This is referred to in mission planning as Hybrid Local Solar Time (HLST). The time scales are uniform in the sense of mean solar time (they are actually mean time of some longitude), and are not adjusted as the rovers travel. (The rovers have traveled distances that make a few seconds difference to local solar time.)
Answer: An independent variable is exactly what it sounds like. It is a variable that stands alone and isn't changed by the other variables you are trying to measure. For example, someone's age might be an independent variable.
Summary of Differences. 1  In science, for one independent variable, there may be more than one dependent variable. 2  The value of an independent value can be changed. 3  The independent variable is the value which is manipulated in an experiment. The dependent variable is the value observed by the researcher during an experiment. Knowing the differences between independent and dependent variables will help as you as you sharpen your problem solving skills and continue to explore new concepts within the fields of mathematics and the science.