Theme: Skyline Rim South

Duration: 10:54-14:47 (3 hours 52 minutes)

Participants: Bob McNally (cmdr), Louise Wynn, Kyoichi Sasazawa

Equipment: ATVs, GPS, Radios, Scintillometer, Magnetic Susceptibility Meter, Cameras, Geologist's Hammer

Route:
Hab to wpt 110: 0518.34E 4251.40N
110 to wpt 111: 0517.75E 4251.54N
111 to wpt 112: 0517.13E 4251.32N
112 to wpt 114: 0516.06E 4251.39N
114 to wpt 140: 0515.42E 4249.00N
140 to location 0514.67E 4246.81N
Reverse order back to Hab.

Objectives/Work Done: This EVA was conducted to investigate the Southern portion of Skyline Rim as part of the ongoing geological and geophysical investigations within EVA reach of the Hab. We rode up onto the Mid-Ridge Planitia, west to the skyline Rim, and South to waypoint 140, using marked jeep tracks and major ATV routes. As we travelled from wpt 114 south, we observed extensive areas of windblown dust picked up by the wind, ahead of us on our course. We surmised that these small duststorms were evidence of stronger winds ahead of us, and as we reached them we found this to be the case, steady wind speeds estimated near 40kts. Neither the dust nor the wind posed a major impediment to our progress.

After investigating near wpt140 and taking samples, we continued South along the jeep track we were on, until we reached highway 24. From there we retraced our path, stopping on occasion for Louise to take geophysical data. We reached the Hab at 14:00. Geologist Kyoichi entered the airlock, the other two crew stayed outside to meet the request of a visiting photographer from Focus Magazine Germany for photos of crew working near the Hab. Louise made additional geophysical readings while Bob took down the flagpole because of the heavy winds, and secured the lower flap of the telescope dome opening which had blown open. At 14:47 Bob and Louise entered the Airlock and the EVA was over.

Weather: Partly Cloudy, Strong gusty winds 20 kts, gusting to 30kts; 35-40 kts steady in area south of wpt 114. Temp 56 F

Maximum Distance from Hab: 5.41 km

Lessons Learned: Additional geophysical data were acquired; the accumulation of these data over many EVAs will aid refining of broad geological map data with finer detail. Such detail will help the search for various mineral resources. Calcereous Nodules were found at wpt140, see the geology report for more information.

We found signs that indicated we were in a designated Off Highway Vehicle Play Area, which explained the many sets of ATV tracks we observed on the steep talus slopes at the base of Skyline Rim, and had observed on previous EVAs.

Stronger winds were encountered than on any previous EVA, and riding the ATVs was not found to be difficult in those conditions. Communications were rendered more difficult, the wind roaring past our helmets was quite loud.

The windblown dust that was observed, and then ridden through, did leave a thin film of dust inside our helmets, but did not reduce visibility significantly. Stronger dust storms would pose a visibility threat, could coat and etch the helmet visors, and a coating of dust on the inside would be a problem if it reached more than minimal density.