Quoted CNN, Saturday (11/9/2021), Perseverance managed to collect its first two rock samples on September 6 and 8, 2021, nicknamed Montdenier and Montagnac, from the same rock named Rochette. The rock samples were taken from Jezero Crater, the site of an ancient lake more than 3 billion years ago.
The rock samples found contain mineral salts, which can reveal insights into the ancient climate and habitability of Mars billions of years ago.
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“This rock has a high scientific potential, we decided to get two samples here,” said Katie Stack Morgan, deputy project scientist. Perseverance at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
Rocks within the crater can tell scientists about ancient volcanic activity in the area, as well as whether water was present for long periods of time, or whether it came and went as the climate fluctuated.
Rochette’s rock is basaltic, meaning it was most likely created by ancient lava flows. Crystalline minerals in rocks like these can help scientists get a very accurate date and know when the rock was formed.
The mineral salts in rocks are the result of the rock being changed over time. They can form when groundwater changes the original minerals in lava rock or when water evaporates and leaves salt behind.
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