Science Report

April 25, 2008

Henrik Hargitai



Microbiological experiment: results tomorrow
MAST test:
Post EVA analysis

Software interface:
We wanted to go to Maxwell Montes. We selected Cactus Road. From the
main road there was no arrow on the MAST program, but we could find it in the
map quadrant view. With the software, we also could not find out when to
turn at the cactus rd junction - but again, clicking to the appropriate
map quadrant we could find the way. At the end of the road we could not
find which one is Maxwell Montes, since there was no indication of
North/South directions (it is W of the road).
While looking at the software images, we tried to verbalize the way:
two rocks, riverbed, xx Mountain, two rocks again, bumpy road etc., It
would be good to have such verbal hints for better memorizing the
pictures.

Field work: Entering Cactus Road what I saw was that it goes into a
rock field at the foot of a rocky hill and turned back to find the
way, but Moni told that those rocks are very familiar, the way is in
between. She was right - that was a positive indication that the
software helped finding our way. We had lost the road 3 times, since
it was crossed by or continued by unnamed roads, which clearly had car
tracks and which are indicated as dashed lines. I think we should add
them to the map and name them. After that we turned back and went home,
on a - after a while - totally unknown road, which turned out to join
the main road near Scylla and Charybdis.
And today is Sol 13.


EVA25 Skyline Rim
At some points it was a safe feeling that we have already seen this.
The image, however can not reflect the steepness of slopes and depths
of troughs, furrows in the way so it is difficult to estimate the
danger level of the chosen path in advance.

Results:
- In the panorama images, an indication of cardinal points (N/S/W/E) would
help
- Road junctions should be indicated with the other exit of the road
(where it leads to)
- Dangerous, or not very safe road points, should be indicated (the
images are not enough to show danger levels)
- Main points of interest should be indicated with short texts (Two
rocks, Bacteria found here, special mushrooms 200 m to the right,
special weathering patterns in 20 m on foot etc).
- Images have to be described, in order to be able to remember them
better
- Looking at images does help finding the way or prevents effectively
going in the wrong direction
- By already knowing what to expect we feel safer on the road (we know
that we will not meet a deep trough on the way etc).