Today, at the “Glasgow” site, the focus of the science block is to collect chemistry data with ChemCam and CheMin. The plan involves a one-hour observation session with ChemCam of three nearby targets: bedrock target “Gutcher,” nodular bedrock target “Lochbuie,” and vein target “Thistle Street.”
The name “Lochbuie” may sound familiar as Curiosity has analyzed several bedrock targets with nodules in the past few weeks, showing varying amounts of them. The fractured bedrock in this area is of interest to the science team, who want to assess if the concentration and chemistry of nodules vary with distance from nearby fractures. To maintain continuity, targets in this vicinity have been given names containing “Loch,” with Lochbuie now part of the list that includes “Loch na Keal,” “Loch Olabhat,” “Loch Trool,” and “Bishops Loch.”
An image captured by ChemCam’s Remote Micro Imager shows small, dark laser pits created by ChemCam tracking horizontally across the nodule-rich rock in the center-right of the image. This data will provide valuable insights into the geology and chemistry of the area.
