Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments
typodupeerror delete not in
  • Preferences

+-   Mars polar cap mystery solved-> on Monday September 22 2008, @10:09AM Matt_dk

Submitted by Matt_dk on Monday September 22 2008, @10:09AM
space
Matt_dk writes "Scientists are now able to explain why Mars's residual southern ice cap is misplaced, thanks to data from ESA's Mars Express spacecraft — the martian weather system is to blame. And so is the largest impact crater on Mars — even though it is nowhere near the south pole.

Like Earth, Mars has frozen polar caps, but unlike Earth, these caps are made of carbon dioxide ice as well as water ice. During the southern hemisphere's summer, much of the ice cap sublimates, a process in which the ice turns straight back into gas, leaving behind what is known as the residual polar cap. The problem is that while the winter cap is symmetrical about the south pole, the residual cap is offset by some three to four degrees."
Link to Original Source
submission
This discussion was created for logged-in users only, but now has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.

Mars polar cap mystery solved 0 Comments More /

 Full
 Abbreviated
 Hidden
More
Loading... please wait.
Search
They also serve who only stand and wait. -- John Milton

All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners. Comments are owned by the Poster. The Rest © 1997-2009 Geeknet, Inc.