The TES will help confirm and refine this important result. One of my primary interests as a geologist is volcanology. An example of this type of volcano is Mt. St. Helens which erupted in 1980. Less explosive, but still dynamic, eruptions are common at shield volcanoes such as found in Hawaii. These volcanoes produce rocks of basaltic, or mafic, composition.
Mafic rocks are usually black and have abundant iron and magnesium.
I have chosen to study basalt because it is likely to be found on Mars. Based primarily on observations from the 1970's Viking missions, a great deal of the surface of Mars is believed to be covered by basaltic rocks. We now know that Syrtis Major is a broad shield volcano covered by dark soils and windblown sand. Rocks are made up of different minerals. Basalts are composed primarily of the minerals pyroxene and olivine with some glass and feldspar.