Key Points
Nasa's Perseverance rover, which has entered a new unexplored world on Mars, is not only collecting rock and soil samples but also capturing valuable atmospheric data in the process...
The rover, which has already sealed 24 samples in titanium tubes, is inadvertently providing atmospheric scientists with a unique opportunity to study the Martian atmosphere in unprecedented detail...
While the primary focus of the Mars Sample Return campaign has been on gathering rock cores and regolith to search for signs of ancient microbial life, the air trapped in the extra space around these samples, known as "headspace," could prove to be an unexpected treasure trove of information.. . ) ..
Brandi Carrier, a planetary scientist at Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, explains, "The air samples from Mars would tell us not just about the current climate and atmosphere, but how it's changed over time..
The headspace in these sample tubes could provide crucial insights into Mars' water cycle, the presence of trace gases, and the composition of the planet's ancient atmosphere..
