More Pictures of Martian Soil with Ice

The Surface Stereo Imager on NASA’s Phoenix Mars Lander took this false color image on Oct. 21, 2008, during the 145th Martian day, or sol, since landing. The white areas seen in these trenches are part of an ice layer beneath the soil.

The trench on the upper left, called “Upper Cupboard,” is about 60 centimeters (24 inches) long and 3 centimeters (1 inch) deep. The trench in the middle, called “Ice Man,” is about 30 centimeters (12 inches) long and 3 centimeters (1 inch) deep. The trench on the right, called “La Mancha,” is about 31 centimeters (12 inches) and 5 centimeters (2 inches) deep.

Image NASA/JPL-Caltech//University of Arizona/Texas A&M University

~ by aspoeth on November 9, 2008.