thank you all for being here tonight and listening to us tell you a little bit
listening to us tell you a little bit
listening to us tell you a little bit about curiosity so starting out with why
about curiosity so starting out with why
about curiosity so starting out with why Gale Crater well here’s a map of Mars
Gale Crater well here’s a map of Mars
Gale Crater well here’s a map of Mars we’ve landed in six locations before
we’ve landed in six locations before
we’ve landed in six locations before curiosity why do you need to go for a
curiosity why do you need to go for a
curiosity why do you need to go for a seventh haven’t we haven’t we been all
seventh haven’t we haven’t we been all
seventh haven’t we haven’t we been all over the planet it looks kind of like a
over the planet it looks kind of like a
over the planet it looks kind of like a shotgun blast to me here in terms of the
shotgun blast to me here in terms of the
shotgun blast to me here in terms of the yellow marks well Mars is a smaller
yellow marks well Mars is a smaller
yellow marks well Mars is a smaller planet than the earth but without oceans
planet than the earth but without oceans
planet than the earth but without oceans it’s got about the same land area as the
it’s got about the same land area as the
it’s got about the same land area as the surface of the earth and I travel a fair
surface of the earth and I travel a fair
surface of the earth and I travel a fair amount more than I’d like to but if I’d
amount more than I’d like to but if I’d
amount more than I’d like to but if I’d only been to six places on the surface
only been to six places on the surface
only been to six places on the surface of the earth I wouldn’t know much about
of the earth I wouldn’t know much about
of the earth I wouldn’t know much about it let me give you one example there’s a
it let me give you one example there’s a
it let me give you one example there’s a place where I used to live in western
place where I used to live in western
place where I used to live in western New York called Letchworth State Parks
New York called Letchworth State Parks
New York called Letchworth State Parks called the Grand Canyon of the east
called the Grand Canyon of the east
called the Grand Canyon of the east fabulous place but if I’d never been out
fabulous place but if I’d never been out
fabulous place but if I’d never been out west and didn’t know about the Grand
west and didn’t know about the Grand
west and didn’t know about the Grand Canyon it’d be kind of a different story
Canyon it’d be kind of a different story
Canyon it’d be kind of a different story in terms of where I might choose to go
in terms of where I might choose to go
in terms of where I might choose to go but what if the rocks in the Grand
but what if the rocks in the Grand
but what if the rocks in the Grand Canyon weren’t of interest and the ones
Canyon weren’t of interest and the ones
Canyon weren’t of interest and the ones in Letchworth State Park even though
in Letchworth State Park even though
in Letchworth State Park even though it’s smaller were so what you really
it’s smaller were so what you really
it’s smaller were so what you really need when you’re looking at landing
need when you’re looking at landing
need when you’re looking at landing sites is not only do you have to know
sites is not only do you have to know
sites is not only do you have to know something about the planet and where the
something about the planet and where the
something about the planet and where the good places are but you’ve got to bring
good places are but you’ve got to bring
good places are but you’ve got to bring together the expertise to be able to
together the expertise to be able to
together the expertise to be able to look at those places and find out which
look at those places and find out which
look at those places and find out which ones are the most relevant for the kinds
ones are the most relevant for the kinds
ones are the most relevant for the kinds of things that you want to accomplish
of things that you want to accomplish
of things that you want to accomplish with your mission so we started with
with your mission so we started with
with your mission so we started with about 65 landing site candidates from
about 65 landing site candidates from
about 65 landing site candidates from our science laboratory curiosity we
our science laboratory curiosity we
our science laboratory curiosity we whittled it down to the final four that
whittled it down to the final four that
whittled it down to the final four that you see here in white holding crater
you see here in white holding crater
you see here in white holding crater Evers vivaldi Crater Mars Valles and of
Evers vivaldi Crater Mars Valles and of
Evers vivaldi Crater Mars Valles and of course Gale Crater where we ended up
course Gale Crater where we ended up
course Gale Crater where we ended up going and just to give you a sense of
going and just to give you a sense of
going and just to give you a sense of what we found attractive about those
what we found attractive about those
what we found attractive about those four places and I’ll point out that the
four places and I’ll point out that the
four places and I’ll point out that the yellow ellipses that you see here are
yellow ellipses that you see here are
yellow ellipses that you see here are all 25 kilometers long by 20 kilometers
all 25 kilometers long by 20 kilometers
all 25 kilometers long by 20 kilometers high we’ve got Martha Valles in the
high we’ve got Martha Valles in the
high we’ve got Martha Valles in the upper left
upper left
upper left there’s the stratigraphy these layers of
there’s the stratigraphy these layers of
there’s the stratigraphy these layers of rock that we see there that we see a
rock that we see there that we see a
rock that we see there that we see a sense of different kinds of clays from
sense of different kinds of clays from
sense of different kinds of clays from top to bottom and it’s an ancient
top to bottom and it’s an ancient
top to bottom and it’s an ancient ancient set of rocks that tell us
ancient set of rocks that tell us
ancient set of rocks that tell us something about the earliest history of
something about the earliest history of
something about the earliest history of the planet a question about Mars was how
the planet a question about Mars was how
the planet a question about Mars was how did those rocks get to be there and we
did those rocks get to be there and we
did those rocks get to be there and we never really could get a handle on that
never really could get a handle on that
never really could get a handle on that although work has been moving for
although work has been moving for
although work has been moving for or down here in the lower left we see a
or down here in the lower left we see a
or down here in the lower left we see a place called Holden crater it’s about
place called Holden crater it’s about
place called Holden crater it’s about the same size as Gale Crater about a
the same size as Gale Crater about a
the same size as Gale Crater about a hundred miles across and here we see
hundred miles across and here we see
hundred miles across and here we see along the side of the crater sediments
along the side of the crater sediments
along the side of the crater sediments that have been washed down into a big
that have been washed down into a big
that have been washed down into a big fan it’s the best alluvial system
fan it’s the best alluvial system
fan it’s the best alluvial system preserved on Mars over here in the lower
preserved on Mars over here in the lower
preserved on Mars over here in the lower right we see a burs of all the Delta a
right we see a burs of all the Delta a
right we see a burs of all the Delta a place where we might go in sample
place where we might go in sample
place where we might go in sample sediments that are deposited by water
sediments that are deposited by water
sediments that are deposited by water running down through a river in the
running down through a river in the
running down through a river in the ancient past the problem or question
ancient past the problem or question
ancient past the problem or question about these two on the bottom where they
about these two on the bottom where they
about these two on the bottom where they occur relatively late in Mars history
occur relatively late in Mars history
occur relatively late in Mars history compared to when we think it was the
compared to when we think it was the
compared to when we think it was the wettest and if we got there we’re seeing
wettest and if we got there we’re seeing
wettest and if we got there we’re seeing a fairly narrow period in the history of
a fairly narrow period in the history of
a fairly narrow period in the history of Mars so we want to know relative to
Mars so we want to know relative to
Mars so we want to know relative to habitability when those things occurred
habitability when those things occurred
habitability when those things occurred we might want to sample a place where
we might want to sample a place where
we might want to sample a place where the section that’s preserved is much
the section that’s preserved is much
the section that’s preserved is much older and that brings us to Gale up here
older and that brings us to Gale up here
older and that brings us to Gale up here in the upper right you’ll notice that in
in the upper right you’ll notice that in
in the upper right you’ll notice that in this hundred mile across crater 150
this hundred mile across crater 150
this hundred mile across crater 150 kilometers across there’s this mountain
kilometers across there’s this mountain
kilometers across there’s this mountain of material five kilometers or three
of material five kilometers or three
of material five kilometers or three miles high and the layers that are in
miles high and the layers that are in
miles high and the layers that are in that mountain are very much like pages
that mountain are very much like pages
that mountain are very much like pages or chapters in a book and when we look
or chapters in a book and when we look
or chapters in a book and when we look at the chemistry or the chemical
at the chemistry or the chemical
at the chemistry or the chemical composition of those layers we see a
composition of those layers we see a
composition of those layers we see a transition from the kinds of things that
transition from the kinds of things that
transition from the kinds of things that were deposited in water and wet
were deposited in water and wet
were deposited in water and wet conditions near the bottom to drier
conditions near the bottom to drier
conditions near the bottom to drier things as we move up through the section
things as we move up through the section
things as we move up through the section and so Gale became a chance to sort of
and so Gale became a chance to sort of
and so Gale became a chance to sort of read the chapters related to the
read the chapters related to the
read the chapters related to the changing environment on Mars from when
changing environment on Mars from when
changing environment on Mars from when it was wetter to when it’s relatively
it was wetter to when it’s relatively
it was wetter to when it’s relatively dry today and that’s why we picked Gale
dry today and that’s why we picked Gale
dry today and that’s why we picked Gale Crater Gale Crater lies across this
Crater Gale Crater lies across this
Crater Gale Crater lies across this transition on Mars what you see here is
transition on Mars what you see here is
transition on Mars what you see here is topography where the yellows and the
topography where the yellows and the
topography where the yellows and the Reds are relatively high and the blues
Reds are relatively high and the blues
Reds are relatively high and the blues and purples are low and Gale right there
and purples are low and Gale right there
and purples are low and Gale right there in the middle straddles this boundary
in the middle straddles this boundary
in the middle straddles this boundary called the planetary dichotomy and what
called the planetary dichotomy and what
called the planetary dichotomy and what we see here already visible is this
we see here already visible is this
we see here already visible is this Mound this mountain of material Mount
Mound this mountain of material Mount
Mound this mountain of material Mount sharp if we zoom in on the crater proper
sharp if we zoom in on the crater proper
sharp if we zoom in on the crater proper we’re looking across here towards the
we’re looking across here towards the
we’re looking across here towards the south and on the north side between the
south and on the north side between the
south and on the north side between the small crater that you see in the middle
small crater that you see in the middle
small crater that you see in the middle in the mountain is about where we were
in the mountain is about where we were
in the mountain is about where we were planning to land so we wanted to land
planning to land so we wanted to land
planning to land so we wanted to land and be able to drive directly over to
and be able to drive directly over to
and be able to drive directly over to the flank of the mountain transitioning
the flank of the mountain transitioning
the flank of the mountain transitioning up between these layers of material
up between these layers of material
up between these layers of material these chapters in the book telling us
these chapters in the book telling us
these chapters in the book telling us about the environmental history of Mars
about the environmental history of Mars
about the environmental history of Mars but there was another target there a
but there was another target there a
but there was another target there a small channel that runs down the wall of
small channel that runs down the wall of
small channel that runs down the wall of the crater
the crater
the crater this is a closer view now the top of the
this is a closer view now the top of the
this is a closer view now the top of the crater is now to the north so I’ve
crater is now to the north so I’ve
crater is now to the north so I’ve turned things around on you this is an
turned things around on you this is an
turned things around on you this is an image from the Mars Reconnaissance
image from the Mars Reconnaissance
image from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter there’s this incredible synergy
Orbiter there’s this incredible synergy
Orbiter there’s this incredible synergy between the cameras that we have in
between the cameras that we have in
between the cameras that we have in orbit and the pictures that we can take
orbit and the pictures that we can take
orbit and the pictures that we can take of the surface and the things that we
of the surface and the things that we
of the surface and the things that we can do on the surface to ground truth
can do on the surface to ground truth
can do on the surface to ground truth that data this data we can resolve
that data this data we can resolve
that data this data we can resolve things that are about 20 meters across
things that are about 20 meters across
things that are about 20 meters across the camera has a resolution of 6 meters
the camera has a resolution of 6 meters
the camera has a resolution of 6 meters per pixel and we can see that channel
per pixel and we can see that channel
per pixel and we can see that channel now coming in from the upper-left and
now coming in from the upper-left and
now coming in from the upper-left and draining out into a fan of sediment we
draining out into a fan of sediment we
draining out into a fan of sediment we call this an alluvial fan there’s many
call this an alluvial fan there’s many
call this an alluvial fan there’s many examples of this on the earth that we
examples of this on the earth that we
examples of this on the earth that we see in places for example like Death
see in places for example like Death
see in places for example like Death Valley so this became a very important
Valley so this became a very important
Valley so this became a very important secondary target to the layers in Mount
secondary target to the layers in Mount
secondary target to the layers in Mount sharp for our exploration well here’s
sharp for our exploration well here’s
sharp for our exploration well here’s the view from the surface after
the view from the surface after
the view from the surface after curiosity landed this is one of my
curiosity landed this is one of my
curiosity landed this is one of my favorite images from the mission because
favorite images from the mission because
favorite images from the mission because to me it’s almost like you’re standing
to me it’s almost like you’re standing
to me it’s almost like you’re standing in Death Valley looking up to the west
in Death Valley looking up to the west
in Death Valley looking up to the west at the Panamint Mountains and seeing
at the Panamint Mountains and seeing
at the Panamint Mountains and seeing this fan of material you can see the
this fan of material you can see the
this fan of material you can see the bright outline of peace’ Valles this
bright outline of peace’ Valles this
bright outline of peace’ Valles this channel coming down and the sloping sort
channel coming down and the sloping sort
channel coming down and the sloping sort of the positive sediment that’s being
of the positive sediment that’s being
of the positive sediment that’s being laid down by that River at some time in
laid down by that River at some time in
laid down by that River at some time in the past we’re way down at the very far
the past we’re way down at the very far
the past we’re way down at the very far end of that where we landed with
end of that where we landed with
end of that where we landed with curiosity in fact we weren’t even sure
curiosity in fact we weren’t even sure
curiosity in fact we weren’t even sure if we were going to be on those
if we were going to be on those
if we were going to be on those sediments now here is an overhead view
sediments now here is an overhead view
sediments now here is an overhead view this time from the high-rise camera
this time from the high-rise camera
this time from the high-rise camera which can image things that are about 3
which can image things that are about 3
which can image things that are about 3 feet across it has a resolution of about
feet across it has a resolution of about
feet across it has a resolution of about 25 centimeters or about a foot you can
25 centimeters or about a foot you can
25 centimeters or about a foot you can see where curiosity landed the two blue
see where curiosity landed the two blue
see where curiosity landed the two blue spots over here on the left and those
spots over here on the left and those
spots over here on the left and those are the tracks of the rover when we
are the tracks of the rover when we
are the tracks of the rover when we landed because we had mapped the surface
landed because we had mapped the surface
landed because we had mapped the surface of our landing ellipse before we got
of our landing ellipse before we got
of our landing ellipse before we got down to the surface of the planet we
down to the surface of the planet we
down to the surface of the planet we knew that there were some different
knew that there were some different
knew that there were some different terrains that we were likely to sample
terrains that we were likely to sample
terrains that we were likely to sample depending on where we landed and because
depending on where we landed and because
depending on where we landed and because we landed at that spot there we happen
we landed at that spot there we happen
we landed at that spot there we happen to be very close to three different
to be very close to three different
to be very close to three different kinds of material that were sort of like
kinds of material that were sort of like
kinds of material that were sort of like a rosetta stone we thought for
a rosetta stone we thought for
a rosetta stone we thought for understanding the geology of our
understanding the geology of our
understanding the geology of our Traverse as we went across to Mount
Traverse as we went across to Mount
Traverse as we went across to Mount sharp the most material for the left
sharp the most material for the left
sharp the most material for the left two-thirds of the image was one type in
two-thirds of the image was one type in
two-thirds of the image was one type in the lower right corner was another and
the lower right corner was another and
the lower right corner was another and then the brighter whitish blue stuff up
then the brighter whitish blue stuff up
then the brighter whitish blue stuff up there is a third seeing this juncture of
there is a third seeing this juncture of
there is a third seeing this juncture of these three different materials knowing
these three different materials knowing
these three different materials knowing that they held clues to what was going
that they held clues to what was going
that they held clues to what was going on in Gale and that they might be
on in Gale and that they might be
on in Gale and that they might be related
related
related alluvial fan drove us literally in the
alluvial fan drove us literally in the
alluvial fan drove us literally in the opposite direction that we intended once
opposite direction that we intended once
opposite direction that we intended once we got down on the surface Mount sharp
we got down on the surface Mount sharp
we got down on the surface Mount sharp is down to the lower left your left my
is down to the lower left your left my
is down to the lower left your left my right we went east we went to your right
right we went east we went to your right
right we went east we went to your right and it paid off very soon after we got
and it paid off very soon after we got
and it paid off very soon after we got started we started to find these
started we started to find these
started we started to find these outcrops the pebbles that you can see
outcrops the pebbles that you can see
outcrops the pebbles that you can see weathering out that are rounded Becky
weathering out that are rounded Becky
weathering out that are rounded Becky Williams who’s here tonight was the lead
Williams who’s here tonight was the lead
Williams who’s here tonight was the lead author on a science paper that first
author on a science paper that first
author on a science paper that first described these as deposits related to
described these as deposits related to
described these as deposits related to that River flowing down the side of the
that River flowing down the side of the
that River flowing down the side of the canyon now in Death Valley doesn’t it
canyon now in Death Valley doesn’t it
canyon now in Death Valley doesn’t it doesn’t rain very often but when it does
doesn’t rain very often but when it does
doesn’t rain very often but when it does that water comes out fast and I can
that water comes out fast and I can
that water comes out fast and I can almost imagine when I see these sorts of
almost imagine when I see these sorts of
almost imagine when I see these sorts of things you know water up to my thigh
things you know water up to my thigh
things you know water up to my thigh kind of thing draining across the
kind of thing draining across the
kind of thing draining across the surface depositing these gravels what an
surface depositing these gravels what an
surface depositing these gravels what an amazing in different place this must
amazing in different place this must
amazing in different place this must have been three three and a half billion
have been three three and a half billion
have been three three and a half billion years ago we got into this place called
years ago we got into this place called
years ago we got into this place called Yellowknife Bay and here’s our dried-up
Yellowknife Bay and here’s our dried-up
Yellowknife Bay and here’s our dried-up lake sediments this is a mud stone we
lake sediments this is a mud stone we
lake sediments this is a mud stone we drilled down into this rock the rocks
drilled down into this rock the rocks
drilled down into this rock the rocks weren’t red they’re gray they tell us
weren’t red they’re gray they tell us
weren’t red they’re gray they tell us something about the conditions in the
something about the conditions in the
something about the conditions in the past when we look at the chemistry it
past when we look at the chemistry it
past when we look at the chemistry it tells us that these clays that are in
tells us that these clays that are in
tells us that these clays that are in here were deposited in conditions that
here were deposited in conditions that
here were deposited in conditions that were relatively neutral that is not too
were relatively neutral that is not too
were relatively neutral that is not too acidic not too basic but we’ve already
acidic not too basic but we’ve already
acidic not too basic but we’ve already sampled sediments wash down in a river
sampled sediments wash down in a river
sampled sediments wash down in a river and ancient Lake deposits and we haven’t
and ancient Lake deposits and we haven’t
and ancient Lake deposits and we haven’t even gotten to Mount sharp yet so
even gotten to Mount sharp yet so
even gotten to Mount sharp yet so clearly the first bit of information
clearly the first bit of information
clearly the first bit of information that we got back from curiosity really
that we got back from curiosity really
that we got back from curiosity really sort of set us on our ear in terms of
sort of set us on our ear in terms of
sort of set us on our ear in terms of understanding Mars as a planet and how
understanding Mars as a planet and how
understanding Mars as a planet and how it evolved since leaving Yellowknife Bay
it evolved since leaving Yellowknife Bay
it evolved since leaving Yellowknife Bay in these ancient lake deposits we’ve
in these ancient lake deposits we’ve
in these ancient lake deposits we’ve been traversing across a landscape
been traversing across a landscape
been traversing across a landscape that’s littered with sedimentary rocks
that’s littered with sedimentary rocks
that’s littered with sedimentary rocks you can see some of those here in the
you can see some of those here in the
you can see some of those here in the foreground and we’ve been sampling these
foreground and we’ve been sampling these
foreground and we’ve been sampling these as we’ve gone trying to understand more
as we’ve gone trying to understand more
as we’ve gone trying to understand more about the relationship between sediments
about the relationship between sediments
about the relationship between sediments wash down in this in this river piece
wash down in this in this river piece
wash down in this in this river piece Valles and out onto this fan of
Valles and out onto this fan of
Valles and out onto this fan of sediments versus the sediments that have
sediments versus the sediments that have
sediments versus the sediments that have been shed off the side of Mount sharp
been shed off the side of Mount sharp
been shed off the side of Mount sharp there’s still kind of an uncertainty in
there’s still kind of an uncertainty in
there’s still kind of an uncertainty in terms of where some of these different
terms of where some of these different
terms of where some of these different sediments have come from and what their
sediments have come from and what their
sediments have come from and what their origin is in relationship to the timing
origin is in relationship to the timing
origin is in relationship to the timing of the formation of this big huge
of the formation of this big huge
of the formation of this big huge mountain in the middle of the of the
mountain in the middle of the of the
mountain in the middle of the of the crater but as you can see the same
crater but as you can see the same
crater but as you can see the same we haven’t lost sight of Mount sharp
we haven’t lost sight of Mount sharp
we haven’t lost sight of Mount sharp it’s always sort of been dead in our
it’s always sort of been dead in our
it’s always sort of been dead in our sights and we’re actually more than
sights and we’re actually more than
sights and we’re actually more than halfway there
halfway there
halfway there from when we left the Yellowknife Bay
from when we left the Yellowknife Bay
from when we left the Yellowknife Bay area and in fact we see images like this
area and in fact we see images like this
area and in fact we see images like this almost daily with curiosity and it
almost daily with curiosity and it
almost daily with curiosity and it reminds us exactly why we came here and
reminds us exactly why we came here and
reminds us exactly why we came here and why this is the goal because you can see
why this is the goal because you can see
why this is the goal because you can see the layers here that I described earlier
the layers here that I described earlier
the layers here that I described earlier as sort of chapters in a book and you
as sort of chapters in a book and you
as sort of chapters in a book and you can see here how they transition from
can see here how they transition from
can see here how they transition from sort of darker and grayer layers near
sort of darker and grayer layers near
sort of darker and grayer layers near the bottom to lighter sediments at the
the bottom to lighter sediments at the
the bottom to lighter sediments at the top and knowing what we already know
top and knowing what we already know
top and knowing what we already know about Gale Crater from our exploration
about Gale Crater from our exploration
about Gale Crater from our exploration of these lake and sediments wash down in
of these lake and sediments wash down in
of these lake and sediments wash down in the fan we’re very eager to get here and
the fan we’re very eager to get here and
the fan we’re very eager to get here and understand more about the evolution of
understand more about the evolution of
understand more about the evolution of the Martian climate as these sediments
the Martian climate as these sediments
the Martian climate as these sediments were deposited
”
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