Release Date: 
4/07/04
Image Filename:
x_pubeng_magnet_mi.tif
Source Filename:
2m134534398EFF2700P2919M2M1
Summary Info:
MI of the capture magnet on Spirit taken on sol 92
Submitter:
Kjartan Kinch
Institution
 University of Aarhus
Theme
 MI
Rover
Spirit
Sol of Observation
92
Earth Date of Obs. 
 April 6, 2004
Credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell

Martian Magnets Under the Microscope

NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Spirit acquired this microscopic imager image of its capture magnet on sol 92, April 6, 2004 .  Both Spirit and Opportunity are equipped with a number of magnets.  The capture magnet, as seen here, has a stronger charge than it’s sidekick, the filter magnet.  The lower powered filter magnet captures only the most magnetic airborne dust with the strongest charge while the capture magnet picks up all magnetic airborne dust.

The magnets’ primary purpose is to collect the magnetic martian airborne dust so that scientists can analyze it with the Moessbauer spectrometer.  While there is plenty of dust on the surface of Mars, it is difficult to confirm where it came from, and when it was last airborne.  Because scientists are interested in learning about the properties of the dust in the atmosphere, they devised this dust-collection experiment.  

The capture magnet is about 4.5 centimeters (1.8 inches) in diameter and is constructed with a central cylinder and three rings that each have alternating orientations of magnetization.   Scientists have been monitoring the continual accumulation of dust since the beginning of the mission with panoramic camera and microscopic imager images.  They had to wait until enough dust accumulated before they could get a Moessbauer spectrometer analysis.  The results of that analysis, performed on sol 92, have not gotten back to Earth yet.  

Approved By:
Kjartan Kinch
University of Aarhus in Denmark
Magnetic Properties team, center for planetary science in Copenhagen
kjartan@phys.au.dk

<br> USERNAME: shlieven