Can Phoenix sample the ice under it?

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willpittenger

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Or it is limited to something it can dig up besides the lander?&nbsp; Also, since the ice under the lander is now exposed, would it start to evaporate, possibly endangering the lander's stability? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Will Pittenger<hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Add this user box to your Wikipedia User Page to show your support for the SDC forums: <div style="margin-left:1em">{{User:Will Pittenger/User Boxes/Space.com Account}}</div> </div>
 
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JonClarke

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<p>Possibly.&nbsp; But it would be easier and better to sample the ice off to the side, where it is undisturbed.</p><p>I don't think the lander is in immediate danger.&nbsp; The temperature is very low so sublimation rates are low.&nbsp; And the exposed areas - if it is indeed ice - are laregely shadowed by the lander. Plus the pads themselves are sitting on dirt.</p><p>Eventually sublimation might cause the exposed areas to enlarge and the sides to fall in.&nbsp;This happens where permafrost is &nbsp;disturbed&nbsp;on Earth. &nbsp;But I don't think that this will be for several seasons on Mars.&nbsp; Much which time Phoenix will be dead and gone.</p><p>cheers</p><p>Jon</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>
 
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MeteorWayne

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Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Or it is limited to something it can dig up besides the lander?&nbsp; Also, since the ice under the lander is now exposed, would it start to evaporate, possibly endangering the lander's stability? <br />Posted by willpittenger</DIV><br /><br />From what was said, they cannot access that area with the arm and scoop. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>
 
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3488

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'><font color="#ff0000">From what was said, they cannot access that area with the arm and scoop. <br />Posted by MeteorWayne</font></DIV></p><p><strong><font size="2">That's true. Phoenix cannot dig underneath. There are not enough joints in the arm.<br /></font></strong><strong><font size="2">&nbsp;</font></strong></p><p><strong><font size="2">Andrew Brown.</font></strong></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>
 
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efron_24

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<p>.. but it would be strange if the&nbsp;ice was only under the lander..</p><p>It will be all around it.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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silylene old

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Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>.. but it would be strange if the&nbsp;ice was only under the lander..It will be all around it. <br />Posted by efron_24</DIV><br /><br />The first dig did not scrape ice.&nbsp; Rather surprising, it looked deep enough given the 'ice' exposure under the lander. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature" align="center"><em><font color="#0000ff">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</font></em> </div><div class="Discussion_UserSignature" align="center"><font color="#0000ff"><em>I really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function.</em></font> </div> </div>
 
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efron_24

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>The first dig did not scrape ice.&nbsp; Rather surprising, it looked deep enough given the 'ice' exposure under the lander. <br />Posted by silylene</DIV></p><p>I do not think it was deep enough.. they need to dig about 10 to 15cm and they did not do that yet.</p><p>It looks like&nbsp;2 to 5 cm to me at the most</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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MeteorWayne

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Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>The first dig did not scrape ice.&nbsp; Rather surprising, it looked deep enough given the 'ice' exposure under the lander. <br />Posted by silylene</DIV><br /><br />Don't forget, under the lander some (or all) of the surface dust was scoured away by the descent jets. Probably much stronger than any prevailing winds, and all directed outward (once the exhaust hit the ground and spread out). <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>
 
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MeteorWayne

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>The first dig did not scrape ice.&nbsp; Rather surprising, it looked deep enough given the 'ice' exposure under the lander. <br />Posted by silylene</DIV><br /><br />I don't think that's true, they just grazed the surface. If you look closely at the image (as I just did again) that shows the "ice" underneath, it appears to me that the whole area under the lander has been scoured out several inches deep. To me it appears that the soil the pad on the other side is quite a bit higher than theice surface.</p><p>Of course, we don't have 3D data yet, but that's how it looks to my eye. I originally did not notice that, but when I looked closely today, it jumped out at me.</p><p>Wayne</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>
 
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3488

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'><font color="#ff0000">I don't think that's true, they just grazed the surface. If you look closely at the image that shows the "ice" underneath, it appears to me that the whole are under the lander has been scoured out several inches deep. To me it appears that the soil the pad on the other side is quite a bit higher than theice surface.Of course, we don't have 3D data yet, but that's how it looks to my eye. I originally did not notice that, but when I looked closely today, it jumped out at me.Wayne <br />Posted by MeteorWayne</font></DIV></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><font size="2" color="#000000"><strong>Cheers Wayne, </strong></font></p><p><font size="2" color="#000000"><strong>I will look also. Thanks for that interesting observation. It would make sense that Phoenix had created a shallow crater underneath.</strong></font></p><p><font size="2" color="#000000"><strong>Andrew Brown.</strong></font><br /></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>
 
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