Monday 3rd December Sol 116

Some of the early results from Curiosity are being presented this week at the American Geophysical Union.  That is a large yearly meeting in San Francisco where thousands of scientists meet to share new discoveries.   Preparing our results for presentations and publications will over time be an increasingly important part of the MSL science team’s work.

Although it is exciting to be at this stage of the mission, where we can start to share the results in detail with the wider world, I don’t know which results will ultimately be regarded as most important.  For instance, in 1976 the Viking Landers determined the first measurements of the martian atmosphere (results which are only now 36 years later being surpassed in their accuracy by SAM on MSL).  Those measurements were interesting in their own right but it was not until the 1980s that the link was made to a set of meteorites (the SNCs) which have trapped gas compositions closely similar to the Mars atmosphere.  We have learnt an enormous amount about the evolution of Mars – from its mantle and crustal compositions to hydrothermal activity ­– from studying the SNC martian meteorites.  Without the impetus of recognition of their martian origin that would not have happened.  So I think it will take years before we fully understand the significance of the large amount of data from our multiple instruments and cameras on Curiosity.