NASA's Curiosity Rover Investigates 'Erosional Supersurface' on Mount Sharp

• NASA's Curiosity rover is studying a potential "erosional supersurface" on Mount Sharp, a geological feature indicating a significant break in the rock record.
• An erosional supersurface occurs when wind or water strips away sediment layers across a region before new material is deposited.
• The mission team is using a suite of onboard instruments to analyze the composition and geometry of these rock layers at a centimeter scale.

Scientific Investigation

• Curiosity has spent the current week climbing Mount Sharp to reach this feature, which was previously identified via orbital data and imaging.
• The rover captured detailed Mastcam mosaics and utilized ChemCam RMI images to document the structure.
• On-site composition analysis included target rocks "Monte Darwin," "Patacamaya," "Tarucachi," and "Mojoncasa" using MAHLI, APXS, and ChemCam LIBS instruments.

Traversal Strategy

• The science team carefully selected a crossing point for the rover based on imaging data.
• Factors influencing the path include the scientific interest of the area and the navigation challenges posed by sandy, steeply sloping terrain.
• Rover operations are currently aimed at positioning the vehicle at the base of the layer for a future ascent over the supersurface.