Curiosity Spots 1.5- to 3-Inch Honeycomb Fractures in Mars Valley
Updated
Updated · Space.com · Aug 5
Curiosity Spots 1.5- to 3-Inch Honeycomb Fractures in Mars Valley
3 articles · Updated · Space.com · Aug 5
Summary
June 19-20 images from Curiosity’s 4,930th and 4,931st Martian days revealed honeycomb-like polygonal fractures in Valle Grande measuring about 1.5 to 3 inches across.
The pattern stretches as far as the rover’s instruments could see, including around the base of a steep hill dubbed Miraflores, making the find unusually extensive even for Curiosity’s long mission.
NASA scientists said the formation mechanism remains unclear, though one leading idea is that temperature swings let water move through sediment layers and leave the fractured geometry behind.
Ashwin Vasavada of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory said the team is analyzing the polygons’ shapes and chemistry for clues, with more data needed before reaching a firm explanation.