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Half of Mars May Have Ice

Posted by kdawson on from the submerged-oceans dept.

Ixlr8 sends in a BBC story suggesting that up to half of Mars may have ice at varying depths below the surface. Quoting: "Up until now, scientists had been able to search for water deposits using a spectrometer fixed to the orbiting Mars Odyssey spacecraft. However, only readings that are accurate to within several hundred kilometers can be obtained. By comparing seasonal changes in thermal infrared patterns, detected by the same Odyssey spacecraft, [scientists] can make readings accurate to within just hundreds of meters."

2 of 66 comments (clear)

  1. Really interesting, but new technique? by tinkertim · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The TFA is just long enough to piss you off that its not longer and more detailed. You walk away with a picture of lakes and possibly oceans iced over and covered up by a few million years of space dust.

    Apparently, instead of using a spectrometer, he's comparing seasonal changes in thermal infrared patterns. It doesn't mention if he's comparing AGAINST spectrometer data, it doesn't mention how he's able to determine depth, and it doesn't mention why its any more accurate than just using a spectrometer.

    I could tell that someone who knows much less than I do about how to find water on mars wrote the article, and I know next to nothing on the subject. After reading TFA, I still know next to nothing on the subject.

    1. Re:Really interesting, but new technique? by tinkertim · · Score: 2, Interesting

      What do you want from the BBC

      I want the authors to pretend to show interest in the things that they author :) I think i'm annoyed at the total lack of any evidence that the reporter asked any questions at all.

      I can't expect everyone to get a twinkle in their eye if we come a little closer to colonizing other planets, but I can get pissed off occasionally when they don't I suppose, especially if its a reporter.

      Mars isn't the only place (hopefully) that these investigations will take place. You don't need to understand the technology to appreciate its usefulness and ask a few questions.

      But, good point. Its not (entirely) the BBC's fault.