Vast stores of water ice found on Mars

[JonClarke]

Like L said, I don't have the paper here. But the spiders and cryptic ground are surficial seasonal phenomena, and unlikely related to processes overating deep under the ice.<br /><br />Trying to relate the two - even if they occur in the same area - would like like trying to relate snow patterns at Vostock, Antartcia to the lake several km below.<br /><br />Jon <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>

 

[exoscientist]

Actually, your reference to Lake Vostok is quite relevant to the theory I've been thinking about. (Do you know of any unique climatic characteristics in regards to Lake Vostok?)<br /> It would be quite a coincidence IF the detected subsurface area in question were below the cryptic region. However, I don't know if it is or is not, from the news release.<br /><br /><br /> Bob Clark <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

Lake Vostock is several km below the coldest place on Earth. Other than that there is not unique climatic factors. <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>

 

[exoscientist]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>Lake Vostock is several km below the coldest place on Earth.<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br /> Yes, that is the unique climatic characteristic I was thinking of.<br /><br /> Bob Clark <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

the presence of lakes at the bottom of ice is everything to do the temperature-pressure gradient and conditions at the base of the ice mass and nothing to do this temperature extremes at the surface.<br /><br />Jon <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>

 

[MeteorWayne]

It is, after all, a pretty thick blanket of insulation!! <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>

 

[exoscientist]

Still, I would like to know the location of that possible Martian subsurface liquid water area.<br /><br /><br /> Bob Clark <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

From the paper:<br /><br /> <i>An extended area of unexpectedly bright basal reflections occurs in an area between the thickest part of the SPLD (~3.7 km; see discussion of SPLD thickness below) and the nearby SPLD margin, from 310° to 0° east longitude (Fig. 1). The returns are often brighter than the surface return, which is not expected for propagation through a lossy medium. While a strong contrast in dielectric constant at the base may be responsible, we deem it highly unlikely that liquid water [basal melting; see e.g., (14)] causes the bright return, because it occurs below thin (as well as thick) sections of the SPLD that are among the coldest places on the surface of Mars. The low attenuation is consistent with very low temperatures throughout the ice, further arguing against basal melting. Nevertheless, we cannot completely rule out unusual geothermal conditions or an exotic composition of the substrate in these anomalously bright areas.</i><br /><br /> Figure 1 is the first image in the ESA story.<br /><br /> <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>

 

[exoscientist]

Okay Jon, that longitude range puts this area on the other side of the south pole from the cryptic region.<br /><br /><br /> Bob :-( <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>