Another UFO? was: Opportunity catches meteor?

[E.Kornienko]

Loading Image...

What might it be?

[Sir Charles W. Shults III]

Post by E.Kornienko
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/1/n/870/1N205424267EFF73Z1P1902L0M1.JPG
What might it be?

This is definitely either very close to the imager or directly on the
lens. The reason you can tell is that the R0 image was taken simultaneously
and it does not show it. A distant object would have been in both images
since they were taken at the same time.
It might have been a particle of dirt that was blown in the wind or it
may have fallen from the top of the imager when the frame was taken.

Cheers!
Sir Charles W. Shults III
Xenotech Research
321-206-1840

[E.Kornienko]

Post by Sir Charles W. Shults III

Post by E.Kornienko
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/1/n/870/1N205424267EFF73Z1P1902L0M1.JPG

This is definitely either very close to the imager or directly on the
lens.

Another one

Loading Image...

If these black speckles are so close to the lens, why are they so
sharp?

[Sir Charles W. Shults III]

"E.Kornienko" <***@gmail.com> wrote in message news:***@p79g2000cwp.googlegroups.com...
Sir Charles W. Shults III ?????(?):
.>>
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/1/n/870/1N205424267EFF73Z1P1902L0M1.JPG

Post by E.Kornienko

Post by Sir Charles W. Shults III
This is definitely either very close to the imager or directly on the
lens.

Another one
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/1/n/876/1N205958340EFF73__P0725R0M1.JPG
If these black speckles are so close to the lens, why are they so
sharp?

Because some of them are caused by charged particles striking the imager
chip, not by actual objects. Remember that the atmosphere is thinner on
Mars and so there is much less radiation shielding. Also, there is no
strong global magnetic field. Go to the left navigation camera image for
the exacgt same time stamp and you will see no trace of the objects in
question.
Both images were taken simultaneously, and only one camera catches them,
so they must be local to the camera. Dust on the lens can in some cases
make that happen, but in others it can be other, closer electronic effects.

[E.Kornienko]

Post by Sir Charles W. Shults III

Post by E.Kornienko
If these black speckles are so close to the lens, why are they so
sharp?

Because some of them are caused by charged particles striking the
imager chip, not by actual objects.
Both images were taken simultaneously, and only one camera catches
them

Good idea, Sir Charles!

Do both imager actually work simultaneously?
The time stamp in filename has only 1 sec. precision.
http://origin.mars5.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/edr_filename_key.html

How do you explain

(1) Why are some strikes white, some black?

(2) Why nobody mentioned cosmic rays or charged particles in this
group?
There were white dots like in this picture
2P131085219EFF1124P2428R1M1.jpg

Did strikes occur and were discussed before today?

(3) If they did, does anybody make a survey of such scratches?

[Sir Charles W. Shults III]

Post by E.Kornienko

Post by Sir Charles W. Shults III

Post by E.Kornienko
If these black speckles are so close to the lens, why are they so
sharp?

Because some of them are caused by charged particles striking the
imager chip, not by actual objects.
Both images were taken simultaneously, and only one camera catches
them

Good idea, Sir Charles!
Do both imager actually work simultaneously?

Yes, the image is captured electronically at a single instant on both
imager chips. The imager chips in each camera are twice as large as the
actual image. One half grabs the image, the other half stores it while it
is being processed and read out. It acts like a giant shift register device
and "marches" the pixels across the cells in one large mass, from the imager
area to the read out area.

Post by E.Kornienko
How do you explain
(1) Why are some strikes white, some black?

It would depend on whether the particle created an ionizing trail to the
ground plane of the chip or to a via that is at a higher voltage potential.
When a particle does strike, it can spawn secondary particles that are
charged and create temporary paths through the imager chip to either higher
or lower potentials, therefore creating either lighter or darker spots by
altering the charge on the CCD cell being read.

Post by E.Kornienko
(2) Why nobody mentioned cosmic rays or charged particles in this
group?

Perhaps they are not familiar with the cause of the spots. I did
advanced semiconductor radiation effects testing for a large defense company
for a while.

Post by E.Kornienko
There were white dots like in this picture
2P131085219EFF1124P2428R1M1.jpg

Yes, some can be light, some can be dark. It depends on whether the ion
trail in the semiconductor goes to ground or to V plus.

Post by E.Kornienko
Did strikes occur and were discussed before today?

I am sure that NASA mentioned something about it but I did not make a
conscious note of it. However, this is a well known phenomenon in space
based electronic devices. That is why NASA chose the processor and memory
they did for the rovers- not because they were dense and fast, but because
they were large and clunky and more fault tolerant in terms of radiation
exposure.

Post by E.Kornienko
(3) If they did, does anybody make a survey of such scratches?

Unknown. It is possible, but since they understand that these are
transitory, they might not really care.

Cheers!

Sir Charles W. Shults III
Xenotech Research
321-206-1840