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Vast Subsurface Martian Ice Discovered

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the i've-got-you-under-my-skin dept.

The Fun Guy writes to tell us New Scientist is reporting that deep-scan radar results from ESA's Mars Express spacecraft have revealed vast amounts of subsurface ice. From the article: "Intriguingly, the signal reflected from the bottom of the crater is so strong and appears so flat that it may be liquid water. 'If you put water there, that's what the signal might look like,' Johnson told New Scientist. But he cautions the data is based on only one pass over the region and could be caused by another material."

8 of 308 comments (clear)

  1. Terraforming by richcoder · · Score: 4, Interesting

    To anyone in the know, what implications would this have on the possible terraforming of mars to have a hospitable atmosphere?

    1. Re:Terraforming by MightyMartian · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I really can't imagine how the terraforming idea is going to be tenable over the long term. Even if you can figure out a way to bulk-up the atmosphere to raise surface temperatures sufficiently for water to exist in a liquid state, the gravity of Mars is to weak to sustain such an atmosphere, which will leak off over time. You would essentially have to keep adding to the atmosphere.

      --
      The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
    2. Re:Terraforming by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      What you both seem to forget is, is that long term in this case is expressed in million of years. For a human having a viable atmosphere for some millions of years with near no effort is not only very viable, but the point where the atmosphere is lost again is so far in the future as to be meaningless.

  2. another material?! by G3ckoG33k · · Score: 2, Interesting

    "and could be caused by another material"

    WTF?! Sending an expedition to Mars, to find water (supposedly with the correct equipment to do so), and then come up with that, erm, statement. As an armchair astronomer, I find that a bit weak.

  3. Re:headline creep by Reality+Master+101 · · Score: 1, Interesting

    NASA.com - NASA Scientists Say Martian Water "Could" Mean Life, Asks for More Funding

    --
    Sometimes it's best to just let stupid people be stupid.
  4. Underground water by Mprx · · Score: 2, Interesting

    While it is from a website full of pseudoscience and unconvincing "fossil" photographs, I found this stereophoto (view with crossed eyes for 3d view) very interesting:

    http://xenotechresearch.com/geyop122.htm

    I can't think of any possible explanation for this kind of geology other than water erosion. If there's liquid water below ground, maybe it's possible for it to reach the surface and remain liquid long enough to produce this feature.

  5. Re:On the right track by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Actually there is enough gas embeded within the martian soil. Current thought is to send over a few robots to release PFC's (think of CFC's) which are excellent greenhouse gasses and free all the CO2 that is in the ground to the atmosphere. CO2 is a greenhouse gas in and of itself, and therefore would help compound the greenhouse heating of the planet, thereby releasing more C02. You would raise the temperature enough this way to melt ice, creating liquid water, and guess what.... water vapor is yet another greenhouse gas.

    Current estimates put a 1 earth atm atmosphere on mars in 100 years if done this way. You could get conditions similar to that on top of Mt. Everest in about 30 years. Just imagine walking around mars with everest like equipment as opposed to full fledged space suits.

  6. Re:What is it then, Barry? by everphilski · · Score: 2, Interesting

    yes, and my star wars profile likens me unto a sith lord. I also happen to be an engineer... when I'm given data, it's my job to draw the most logical conclusion from said data and use it constructively, not mentally masterbate.

    -everphilski-