SOME MORE IMAGES OF PUTATIVE MICROBIALITES FROM MARS

LYALL WINSTON SMALL

DECEMBER 2015

INTRODUCTION

There have been a number of new rocks posted that might potentially beclassed as MSLRs or Microbialite Induced Sedimentary Structures (MISS)since I completed the “Living Rocks of Mars” book.

The following is a presentation of a number of putative MSLRs or MISS’that were not included in that book. These include recently releasedNASA/JPL Curiosity and Opportunity images as well as some earlierimages from the MER rover archives.

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YELLOWKNIFE BAY –CURIOSITY SOL 162 TO 296

This slide shows a putative microbialite that was broken and dislodged by Curi’s wheel.

It shows the characteristics of a domal stromatolite as well as tafoni type holes exposed by the breakage of the rock at right.

The texture of the base on which it sits is characteristic of stromatolitic veined boxwork structures

Sol 173; 0173MR0926103000E1_DXXX

YELLOWKNIFE BAY –CURIOSITY SOL 162 TO 296

This slide is a 3D anaglyph of a portion of the previous image.

Note:• The roughly circular concave interior of

the portion of the rock still anchored in the soil at the left side of the overturned piece of rock

• Laminar make up of the circular wall• Tafoni type holes inside structure• Smooth internal “floors”• Texture at base of rough domal large

rock

Sol 173; 0173MR0926103000E1_DXXX 3D anaglyph

YELLOWKNIFE BAY –CURIOSITY SOL 162 TO 296

This slide is a putative MISS from sol 173

Note:• The veined stromatolite boxwork

at bottom left• Texture of rock surfaces• Fine grains reminiscent of “frass”

emerging from under the rocks in the middle of the picture

Sol 173; 0173MR0926084000E1_DXXX

YELLOWKNIFE BAY –CURIOSITY SOL 162 TO 296

This slide is a 3D anaglyph of a portion of the previous image.

Note the boxwork structure at the bottom left of the picture. Such boxwork is typical of microbialites

Sol 173; 0173MR0926103000E1_DXXX 3D anaglyph

YELLOWKNIFE BAY –CURIOSITY SOL 162 TO 296

This slide is from sol 173. The broken rocks show characteristics that suggest that they might be fossil bones of some unknown martian organism or alternatively that they might be tafoni type rocks

Note:• The holes in the rocks

Sol 173; 0173MR0926136000E1_DXXX

YELLOWKNIFE BAY –CURIOSITY SOL 162 TO 296

This slide is a 3D anaglyph of the preceding slide

Sol 173; 0173MR0926136000E1_DXXX 3D anaglyph

YELLOWKNIFE BAY –CURIOSITY SOL 162 TO 296

This slide, from sol 173, shows rocks with the typical surface wrinkles that are typical of “MISS” Microbialite Induced Sedimentary Structures

Sol 0173; 0173MR0926041000E1_DXXX

YELLOWKNIFE BAY –CURIOSITY SOL 162 TO 296

A 3D anaglyph rendition of the preceding image

Sol 0173; 0173MR0926041000E1_DXXX 3D anaglyph

YELLOWKNIFE BAY –CURIOSITY SOL 162 TO 296

Another slide of a rock from sol 173. This rock exhibits the typical holey texture of a Tafoni type rock

Sol 0173; 0173MR0926083000E1_DXXX

YELLOWKNIFE BAY –CURIOSITY SOL 162 TO 296

A 3D anaglyph representation of the last image.

Sol 0173; 0173MR0926083000E1_DXXX 3D anaglyph

CURIOSITY, KIMBERLEY SITE SOL 632

Sol 632; 0632MR0026150000401754E01_DXXX.jpg

This slide is an example of an outcrop showing polygonal oscillation cracks filled by veins. Similar cracks have been identified as being formed by ancient microbial action in the Pilbara region, Australia.

Look carefully to see the raised edges of the hexagons. There are several of them.

CURIOSITY AT PAHRUMP, BOOK CLIFFS SITE SOL 950

Sol 950; 0950MR0041750080502069E01_DXXX.jpg

This slide shows what looks like an outcrop of veined stromatolites.

CURIOSITY - NEAR THE DUNES

3D anaglyph of a sol 1153 rock

The texture and relative colouration of the rock in the foreground is suggestive of an MISS

Sol 1153; 1153ML0052140260501830E01_DXXX 3D anaglyph

CURIOSITY - NEARING THE DUNES

Rock formation suggestive of veined stromatolites

Sol 1166; 1166MR0052750200602172E01_DXXX

CURIOSITY - NEAR THE DUNES

Surface texture and internal layering of rock is suggestive of an MISS.

Note also the exudation of the dark debris flow from under the rock resulting from the breakage and pushing down of the rock by Curiosity’s wheels.

Curiosity’s tracks can be clearly seen on the right hand side of the image.

Sol 1167; 1167MR0052840030602189E01_DXXX

CURIOSITY - NEAR THE DUNES

The fine layered internal structure of the broken section of the rock from the previous slide is displayed here.

The debris flows caused by the breakage of the rock and its depression into the soil can also be seen more clearly.

Sol 1167; 1167MR0052840030602189E01_DXXX

OPPORTUNITY – DUCK BAY

A sol 1177 rock showing the typical surface texture of an MISS

Sol 1177; 1P232677379RAD82__P2554L2C1

OPPORTUNITY – DUCK BAY

A rock from sol 1178 showing a number of layers as well as differential colouration of severalof the layers

Sol 1178; 1P232764230RAD82__P2557L2C1

OPPORTUNITY – DUCK BAY

Another rock from sol 1178 showing some features of an MISS

Sol 1178; 1P232764691RAD82__P2558L2C1

OPPORTUNITY – SANTA MARIA CRATER

A possible Bumpy Stromatolite. Angular flakes at bottom are however suggestive of a vesiculated basalt

Sol 2695; 1P367435611ESFBMLVP2597L2M1

OPPORTUNITY – MARATHON VALLEY

An outcrop on Marathon Valley with a number of rocks reminiscent of MISS

Sol 4183; 1P499543963EFFCONIP2369L2M1

OPPORTUNITY MARATHON VALLEY

Another outcrop of possible MISS rocks in Marathon valley

Note • The microchannels that appear

to be damp • The brownish red colouration

of some rocks at the right of the image suggestive of clays

• The protuberances at the ends of some rocks that might be mini blueberry objects

• MI images from this series of images showed objects reminiscent of newberries

Sol 4217; 1P502562768EFFCOPRP2372L2M1

OPPORTUNITY MARATHON VALLEY

This slide is a 3D anaglyph of an area in Marathon Valley that appears to be damp. The foreground rock displays a texture and general appearance of a MISS

Sol 4222; 1N503000834EFFCOQIP1975L0M1 3D anaglyph

SPIRIT – COLUMBIA MEMORIAL STATION

Layered rock above debris flow that might be source of rocks lower down the slope.

Sol 42; 2P130088011RAD0514P2538L2C1

SPIRIT – LARRY’S LOOKOUT

This slide shows a rotten rock that is a putative MISS.

Sol 488; 2P169684777RADAACIP2420L2C1.jpg

SPIRIT –ON THE WAY TO HOME PLATE

This 3D anaglyph of a number of rocks at a site near to home plate shows their typica;l domalstromatolite shape and texture reminiscent of Wopmay

Sol 712; 2N189581102EFFALBUP1795L0M1; 3D anaglyph

SPIRIT – TORQUAS AREA NEAR HOME PLATE

Another rock which might be a Tafoni type rock or a fossil bone

Sol 1144; 2P227920933RADAS4JP2436L2C1.jpg

SPIRIT – TORQUAS AREA NEAR HOME PLATE

This slide shows rocks with characteristic surface texture wrinkles that are characteristic of MISS.

Sol 1145; 2P228009708RADAS4JP2437L2C1.jpg

SPIRIT – TORQUAS AREA NEAR HOME PLATE

This slide shows the surface texture of a rock panorama at the Torquassite taken with Spirit’s MicrosopicImager camera.

Note:• MI image reminiscent of

Newberries• Bumpy texture of rock surface• Bumps are generally sub spherical• Bumps are gebnerally smooth and

form relatively uniform layers• Dark fuzzy “growth” on rock

surface reminiscent of mycelium

Sol 1146; 2M228101073MRDAS4JP2936M2M1.jpg

SPIRIT – TORQUAS AREA NEAR HOME PLATE

This slide shows the surface texture of a similar rock at the Torquas site after RAT brushing.

Note:• Effects of RATTING• Some bumps broken• Broken bumps are hollow• Pale microspheres around bumps

Sol 1143; 2M227840103MRDAS4JP2976M2M1.jpg