Habr. Twitter hash tag appeared #CuriosityFindings. Yes, I am again about the very statement of John Grotzinger about the results of the analysis of the SAM device on board Curiosity. Just try to figure out why this whole story has earned the epithet “parrotting” (parroting - chatter like a parrot) in the words of a NASA spokesperson.
To begin with about the device SAM (Sample Analysis at Mars). I wanted to tell you more about him when his first results become known, but our media do not provide such an opportunity, therefore a brief overview.
SAM are three instruments in one: a quadrupole mass spectrometer, a gas chromatograph, and a tunable laser spectrometer. The device conducts a study of gas environments. He heats solid samples in a quartz furnace, turning it into a gaseous form. Gaseous substances can pass through each device separately, or through all three at once. This allows not only to determine the exact chemical composition of the sample under study, but also to measure the atomic mass of substances, that is, to separate isotopes and separate, for example, ¹²C from ¹³C in air, deuterium from hydrogen in water, etc. Determination of gas content in the sample under study reaches several parts per billion.
In addition to the good quality of the analysis, the device itself is unique in that it is on Mars. It is like a telescope for Galileo or a microscope for Leeuwenhoek - no matter if it is of high quality or not, any application of it will lead to discoveries and, probably, sensational ones.
In late October, SAM has already conducted a study of the atmosphere. And the analysis had to be carried out twice - the first samples of the Martian air were mixed with the one that the rover brought from Cape Canaveral. The second test was already purely Martian.
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She gave some new information about the evolution of the atmosphere. In particular, an increased content of heavy isotopes of carbon and argon was recorded - this suggests that, due to the influence of the solar wind, first of all, light forms of gases evaporate into space.
In addition, the rover tried to determine the content of methane in the atmosphere and did not find it. Methane emissions to the atmosphere were determined from satellites and even ground-based telescopes. Scientists were particularly interested in the fact that the accumulation of this gas was very local, and it quickly disappeared.
Methane is an organic gas, which is formed on Earth most often as a result of the activity of bacteria. Therefore, this observation is very intrigued by scientists and optimists who hope for at least the microbial habitability of Mars. At the same time, several models were developed in which methane is formed in a natural way: due to tectonic activity (which is also not bad because it is now considered that the planet is tectonically dead); due to ultraviolet irradiation of ice covers; due to the fall of meteorites and due to electrical discharges in the dusty tornadoes over the same ice sheets. To clarify the situation was supposed to Curiosity, but he decided it by the Stalinist method: "no gas - no problem." However, the appearance of methane is a seasonal event and the Curious will still have a chance.
After the air, there was a line of soil.
In order to better understand what scientists could find on Mars, we must take into account what they studied. Curiosity spent from 57 to 102 sol in a place called Rocknest - "rock nest."
During this time, he used on the "nest" almost all of his scientific tools. SAM tests were performed in the last week and after that the rover left it. At the moment, he moved about 26 meters and got closer to the shore of the proposed reservoir.
Rocknest is a sand spit that could literally be swept into a previous dust storm. That is, it is not even root soil. Curiosity scooped up from above, having gone deep about 5 centimeters. It turns out that this is literally superficial research.
Prior to the start of SAM analyzes, this sand was studied by ChemCam, APXS and, more importantly, CheMin spectrographs. The latter is also an outstanding device located in the body of the rover. It determines the crystal lattice of minerals and their chemical structure by X-ray spectrography and diffraction.
And according to the results of this analysis, it was concluded that sand is of volcanic origin. NASA even attached a photo of the foot of the Hawaiian volcano, so that it was clear that they were exploring the ground. Even on Earth in this soil will be difficult to find organic matter.
The fact that Curiosity has found neither life nor oil can be understood at least by its actions. He has nowhere to hurry, he already stood for 40 days in a heap of sand, so there was no point in breaking somewhere. If they had found something really interesting, they would have dug another two months. Energy is still enough for 14 years.
NASA has repeatedly got into a mess with hasty statements about life found on Mars. Therefore, they would have checked the samples 5 more times in order to be 100% sure. And they "found something interesting, worthy of a history textbook," and drove on.
(animation from twitter.com/MSL_Curiosity )
True, they still have a supply of this sand with them, in the CHIMRA device on the manipulator, but as long as they are not in a hurry to conduct additional research, it seems to them that everything is clear.
This story will definitely go to textbooks, not PR, but not geology. As one unguarded word of a scientist, hundreds of media can pick up and inflate a global one-day sensation. So that NASA officials had to explain and comment on these words:
Bob Jacobs, Deputy Assistant Administrator of the NASA Communications Office: “Everyone is talking like parrots about @ MarsCuriosity. “Worthy of a history book” refers to the mission as a whole, and not to any new discovery. ”
MSL Curiosity Flight Director Bobak Ferdowsi:
"A planet full of talking monkeys, and the ruins of the Statue of Liberty"
In any case, we will know the results when they are made public at the autumn meeting of the American Geophysical Union, which will be held December 3-7 in San Francisco. But it will not be bacteria, oil or coal. Most likely, not even the hydrocarbon precursors of life that this device can define. Any sensation understandable to a handful of geeks from geology and chemistry.
They will also tell the updated results of radiation monitoring for 90 days, this is also interesting: it directly affects the prospects of the manned mission.
UPD: Thank you for clarifying the translation of Singerofthefall tweets
To begin with about the device SAM (Sample Analysis at Mars). I wanted to tell you more about him when his first results become known, but our media do not provide such an opportunity, therefore a brief overview.
SAM are three instruments in one: a quadrupole mass spectrometer, a gas chromatograph, and a tunable laser spectrometer. The device conducts a study of gas environments. He heats solid samples in a quartz furnace, turning it into a gaseous form. Gaseous substances can pass through each device separately, or through all three at once. This allows not only to determine the exact chemical composition of the sample under study, but also to measure the atomic mass of substances, that is, to separate isotopes and separate, for example, ¹²C from ¹³C in air, deuterium from hydrogen in water, etc. Determination of gas content in the sample under study reaches several parts per billion.
In addition to the good quality of the analysis, the device itself is unique in that it is on Mars. It is like a telescope for Galileo or a microscope for Leeuwenhoek - no matter if it is of high quality or not, any application of it will lead to discoveries and, probably, sensational ones.
In late October, SAM has already conducted a study of the atmosphere. And the analysis had to be carried out twice - the first samples of the Martian air were mixed with the one that the rover brought from Cape Canaveral. The second test was already purely Martian.
')
She gave some new information about the evolution of the atmosphere. In particular, an increased content of heavy isotopes of carbon and argon was recorded - this suggests that, due to the influence of the solar wind, first of all, light forms of gases evaporate into space.
In addition, the rover tried to determine the content of methane in the atmosphere and did not find it. Methane emissions to the atmosphere were determined from satellites and even ground-based telescopes. Scientists were particularly interested in the fact that the accumulation of this gas was very local, and it quickly disappeared.
Methane is an organic gas, which is formed on Earth most often as a result of the activity of bacteria. Therefore, this observation is very intrigued by scientists and optimists who hope for at least the microbial habitability of Mars. At the same time, several models were developed in which methane is formed in a natural way: due to tectonic activity (which is also not bad because it is now considered that the planet is tectonically dead); due to ultraviolet irradiation of ice covers; due to the fall of meteorites and due to electrical discharges in the dusty tornadoes over the same ice sheets. To clarify the situation was supposed to Curiosity, but he decided it by the Stalinist method: "no gas - no problem." However, the appearance of methane is a seasonal event and the Curious will still have a chance.
After the air, there was a line of soil.
In order to better understand what scientists could find on Mars, we must take into account what they studied. Curiosity spent from 57 to 102 sol in a place called Rocknest - "rock nest."
During this time, he used on the "nest" almost all of his scientific tools. SAM tests were performed in the last week and after that the rover left it. At the moment, he moved about 26 meters and got closer to the shore of the proposed reservoir.
Rocknest is a sand spit that could literally be swept into a previous dust storm. That is, it is not even root soil. Curiosity scooped up from above, having gone deep about 5 centimeters. It turns out that this is literally superficial research.
Prior to the start of SAM analyzes, this sand was studied by ChemCam, APXS and, more importantly, CheMin spectrographs. The latter is also an outstanding device located in the body of the rover. It determines the crystal lattice of minerals and their chemical structure by X-ray spectrography and diffraction.
And according to the results of this analysis, it was concluded that sand is of volcanic origin. NASA even attached a photo of the foot of the Hawaiian volcano, so that it was clear that they were exploring the ground. Even on Earth in this soil will be difficult to find organic matter.
The fact that Curiosity has found neither life nor oil can be understood at least by its actions. He has nowhere to hurry, he already stood for 40 days in a heap of sand, so there was no point in breaking somewhere. If they had found something really interesting, they would have dug another two months. Energy is still enough for 14 years.
NASA has repeatedly got into a mess with hasty statements about life found on Mars. Therefore, they would have checked the samples 5 more times in order to be 100% sure. And they "found something interesting, worthy of a history textbook," and drove on.
(animation from twitter.com/MSL_Curiosity )
True, they still have a supply of this sand with them, in the CHIMRA device on the manipulator, but as long as they are not in a hurry to conduct additional research, it seems to them that everything is clear.
This story will definitely go to textbooks, not PR, but not geology. As one unguarded word of a scientist, hundreds of media can pick up and inflate a global one-day sensation. So that NASA officials had to explain and comment on these words:
Bob Jacobs, Deputy Assistant Administrator of the NASA Communications Office: “Everyone is talking like parrots about @ MarsCuriosity. “Worthy of a history book” refers to the mission as a whole, and not to any new discovery. ”
MSL Curiosity Flight Director Bobak Ferdowsi:
"A planet full of talking monkeys, and the ruins of the Statue of Liberty"
In any case, we will know the results when they are made public at the autumn meeting of the American Geophysical Union, which will be held December 3-7 in San Francisco. But it will not be bacteria, oil or coal. Most likely, not even the hydrocarbon precursors of life that this device can define. Any sensation understandable to a handful of geeks from geology and chemistry.
They will also tell the updated results of radiation monitoring for 90 days, this is also interesting: it directly affects the prospects of the manned mission.
UPD: Thank you for clarifying the translation of Singerofthefall tweets
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/159713/
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