Phoenix craft to dig under Mars ice (landing planned 25 May)

[LowlyPion]

"It is with great pride and a lot of joy that I announce today that we have found proof that this hard bright material is really water ice and not some other substance," said Phoenix Principal Investigator Peter Smith of the University of Arizona, Tucson, during a Friday news briefing to announce the confirmation of water ice."
http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu/06_20_pr.php

Unfortunately though it looks like it evaporates pretty readily when exposed.

I see with the soil clumping, the analysis ovens need to be shaken and not stirred. If only they had thought to carry a sweep attachment for the arm along. Oh well ... maybe next trip?

 

[NYSportsguy]

Phoenix Mars Lander Finds Ice on Surface of Mars

Link:

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/techdigest/20080623/ttc-phoenix-lander-finds-ice-beneath-mar-e870a33.html

 

[blimkie.k]

another article

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080620.wmars0620/BNStory/Front/home

 

[LowlyPion]

From the Yahoo piece:

"Also impurities within the ice has the potential to tell us a great deal about the planet's climate history."

Now I understand how examining ice core samples here can yield useful seasonal climatological data about Earth because of the layering of the seasons and the various iridium layers and such that can be correlated with events that can otherwise offer correlation. This statement by the Yahoo article however looks a trifle misleading since Earth data comes from km deep core samples - not exactly within the means of the 10' arm and scoop - but more to the point absent any historical context to what may be discovered trapped - if indeed a 1% atmospheric pressure environment would trap much of anything useful besides dust.

Certainly it is an exciting start to scratch the surface and turn up water apparently, but I do worry about pumping expectations to discover anything at all like what has been surmised from Earth's polar ice.