Mysterious White Rock Fingers on Mars


	Mysterious White Rock Fingers on Mars

amgumen

4-13-2008 8:18 PM

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<div style="margin: 12px 0px; font-family: arial; color: #333333; background: #ffffff; border: solid 4px #e5e5e5; width: 100%; clear: left;"><div class="CM_CTB_Content_Wrap" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;background-color: #ffffff;"><div style="border-bottom: solid 1px #dcdcdc; white-space: nowrap; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: #eeeeee ;background-image: url(http://www.clipmarks.com/images/source-bg.gif); background-repeat: repeat-x; height: 24px; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: middle; padding-bottom: 4px; color: #666666; font-size: 10px;" ><a href="http://clipmarks.com/clip-to-blog/" title="see clips that are hot right now"><img src="http://content.clipmarks.com/blog_embed/a75b8676-f4be-4e6a-b4a1-02aba8b104aa/BC72E9E1-C38F-4D00-A098-0C43E518D74A/" alt="" width="19" height="19" border="0" style="vertical-align: middle; margin: 0px 4px; display: inline; border: none; float:none;" /></a>clipped from <a title="http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap080407.html" href="http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap080407.html" style="font-size: 11px;">apod.nasa.gov</a></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap080407.html"><div align="center"><img src="http://content6.clipmarks.com/blog_cache/apod.nasa.gov/img/34AFDA18-89E3-4A4B-8459-F203AF5920F2" alt="See Explanation.  Clicking on the picture will download
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<B> Explanation: </B>
What caused this unusual white rock formation on Mars?  
Intrigued by the possibility that they could be <A href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/03/080320-mars-salt.html">salt deposits</A> left over as an ancient 
<A href="http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap020410.html">lakebed dried-up</A>, 
detailed studies of these fingers now indicate that this is not correct.  
The <A href="http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap020513.html">light material</A> appears to have 
<A href="http://drake.marin.k12.ca.us/stuwork/rockwater/Beach%20Erosion%20-%20Water%20Project/Title%20Page.html">eroded</A>
away from the surrounding area, 
indicating a very low-density composition, possibly consistent with volcanic 
<A href="http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap070918.html">ash</A> or windblown dust.
The stark contrast between the rocks and the surrounding 
<A href="http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap010226.html">sand</A> is compounded by the sand's
unusual darkness.  
<A href="http://www.planetary.org/blog/article/00001381/">This picture</A> 
was taken from the <A href="http://themis.asu.edu/inst.html">Mars Express</A> 
<A href="http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Mars_Express/SEMFU55V9ED_0.html">spacecraft</A> currently orbiting 
<A href="http://www.nineplanets.org/mars.html">Mars</A>.  
Planetary scientist Emily Lakdawalla, among others, has followed her curiosity about this unusual Martian landform into a 
<A href="http://www.planetary.org/blog/article/00001347/">fascinating</A> 
<A href="http://www.planetary.org/blog/article/00001381/">investigation</A> 
that is eloquently described in the 
<A href="http://www.planetary.org/blog/">Planetary Society Weblog</A>.  
The <A href="http://themis.la.asu.edu/zoom-20020419a.html">mysterious
white rock</A> spans about 15 kilometers across inside a
larger crater that spans about 100 kilometers.
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