NASA's Perseverance rover has made an intriguing discovery on Mars, identifying an unusual green color in the rock formation known as 'Wallace Butte.' This finding emerged while the rover utilized its abrasion tool, revealing white, black, and green hues.
According to Adrian Broz, a member of the rover team, the presence of gray-green spots within the abrasion area surprised researchers. These spots consist of dark-colored cores with indistinct light green edges.
The red color of Martian rocks is attributed to oxidized iron (Fe), similar to the iron that colors blood or rusts metal. On Earth, green spots are often found in ancient red rocks formed when liquid water percolated through sediment, leading to a chemical reaction that reduces oxidized iron to its elemental form, resulting in a greenish hue.
On Earth, microbes can play a role in this iron reduction process; however, green spots can also arise from the decomposition of organic materials or interactions between sulfur and iron, creating reducing conditions without microbial involvement.
The unexpected green spots on Mars may suggest that liquid water once existed on the planet, although the Perseverance team could not conduct a detailed analysis due to local conditions, leaving the composition a mystery. Broz noted that the team is actively searching for similar intriguing features in the Martian rocks.
Currently, Perseverance is ascending the steep rim of Jezero Crater, where it landed in February 2021. The research team eagerly anticipates the rover's next discoveries, expressing excitement about the secrets that the ancient rocks at the crater's edge may hold.