Ice at the South Pole of Mars

2003/01/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Astronomia

NASA announces that it has detected more icy water in the Martian south pole. In a photo of the Mars Odissey ship last February (summer of Mars), a piece of land caught the attention of NASA researchers. After a more thorough analysis of the infrared camera of the container, it is observed that this area absorbs and emits more heat than that of the surroundings. According to this, it is very possible that there is icy water there.

In the image, the area is marked with the red arrow, a very weak white part. The other area visible in white is not frozen water, but frozen carbon dioxide, the main component of the Martian poles.

Some scientists believe that in summer, when it melts, it uncovers the icy water below. This photo shows the water in a very small field, but according to these scientists it is very possible that under the frozen carbon dioxide there are larger water areas.