**5. Further evidence of cosmic spherules**

The observations on Mars made by rovers shown in this section can only be explained by a meteorite model. There is a very small probability that man-made objects such as the rovers and heat shield will collect cosmic spherules from recent meteoritic events. However, for the meteorite model to be correct, there are few conditions: (1) the sizes of the spherules must obey the predicted size limit and (2) the spherules must look shiny in comparison to older blueberries, indicating younger age because the rovers landed on Mars in 2004.

**Figure 14** from sol 339 shows a piece of the heat shield of the Opportunity rover. Because blueberries are spherical, they are most likely to collect at the bottom of a slope on the heat shield. The photograph clearly shows several fresh-looking blueberries collected on the heat shield. The size and texture can be compared with the older blueberries seen on the ground.

The images taken by the Opportunity rover of itself are shown in **Figure 15** (top image: sol 322; bottom image: sol 323), which show few blueberries collected by the rover. The size of these shiny spherules are similar to the size of the older, dull-looking blueberries lying on the ground as seen in the top right corner of the image shown in **Figure 15**. Further strong evidence in support of meteorite model is shown in **Figure 16**. If the spherules are formed by molten drops of falling meteorites, then they are expected to be very hot. **Figure 16** shows the image (1M156679326EFF3981P2979M2M1) taken on sol 321 of the solar panel by the microscopic imager on Opportunity. The image shows a burned impact mark at location 'B' along with few microspherules nearby shown as 'A.' The burn mark size and shape match the nearby spherules.

The other Mars rover "Spirit" landed in the Gusev Crater area. According to the MGS satellite image, this site is not rich in hematite. Hence, Spirit rarely observed spherules on the ground. The images from the Spirit rover taken on sol 330 show a few spherical objects on the solar panels marked by green circles (**Figure 17**, left).

**Figure 14.**

*Evidence of fresh blueberries collected by heat shield. Image 1P158281536EFF40C2P2368L6M1 (sol 339). Image courtesy: NASA/JPL & M Lyle.*

**Figure 15.**

*Images of Opportunity rover showing shiny spherules collected by the rover. Sol 322 (top image) and Sol 323 (bottom image).*

An image (**Figure 17**, right) of the same solar panels taken on sol 583 almost a year later shows that two of the objects have rolled off leaving behind the impact prints. A few new spherical objects have appeared near the electrical wirings. The ability

**13**

native to Mars.

*Hematite Spherules on Mars*

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.82583*

terminal speed of the spherules.

*rolled off a year later from solar panels.*

**6. Discussion**

**Figure 17.**

**Figure 16.**

*Opportunity solar panel sol 321.*

of these round objects to leave impact marks on the solar panels indicates the high

*Images comparing the same solar panels of Spirit rover from sol 330 and sol 583 showing blueberries that have* 

The various observations of Martian blueberries strongly support the theory that the spherules are cosmic spherules formed from the ablation of meteorites. The images shown in **Figures 9** and **14**–**18** can only be explained by the meteorite model. In the meteorite ablation model, the cosmic spherules are formed from the liquid phase. Hence, they will be perfect spheres, hard, and size limited. The interior of the spherules will be glassy or extremely fine grained, and will not show nucleation or inclusions of basaltic grains of Martian surface. The blueberries, microberries, and nanophase material will be located only on the top soil and missing from the deeper soil. To date, all observations (listed in **Table 1**) made on Mars are consistent with the meteorite ablation model. To the best of our knowledge, no hematite concretions have been found on Mars and concretions made of pure hematite do not exist on Earth. The cosmic spherule mechanism also suggests that hematite found on the surface of Mars is extra-Martian and not

*Mineralogy - Significance and Applications*

**12**

**Figure 15.**

*(bottom image).*

**Figure 14.**

*courtesy: NASA/JPL & M Lyle.*

An image (**Figure 17**, right) of the same solar panels taken on sol 583 almost a year later shows that two of the objects have rolled off leaving behind the impact prints. A few new spherical objects have appeared near the electrical wirings. The ability

*Images of Opportunity rover showing shiny spherules collected by the rover. Sol 322 (top image) and Sol 323* 

*Evidence of fresh blueberries collected by heat shield. Image 1P158281536EFF40C2P2368L6M1 (sol 339). Image* 

**Figure 16.** *Opportunity solar panel sol 321.*

#### **Figure 17.**

*Images comparing the same solar panels of Spirit rover from sol 330 and sol 583 showing blueberries that have rolled off a year later from solar panels.*

of these round objects to leave impact marks on the solar panels indicates the high terminal speed of the spherules.
