Machine learning determines which crater ejected a famous Martian rock
A recent search led by Curtin has identified the exact home of the oldest and most famous Martian meteorite for the first time ever, providing crucial geological clues about the early origins of Mars.
Using an interdisciplinary approach involving a machine learning algorithm, the new research, published in Nature Communications, has identified the particular crater on Mars that spewed the so-called Black Beauty meteorite, weighing 320 grams, and the twin stones, which were first reported to be found in northern Mars. Africa in 2011
The researchers named the Martian crater the city of Karatha Pilbara, which is located more than 1,500 km north of Perth in Western Australia, and is home to one of the oldest rocks on Earth.
Lead author Dr. Anthony again, of the Curtin Center for Space Science and Technology in the School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, said the remarkable discovery provided previously unknown details of the Martian meteorite NWA 7034, known as Black Beauty, which has been extensively studied around the world. The stone is the only Martian sample available on Earth, meaning that it contains the angular remains of multiple rock types glued together that differ from all other Martian meteorites that have a single rock type
“For the first time, we know the geological environment of the only Martian sample available on Earth, 10 years before NASA’s Mars Sample Return mission is due to send back samples collected by the Perseverance rover currently exploring Jezero crater,” Dr. Lajeen said.
Finding the region where the Black Beauty meteorite originated is crucial because it contains the oldest Martian fragments ever found, which is 4.48 billion years old, and shows similarities between the very ancient crust of Mars, which is about 4.53 billion years old, and the continents Earth today. And the area we identify as the source of this…..
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