Mars has glaciers consisting of frozen water

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Mars has belts of glaciers consisting of frozen water

Mars has distinct polar ice caps, but Mars also has belts of glaciers at its central latitudes in both the southern and northern hemispheres. A thick layer of dust covers the glaciers, so they appear as surface of the ground, but radar measurements show that underneath the dust there are glaciers composed of frozen water. New studies have now calculated the size of the glaciers and thus the amount of water in the glaciers. It is the equivalent of all of Mars being covered by more than one meter of ice. The results are published in the scientific journal, Geophysical Research Letter.

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[The Id3al Experience]

This is great news, The more we discover about Mars the more it seems the was close to earth in the past. I hope we do find some form of Microbe and see if life started to evolve but was unfortunately not enough time before the change in Mars environment.

Cheers Waspie!

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

Is it potable water though?

[+DieChecker]

That's quite a lot of water. Does this imply perhaps that Mars didn't loose its water into space? But that it simply froze into these glaciers?

[bubblykiss]

Is it potable water though?

My first thought was "finally, I can use Martian ice to cool my drinks because I am so sick of this boring Terrestrial ice".

[aquatus1]

And its actual ice ice? Not dry ice?

[Waspie_Dwarf]

And its actual ice ice? Not dry ice?

Apparently.

[Waspie_Dwarf]

That's quite a lot of water. Does this imply perhaps that Mars didn't loose its water into space? But that it simply froze into these glaciers?

No. This still does not account for all of Mars' missing water.

[Kiltedmusician]

If there's anything super valuable to human life and also heavy it's water so finding a supply of water on Mars is better than finding diamonds or maybe even helium 3. Trying to transport water to Mars over and over again to sustain a colony would be completely impractical.

[DONTEATUS]

Well Then Lets All Drink up ! Where did I leave that really Long Straw?

[Mentalcase]

Well Then Lets All Drink up ! Where did I leave that really Long Straw?

It's on Europa..

[cyclopes500]

After Mentalcase has bought the drinks and put the straw onto the tray, tell him to bring the Goddess Europa with him before he returns to Mars. That's if Zeus alias Jupiter doesn't mind being parted from the lady of course. Slap her bang into the middle of the lap belonging to Mars the god of war, and the result will be an atmosphere, a nice warm steamy wet ocean and a gravity pull that will bond the two lovers together forever.

[+Noteverythingisaconspiracy]

After Mentalcase has bought the drinks and put the straw onto the tray, tell him to bring the Goddess Europa with him before he returns to Mars. That's if Zeus alias Jupiter doesn't mind being parted from the lady of course. Slap her bang into the middle of the lap belonging to Mars the god of war, and the result will be an atmosphere, a nice warm steamy wet ocean and a gravity pull that will bond the two lovers together forever.

Speaking of Europa, it sure does have enough ice for a drink or two.

On a more serious note, this is good news for any manned mission to Mars. One of the problems with a manned mission to Mars is how to bring enough water to drink, air to breathe and fuel for the return home. A nice big glacier could solve all of those problems.

[Waspie_Dwarf]

A nice big glacier could solve all of those problems.

We've known there is frozen water on Mars for years. Plans to generate oxygen an fuel using Martain water long pre-date this discovery so from that point of view this discovery ill make little difference. However if this water ice is easy to access it may determine the best landing places for future missions.

[+Noteverythingisaconspiracy]

We've known there is frozen water on Mars for years. Plans to generate oxygen an fuel using Martain water long pre-date this discovery so from that point of view this discovery ill make little difference. However if this water ice is easy to access it may determine the best landing places for future missions.

I never said that the discovery of ice on Mars was new. It has been known for a long time that there was water at the poles and in the soil. What is new is that it might be more easily accesible.

[Waspie_Dwarf]

I never said that the discovery of ice on Mars was new.

I wasn't disagreeing with you, merely providing supplementary information.

[qxcontinuum]

in the same time we know for years Mars has huge reservoirs of water underground.