Opportunity_Sol733_details

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The eroded layered material in sol 733 shows both crystal shapes and some very complex, multi-parted and well differentiated patterned items which are 'organism' level in complexity at 4X, or four times the original Micro Imager size. Originals at 1024 pixels square, this small section of one image is seen at 4096x4096 image size for the full frame image, cropped, and the 'division per interval(inch)', or 'dpi', altered to 900.
Is anyone checking the detailed bits and pieces revealed by the layered exposure?

What was causing the erosion downflow in the recess of the layers? Fluid possibly?

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An additional example of the shape located close to the topic item, and somewhat collapsed from the 'barrel' shape, to a flatter and very resilient flexible complex shape as a 'flattened' object here. This is on the surface of the layered material and not buried as in the first photo enlarged cropping.

This is 4X the original size also. The size of each is nearly identical, as is the patterned framework and detailing of the shapes. These are not what we would expect to find as a mineral or crystal/mineral assembly on Earth. Elaborate patterning and flexibility is clear in these.

All throughout the layered material related formations are seen in simpler patterns which are similar but unique in type.

A section of the same photo from which the two items above are taken. This is the erosional recess where the 'drainage' type alteration of the layer edges shows a distinct process of decay and movement. The apparent movement has formed several material front edge 'lips' between the layer edges. At the right and below center there is the sign of possible alteration growth of material as part of the same flow shapes. That material appears to have grown 'upward' slightly, whereas the remaining material appears to have moved downward across several layers. Depending on the cause, whether a 'liquid' down flow, or a heated weakening of the current leading edges, or, possibly a chemical alteration process which is contactual and progressive, this set of edges has receded and been submitted to reconstitution after movement.
The arrows indicate the direction of movement, and the straight lines indicate the margins of the edges at the flow zones. I could see this at 1X, and at 4X.
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Additionally on the same days images, a separate photo, shown here marked as the full frame image, shows in the single 'spur' section, a small shadow zone dark shape with a light toned multi-petaled rosette. This appears to be the similar the the objects which occur at one end of some of the spheres, and which are found on the layered deposits and on the soil surface occasionally.
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A closeup of the marked section. The object resides in the shadow, and is difficult to view without alteration. Seen at 4X, or 4096x4096 pixels.
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An altered version will follow.

An altered view of the object which appears to be a fibrous growth on the surface of the 'rock' material.
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Too blurry for detailed viewing.

A third image in the days sequence provides an additional subject, possibly related to the source of the topic images of 'barrel' shaped spheroids with vertical growths. The connection would be very tenuous based upon the patterns which could produce the sequences of apparent dark 'holes' in the pattern around the mid-section of the spheroids, or 'barrels'. The photo croppings here show a couple of many examples of this counter-spiraling pattern which is very obvious at the margins of the layer edges, and this same pattern is present in many photos of the layered deposits over the Opportunity mission path.

These images are at 4X, or 4096x4096 pixels enlargement of the JPL/NASA gallery original of sol733.
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The pattern is visible in the general shaping of the layer edge and is clear in the small assembled object, probably a 3D complex 'crystalline mineral shape', as marked here.
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The same photo here cropped at a different layer edge section shows additional counter-spiralling patterning in the mineral mass. While it can't be determined that this is caused by the chemical/mineral combination, there is general distribution of the pattern throughout a large part of the layered material, and the pattern is not limited to individual objects or items.

This does not require to be the same pattern as the spheroid ring of 'dark holes', but the inclusion of this pattern with the axial periodic 'rods' in the topic photo spheroids could cause the appearance of the holes as a combination effect visually.

An additional item from the original JPL/NASA gallery photo just above at reply #4, from sol 733, lightened considerably to show the shaded details not viewable in the original. Note the two series of small 'spheroids' in the two patterns around the interesting filaments and the main object. These are subject to the same weathering and solar radiation that the layered 'rock' is.
This has some similarity to the first closeup items shown in this topic series.
Is this able to withstand geologic time periods of wear and weather, or, is this a short term or active item?
Does this appear to be a type of mineral growth in a rigid and fixed position over time?
Can any mineral account for this shape and organization?
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This item is also located right at the edge of a layer in the main 'rock' body.

The image above at reply #5 is exaggerated slightly in increased brightness, contrast, and raising of medium dark tones to the mid-range of grey tones. The details become somewhat viewable, but not easy to see. This travels that direction further too aid in the view of those details, as the details are very important to the research subjects of Mars, the layered deposits, and the possible biology content and crystallinity of minerals, chemicals, and possible biology items. Without viewing these items closely and in detail the study of Mars cannot progress forward, and the subjects discussed in both the Geology section and the Biology section of this Blog would not be either correct nor complete. These altered images are conducted in the interest of accuracy.
This is again at 4X the original, and this item is located at the very bottom of the full frame image, right of center.
At this 'overhead' orientation it is just barely possible to see the series of holes around the periphery of the 'bowl shaped spheroid, but the view of the tops of the axial or parallel 'rods', seen here as a series of small spheroids with tops exposed is clearer. The mathematical regularity of the placement of the string of 'rods', or spheroid tops, is evident. This is controlled by a process of crystallinity and complex symmetry possible, or a process of sequence within the evolving shape of the overall unit, depending upon the timing of the various materials developing either in concert or in sequence. A complex mechanism is not ruled out by the matter of the organizing crystalline materials being distributed in the 'rock' content of the mass of the layered deposits. Many organism utilize materials with success in the terrestrial environment rather than entirely manufacturing a set of 'building blocks' of crystalline materials, On Mars any biology under energy stress would be organized around the opportunistic circumstances available. They might also be manufacturing a basic alteration product as an attempt at environmental self conditioning. Alternatively, this complex content could be the elaboration of a process unique to the conditions of Martian environment, volcanism, and impact debris, in addition to the contributing infalling source materials. Repetition in the complex items viewed mow even in this days photos precludes any accident of appearances. These are real complex 3D items viewed as you see them. There is no possibility that these are less than the highest viewed ordered complex structures present on Mars in the MER study. Objects such as these will decide the possibility of current and former life on Mars. These also will determine the mineralogy of Mars, which may well be unique to Mars, and different than that seen on Earth.

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Below is an additional area of the same photo. This shows complex structures which may be related in overall complex parts assembly before aggressive dismembering, or these may be separate items of complex individual structuring, developing side by side, and merely appearing to be similar to the previous samples of spheroids with axially aligned core growths. Here each item of unique organization is separate slightly, or differently displayed than in the prior examples. Here there are 'core' rods with spiralling parallel orientation at the upper left of center, a spheroid with a large axial 'pit', a chevron shaped set of core rod with the angled well shaped set of secondaries attached to the spheroid, and additional fairly fixed angle opposing counterspiralling textures in the basic matrix materials.
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Just was able to assemble the Mi's, You take great care in describing what you see, While i am nearly speachless, as to the wealth of the bio signatures in these mi's.
These are quick and dirty mi's, i'll try to get to the detailed crops soon

one of the most common small structures i see in amost all, of the layer ridge mi's, are the dished elongated ovals, curled, or straighter, sometimes lapping, and at times, create a cavity, where they curl over the void, as at the top of this image, but i see them throughout, rich, on the edges.

One could spend a lifetime, on just one of the forms, in these 733 mi's.

I will post some of the cool stuff when i can spruce them up.

Your images are improving for veiwing.

The arrow shows a small cluster, Over a hole, looks to be on a stalk.

More of the common suspects about, easy to see.

One of the problems I worry about in interpreting these photos of long term geological display areas is the effects of extremely cold vapors and atmospheric gases affecting the layered deposits and low spots over vast periods of time, causing types of erosion and alteration that we never see on Earth.
Beyond that concept there is the problem of differential radiative cooling of surfaces and the lack of warmth influencing the spots with least daily warming cycles as a chemical stimulating alternative to liquids in altering the materials.
Even with that in consideration there is the appearance of very complex and delicate features which can survive the exposure to weathering and radiation sufficiently to be present in large numbers as items to photograph in detail.
Regardless of assessment of content later, these are very complex and well organized growth patterns, over whatever time scale range has occurred.
Thanks for assisting in the 3D image provision on these. It makes the MI's much less ambiguous. I'll be looking at them this weekend.

In relationship to the details of my entries #4 and #7, in which I have shown a dual opposing spiralling pattern in the extreme closeups of the layered deposits we are provided here with a source of information about the pattern which seems to be a typical Earth type process texture in Limestone or similar carbonates which have been subjected to impact shock and shearing stresses. The materials curiously are a possible product of water borne and influenced basic minerals, and may have contained fossil items or large numbers of biological by-products.
The quarry material has been subsequently shock and altered substantially by an impact, and the full frame image displayed here is 7mm by longest measure if my reading was correct. I have the link for the image, the site of impact reference links and info, and a sample image which I have enlarged two times, or 2X, and marked, to show the opposing spiral features which are related to the very basis of the layered deposits on Mars. Not all deposits of layered material shows this opposed spiralling, but with close inspection of many samples it is common but difficult to distinguish.
While we have shocked rock at the crater margins, and possibly all throughout the Meridiani basin deposits, this pattern is seen in Limestone type carbonates on Earth which are impact shocked. We have not seen this effect much in other Mars rocks other than the layered deposits, and the co-incident presence of the pattern in biologically or water body conditioned materials on Earth is a possible strong indicator of similar re-mineralization or merging of materials as a result of the 'wet base surge' concept, and other possible synthesis of conditions which are now not recognizably or measurably present and obvious from other observations.
Does this mean the layered deposits are a former wet, even submerged material as NASA has suggested? To my knowledge that requires much supportive additional information. I am hoping the geologists are working on this distinction of similarities.
We need greater definition of properties of the layered material on Mars.
Link to the impact information reference site.

The image used here to match textural shaping of Earth limestone and Mars layered deposits. The spiralling is very small in this original at the site- stated as 7mm field of view, and dark.

A view of the impact shocked lime stone or carbonate minerals at 2X the original image, adjusted for contrast and brightness of the particular features which match the Mars layered deposits. The match is identical even to the size scale, angles, and the repetitious linear extensions of similar oriented but not quite parallel repetitions. Some pattern repeats are not marked here, if you look carefully for a couple minutes.
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We are as yet not seeing a match for the barrel shaped spheroid structures which show regular spaced 'holes', or recesses around the periphery in ring patterns. Also missing are the light-toned fibrous growths which in some of the sol733 spheroid cores resemble branching 'antler' shapes.

Are the spheroids particular to Mars, or are there examples waiting in a Earth-bound collection somewhere for our discovery?

The images linked and used here are from the "www.impact-structures.com" website, also titled as the " Ernstson Claudin Impact Structures " site.
The site is a very detailed reference for Earth based impact alterations of terrestrial materials-well worth the time of study. Now it can claim to define aspects of the Mars layered deposits in addition.

Due to the restrictions on the Mars Rover Blog site to a few images per entry I was required to add A link to the particular subject pages with the image. to the particular site pages from the Ernstson Claudin Impact Structures from which the image was obtained, to this subsequent entry reply.
This is the locale reference for the deposits of the minerals at a quarry where the 'Rubielos de la Cerida impact structure' in Spain is located.
The road cut images are educational. It appears the impact there caused great movement and destruction.
Can an impact of the smaller types seen here and in Meridiani allow the retention of biological items in minerals, or does it require re-establishment for a viewable fossil collection, especially in altered minerals?

I have an additional image from the previous impact crater website which is enlarged 2X here to better show the small feature at the central bottom edge of the highly altered impact stone presumed to be a part of the carbonate type quarry mass. The item appears very similar to the rings of micro-spheroids we find in the sol733 photos and other days MER Mars photo MI's.
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The image is accessible from the same links as above. This image is also lightened slightly to aid in the viewing of the partly shaded feature. A series of spheroids or rod shapes, but no ringed spheroids in larger size as yet.

Ive enhanced the image from above, and the textures involved Are very simular to the Meridiani textures. With different degrees of compaction, and blends, each area producing alterations to the mix.

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Surges, i have little doubt any longer.

The impacts must have realy stirred things up here, creating sulfur rich briney pools, pockets of heat and warmth, rich in fresh nutrients, food for martian biota.

I'll post more crops from sol 733 next. i hope the comparisions above link.

Sol 733 mi crops.

Pretty sure not many, actually download and veiw my mi's, using the contrast controls to highlight different perspectives, so i will post two versions.

I wonder if a moving giff, with changing contrasting would be effective.

A sequence of varied contrast, or a range from low to high gamma might be very informative of the items are large enough for comfort.
This mission is a real challenge to me, as the photo are not sufficient to show the tiny details which we are looking at.
I am pleased you are still 'with it' after this length of mission, it has been two long years of difficult looking.
I have worn my anaglyph paper glasses to a wrinkled mess. Time for real glass red/blue glasses!
I am entering a pause in work, so I'll be doing the photography again. Great photos. Back to you in a day's time for an assessment.

A technical side step about Google 'spell check', which works great in most instances.
This will pass the spell checker:

[a[er, as paper.

No segregation of the unintelligent use of punctuation as a letter substitute in 'special keys'.

Here is a section of the NASA Stardust mission photo of silica gel from the collector.
This is an enlargement, and has been altered with contrast increase as well. The aerogel material has sufficient viscosity to retain the turbulence patterns as you can see along the long axis, especially at the mid height where the pattern is viewed head on.
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Mouse click the thumbnail. When the image has loaded in a new window, you must mouse click the new image for a full sized adjusted size. The image toggles between sizes, and should download with adequate detail for viewing the opposing 'streams'. of altered material. Code for linking to the image is obtainable from a link on the image page. The image originates at the Caltech JPL and NASA gallery of the Stardust mission web pages. A very good site just starting to accumulate samples related to the Mars type impactor debris and processes.
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The crossed 'streams' of organized material which has resulted from the cometary dust entering the clear gel is very viewable at points from the entry on the right side to the 'scissor tail' final separation of the two particles as they slow to a stop outside the left side of the image enlargement frame.

The similarity could be a chance association or this could be the actual process of the generation of the pattern seen in the Earth and Mars based samples. The three instances are all the product of turbulence inducement in at least one instance each, and possibly several occasions for the Mars located Meridiani sample photos. It may be the turbulence patterns are reduced with additional mixing and reworking when multiple impacts occur over time. Initial alterations may be too high in 'noise' level for the patterns to be present to view, or the consolidation of the pattern may be retained only in materials which have sufficient 'cohesiveness' to produce a re-constituted solid.
The requirement of fluidization appears to be probable, but a 'liquid' condition might not require water or other remaindering long term fluids.
It may be the pattern is recorded in transience when the energy levels are suffincient to provide molecular reorganization, a property similar to that provided in liquids such as water.
I would like to think that the materials were a brine pool, a shallow sea, or a residual of a permafrost percolation from below the surface of the fixed 'ground-plane', but even the process of stress metamorphosis could be providing a record of many items which are residual from Mars inherently, arriving with the impactor(s), or a subsequent invasive set of items already by-standers upon the point of each impact event.
It is interesting to me that the complex objects we are displaying are not matched by Earth samples as yet in some types.
I have found a few matching items on Earth, and most of those are biological here. The spheres are the only item with both biological and inorganic Earth based equivalents.
Can the constant presence of biological samples on Earth for Mars items be a serious indicator as 'proof'? Numbers and a balance of fine details may be sufficient for a presumption.
Complexity and order in itself is sufficient for a presumption on Earth in many items for which testing is not yet possible.
Your images are looking very good. I am stuck downloading the WorldWind and VirtualLab site basics this week- all week, (4+GB) -and I am delayed in responding to the photo closeups from you.
Are the turbulence appearing spiralling just a layer material blast surface effect without depth content?

For those who pass this way , I have begun to study the Base Google pages that have been released as they claim to allow 100MB of free website template pages for use in photos and a variety of other uses. I took interest as they have allowed uploading of Tif and BMP image files, up to ten per page, and the overall appearance and interactiveness looks promising.
A look at my first image page(http://base.google.com/base/a/danajohnson0)
from the posting images at reply #1.
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Some possible deficiencies are:

No provision for image ID and NASA file number throughput on the finished page- nowhere listed, and new file listings are generated by Google for the page.

Toggling as a 'mouse-over' between images on the page is fast and looks good- images are listed as jpeg's when uploaded and have low KB count, unfortunately that seems to be the best image display rendered. Downloads would be languishing in quality sometimes.

An expiration limit of 31 days is stated at one point and contradicted within the File Manager, stated there as non-expiring.

Allowance in the description section could accommodate a link listing and file image ID by description perhaps.

Fixed size thumbnails at 60x60 pixels is too small for my use, but it does work for other uses probably. The thumbnails seem to jump in sequence upon changing page use. Could be confusing in a list of several.

Only forty characters for keyword listing- not sufficient for many images.

Overall the free service is great for many persons, and many purposes. I like it as an addition to slow peer-to-peer album software.

Additional complexity of compensating for the above deficiencies might slow the system upon massive use. I could make use of this service expanded for payment use of additional space, but, the particular deficiencies are a sure stumbling block for any quality content transfer, and that seems to be the planned intent of the service- free, but very low quality and limited in content exchanges.

In other work I am sure this can be very valuable to all of us.