Liquid water reservoir reported under Mars polar cap

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The analysis is based on 29 radar profiles collected between May 2012 and December 2015. The identified region is about 20-km wide. The report acknowledges the results are consistent with with water or water-laden sediments. A brief discussion on the BBC (with no citations) asserted that temperatures are such that there must be substantial dissolved material to depress the freezing point that much.

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stefan r said:
Would concrete reflect as a "water-laden" material? Same question for lumber and clay?
I do not know the details of what would reflect radar of the wavelengths they used, but to me "water-laden sediments" carries a connotation of much more water than hydrated minerals. I heard Kathryn Sturman (geophysicist with the University of Texas) on http://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1285450307799 (starting at 11:49) say it might be more like an aquifer.

Sturman mentioned (and the Physics World summary) notes that the SHARAD data of the same region (which was higher frequency radar and would have penetrated as deep) failed to show water.