火星的锡卡点

2022年8月31日

Siccar Point on Mars
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS; Processing & License: Kevin M. Gill

Explanation: What created this unusual hill on Mars? No one is sure. A good outlook to survey the surrounding area, Siccar Point stands out from its surroundings in Gale Crater. The unusual mound was visited by the robotic Curiosity rover exploring Mars late last year. Siccar Point not only has a distinctive shape, it has dark rocks above lighter rocks. The apparent much younger age of the dark rocks indicates a time-break in the usual geological ordering of rock layers — by a process yet unknown. The Martian hill is named for Siccar Point on Earth, a place in Scotland itself distinctive as a junction between two different rock layers. Curiosity continues to explore Gale crater on Mars, looking for clues of ancient life. Simultaneously, 2300 kilometers away, its sister rover Perseverance explores Jezero crater, there assisted by the flight-capable scout Ingenuity.

Tomorrow’s picture: open space

火星的锡卡点
影像提供: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS; 影像处理与授权: Kevin M. Gill

说明: 是什么造就了火星上这座不寻常的山丘？没人能说个准。突起于盖尔坑之内的锡卡点（Siccar Point），是一个瞭望周边区域的好地点。在去年底，探索火星的好奇号火星车曾造访这个不寻常的山丘。锡卡点不仅形状独特，而且它色泽较浅的岩石上方，还覆盖着暗色的岩石。存在很明显较年轻的暗色岩石，显示由于目前未知的过程，它的岩层正常之地质排序发生了时间断裂。而用以令名这座火星丘的地球苏格兰的锡卡点，本身即是两个不同岩层的交汇点。好奇号持续探索火星上的盖尔坑，寻找古生命存在的线索。在此同时，位在2300公里之外的姊妹火星车毅力号，在具有飞行能力的灵巧号直升机之协助下，也持续在探索耶杰罗坑。

明日的图片: open space