NASA’s Curiosity rover has discovered a vast field of honeycomb-like textures, known as polygonal fractures, while exploring a Martian valley nicknamed “Valle Grande.” While the mission has encountered small patches of these geometric shapes previously, the scale of the discovery in Valle Grande is unprecedented.
The rover captured the scene in a 360-degree panorama on June 19 and 20, which correspond to the 4,930th and 4,931st Martian days, or sols, of the mission. According to NASA, the polygonal shapes spread in all directions as far as the rover can see. These textures even wrap around the sides of a nearby 20-foot (6-meter) tall butte nicknamed “Miraflores,” which is topped with a thick cap of sand.
Geological Characteristics and Formation
Each of the individual polygonal fractures measures approximately 1.5 to 3 inches (4 to 8 centimeters) across. Scientists are currently measuring the chemistry and shapes of the landscape to determine how these features formed.
Ashwin Vasavada, the mission’s project scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, stated, We’ve seen a lot of fascinating landscapes through Curiosity’s eyes, but this sea of polygons took our breath away
. He added that researchers are hopeful the data will provide clues regarding the formation of the features.
Experts note that several processes can contribute to these honeycomb textures:
- Mud Cracks: Some polygons spotted by the mission in the past clearly formed as mud cracks.
- Thermal Cycles: Repeated cycles of warm and cold temperatures can fracture the ground into geometric shapes.
- Compression: Water may have been squeezed out of sediment when the surface was buried, creating similar patterns.
Implications for Ancient Martian Life
The discovery provides insight into the evolution of water and its influence on the geology of the red planet. Since landing on Aug. 5, 2012, Curiosity has gathered evidence that ancient Mars possessed the nutrients, chemistry, and water necessary to support microbial life.
The rover has been ascending Mount Sharp, a 3-mile-tall (5-kilometer-tall) mountain, since 2014. Billions of years ago, streams and lakes existed in the lower foothills of the mountain. During its exploration, Curiosity has uncovered carbon-based molecules believed to be precursors to DNA and RNA, the two nucleic acids that carry genetic information.
While these organic molecules confirm that ancient Mars had the right chemistry to sustain life, scientists cannot yet determine if they were created by geological or biological processes. Regardless of whether life ever existed or still exists on the planet, NASA notes that water remains vital for the planet as humans consider forming future colonies.
Mission Management and History
The Curiosity rover is managed by Caltech in Pasadena and was built by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). JPL leads the mission on behalf of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington as part of the Mars Exploration Program portfolio.
In addition to the polygonal fractures in Valle Grande, Curiosity has discovered other geologic features over its 14-year mission, including shiny meteorites and sulfur crystals.
