In a groundbreaking discovery, NASA’s Perseverance Mars Rover has collected its 21st rock core, named Comet Geyser, from the Margin Unit of Jezero Crater. This sample, sealed on Sol 1088 (March 12, 2024), is a silica-cemented carbonate rock core with a height of 5.78 cm (2.28 in).
Potential for Preserving Signs of Life
The Margin Unit rocks, including Comet Geyser, may have formed along the shores of an ancient lake, making them prime candidates for preserving signs of life. The rock’s composition, which is about 75% carbonate grains cemented together by almost pure silica, is particularly conducive to trapping and preserving signs of microbial life.
The Comet Geyser sample is particularly significant due to its potential biosignature, a substance that could indicate the presence of ancient microbial life on Mars. The Margin Unit rocks, including Comet Geyser, may have formed along the shores of an ancient lake, making them prime candidates for preserving signs of life. The Comet Geyser sample is the third collected by Perseverance from the Margin Unit, a geologic area that has shown promising signs of ancient habitable conditions. The rock’s composition, which is about 75% carbonate grains cemented together by almost pure silica, is particularly conducive to trapping and preserving signs of microbial life.