Water ice in crater at Martian north pole

[ps1074]

The HRSC obtained these images during orbit 1343 with a ground resolution of approximately 15 metres per pixel. The unnamed impact crater is located on Vastitas Borealis, a broad plain that covers much of Mars's far northern latitudes, at approximately 70.5° North and 103° East.

The crater is 35 kilometres wide and has a maximum depth of approximately 2 kilometres beneath the crater rim. The circular patch of bright material located at the centre of the crater is residual water ice.

This white patch is present all year round, as the temperature and pressure are not high enough to allow sublimation of water ice.

http://www.physorg.com/news5487.html

[Rainbowreflect]

1. That is so cool.

[Kraklen]

2. The pressure isn't high enough to allow sublimation of water?

?

[Richard Steele]

4. ??? indeed; I think it works the other way around, no?

[Kraklen]

5. Pretty poorly worded.

But I guess that's what you've got to expect from science journalism.

[Richard Steele]

7. Yes. "Science Reporters" are generally Reporters, not Scientists. nm

[Kazak]

3. Mars...

I though it was already pretty well known and accepted that Mars features frozen polar ice caps. :shrug:

[Kraklen]

6. Almost entirely carbon dioxide.

[Emperor_Norton_II]

8. That's not up at the cap, though

That's at 70N, well south of there.