PIA11072: Phoenix Conductivity Probe Inserted into Martian Soil
 Target Name:  Mars
 Is a satellite of:  Sol (our sun)
 Mission:  Phoenix
 Spacecraft:  Phoenix Mars Lander
 Instrument:  Robotic Arm Camera (RAC)
 Product Size:  512 x 256 pixels (w x h)
 Produced By:  University of Arizona
 Full-Res TIFF:  PIA11072.tif (131.4 kB)
 Full-Res JPEG:  PIA11072.jpg (51.36 kB)


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The Robotic Arm Camera on Phoenix took this image on the morning of Sol 99 while the probe's needles were in the ground. The science team informally named this soil target "Gandalf."

The thermal and conductivity probe measures how fast heat and electricity move from one needle to an adjacent one through the soil or air between the needles. Conductivity readings can be indicators about water vapor, water ice and liquid water.

The probe is part of Phoenix's Microscopy, Electrochemistry and Conductivity suite of instruments.



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