Hypothesis: APXS data show composition of rock is consistent with
volcanic andesite, but rough texture of surface suggests it may be a "breccia."
Could it be composed of many different rock fragments that combine to give a similar overall composition?
Method: Target Barnacle Bill with "multispectral spot" (all geology filters at full spatial resolution of about 1-2 cm per picture element)
Goal: Determine variability of reflectance spectra (mineralogy) across the face of the rock
If all spectra are similar: rock is "homogeneous" (composed of the same material)
If spectra vary: rock may be "heterogeneous" (such as an impact melt breccia or sedimentary conglomerate)
Result: Spectra taken from many different locations show only two basic kinds of spectra:
- Soil-like deposits
- Dark rock face
Implication: At spatial resolution of 1-2 cm, rock composition is homogeneous. However, rock may be composed of fine-grained materials (< 1-2 cm) that cannot be seen with this method.