Satellite data revealed alternating stripes of light and dark-colored rock in a particular area on Mars. In late March, the Perseverance rover excavated a light-colored rock formation and acquired a sample, during which it discovered an unusual rock named “St. Paul’s Bay.”
The Perseverance team describes St. Paul’s Bay as a “float” rock, indicating it is not expected to be at its current location. However, the formation’s origin on Mars and its presence in the region remain unexplained. The rock consists of smaller, round, dark gray stones, each measuring several hundred millimeters. These stones vary in shape, including oval forms, sharp-edged versions, and some with small holes.
It is considered possible that these spherules are concretions, which are typically created by groundwater traversing through rock pores, suggesting a historical abundance of liquid water on Mars. Alternatively, such spherules on Earth can form from rapidly cooled molten rock post-volcanic eruption. The Perseverance science team is actively exploring the origins of the small round stones composing St. Paul’s Bay, considering that they may originate from nearby dark-colored rock formations.
