Water ice in crater at Martian north pole

AI Thread Summary
A recent image reveals a 35-kilometer-wide crater at Mars' north pole containing a circular patch of residual water ice, which remains year-round due to stable temperature and pressure conditions. This ice is confirmed not to be frozen carbon dioxide, as such ice had vanished from the area by late summer. The crater is likely the result of an impact, raising questions about whether the ice could be remnants from the polar ice cap or deposited by a comet. Further studies are necessary to clarify the origins of the ice. Understanding this phenomenon could provide insights into Mars' climatic history.
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I havn't seen this posted here, but its a nice picture of ice on mars.

http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Mars_Express/SEMGKA808BE_0.html

The crater is 35 kilometres wide and has a maximum depth of approximately 2 kilometres beneath the crater rim. The circular patch of bright material located at the centre of the crater is residual water ice. This white patch is present all year round, as the temperature and pressure conditions do not favour the sublimation of water ice.

It cannot be frozen carbon dioxide since carbon dioxide ice had already disappeared from the north polar cap at the time the image was taken (late summer in the Martian northern hemisphere).

Is this the result of a comet hitting Mars and depositing the ice?
 
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the crate that this ice is sitting in is more than likey the result of an impact from some object. The ice itself can just just a patch that was once part of the Polar ice cap, but I'm nowhere near and expert so i can't say for sure. Further studies have to be done before anyone can say for sure.
 
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