We have OM images of a functional quality, givi...

We have OM images of a functional quality, giving information on the larger particles. It is a real sad state to see so many instruments appearing to not be functioning well, but that may be problem in future years this far north on Mars, and may or may not indicate a hold-back on release of the original content. I do believe a response on the weeks contents should be obligatory, even if not a daily commentating on the progress and content of appearances.
Future missions will show whether the process will become more or less transparent to interested lay people and amateur/professionals outside the mail-lined industry under contract.
I was so pleased to see the appearance of basic science released to all in some of these recent missions. Better equipment design and future missions will tell the history of science dissemination in near real timing. Public exposure does not prevent published professional research with the results. There may be a study underway of the economics of the early distribution.
The AFM may work best with a graded mix of material when controlled by robotic, indirect, instructions.
I applied a alteration of the early image Stu displayed, seen in enlarged size at replies #345-350 range, and tried to compensate for the spheroid and stem non-symmetry offsets which make it look much like cultured bonsai miniature. Simply using the X,Y, and Z orientation, I was able to rotate bring the item around to give a near perfect matching of what the 3D visualisation interprets as an axis and a large main double helical growing structure. I thought the upper 'bowl' shape was a circular concavity, with the off angle taller tip a singular pointed extension. This slightly differing viewpoint from the single flat plane image, gives a dualism of the tip as a core to periphery spiral of counterclockwise, both in nearly perfect matched measure. The main spheroid body appears in original lighting to have a counterclockwise spiral of highlights, base to top, however, in the 3D lighting changes I can easily give a fairly strong clock-wise highlight main elevated pattern as well. The item, whatever the content shows elaborate 3D symmetry of basics within the lobe, and the apparent spiral(s). The two tips are unmistakeably spiralled counterclockwise despite lighting changes. While all this may be a 'trick' of view, lighting, and lack of real 3D imaging, I have corrected myself about the presence of a unmatched single pointed tip. It almost certainly has two tips, probably planar or sheet-like, and very well metered, but still appearing slightly out of symmetry between parts of the overall structure. If formerly organic, this has great organization retention, and detail in a substitution process. If mineral, it is nearly unbelievable in the combined parts as seen. If growing or formed recently, it has much the same apparent makeup, and surface texture about the parts, and appears to have an elaborate control to the parts and design which would preclude a mineral singly. Mineral substitution may have happened. That would satisfy the surface texture and tonal/coloration sameness seen.
It appeared to me in the animations that the item was top heavy, as in a less dense base stalk or stem.
This overkill of many images of one particle may offend some, but there seems to be long term value in using similar techniques to study the other particles. I'll make additional topic(s) for any other particles. This seemed a 'corrected' view of the particle.
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The original in very large size. Looking for someone to better this.
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The finished 3D rotated and tilted plane, giving a dual set of matching tips, side lobes, central geometric shaping, and the twisted base to spheroid shapes. This 3D imaging reduces accuracy to basic shapes, and isn't necessarily better than a direct view, but allows me to correct the perspective and viewpoint. It works in this image. Slight variable angles, and lobe shapes. Lighting in this is artificial, mixed with the original 3D interpretation from the original lighting, showing both spirals vaguely.
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A side-to-side flipped mirroring of the original pattern. Shows how the clock-wise alternative spiralling would appear.
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I'll present other images on another topic for that item. I thought it best to correct the concept of a dual versus single tip, the way lighting show a counter-spiralling effect in both directions on the basic spheroid, and show that the appearance is not always what appears in single images.
Thanks for the comments, hoping someone has better observations of this, or these.
While the Salton Sea area has some larger sized Goethite dual spiral examples, I'd like to see any examples on Earth of anything similar to this item.
Some additional images at the host with these.
sincerely, danajohnson0