Curiosity Discovers Broad Shallow Pits on Mount Sharp, Expanding Geological Insight

Curiosity’s Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) captured a 1‑centimeter diameter pit on Sol 4989, a feature broader and shallower than any previously seen on the rover’s workspaces. The pits lack obvious debris, suggesting a different weathering process. Mastcam and ChemCam acquired stereo mosaics and raster scans of the pits and surrounding bedrock, revealing complex layering and gray, resistant layers that differ chemically from the host rock. APXS confirmed distinct elemental signatures. The team also mapped the Cordillera butte and other buttes, and monitored a regional dust storm that dissipated by the week’s end. These observations add a new puzzle to Mount Sharp’s stratigraphy, indicating rapid changes in depositional conditions and potential chemical diversity in the region.