The Rover-survivor Opportunity has received the new task - in details to study the area, bypassing which he had just completed.

"If there was a geologist, the first thing he would bypass the interested outcrop of rocks; this was done Opportunity," says principal investigator of the project Steve Squires of Cornell University (USA).

Despite the upcoming ninth anniversary of work on the red planet (25 January), the Opportunity remains on the go. He explores the edge of the crater, where observations from orbit have revealed traces of clay minerals that form in the wet, sour conditions that may be conducive to life.

Operators have chosen this place as their destination a few years ago. It is called Matievich hill in honor of the late Jacob Mateevici, who for several years headed the team of engineers serving the Rovers-Gemini "Spirit" and "opportunity".

The Rover drove about 354 m counterclockwise around the hill in October and November, bringing the total mileage of the device has reached of 35.4 km This has allowed researchers to identify the best locations for further study. "Observations gave us a number of issues, " says Mr. Squires. - We did this hike to determine how to maximize the use of the allotted time for us to search for answers. Now we understand what they are dealing with, and are ready to proceed to a detailed study".

The hill is on the Western edge of the endeavour crater with a diameter of 22 km. Kick some heavenly body "dug" this Cup is more than 3 billion years ago, throwing the rock from great depth. Since the impact of these rocks may have changed under the influence of the environment. If you look in the relative age of the local outcrops, you can find the key to the understanding of the environmental history of this area.

Outcrop, which was of particular interest, called whitewater-lake and Cerqueda. The first contains a light material, which, according to scientists, may be clay. The second has a small balls, which differ in their composition, structure and distribution from the iron-rich microspheres ("blueberry")that Opportunity found in the place of his planting, as well as everywhere on the plateau Meridian.

The report on the current activities of the Rover was presented at a meeting of the American geophysical Union in San Francisco.

Based on the materials of the jet propulsion Laboratory of NASA.