Scientists have long been intrigued by the glaciers on Mars, once believed to be primarily composed of rocky rubble with just a small amount of ice. However, new findings are challenging this view, revealing that many of the planet’s glaciers are over 80% pure ice.
80% Pure Ice Found Beneath the Surface
The findings, published in the journal Icarus, came from radar surveys conducted by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The orbiter’s SHARAD instrument beams radar waves into the Martian surface, allowing researchers to analyze the glaciers’ subsurface composition. For years, scientists had assumed that glaciers on Mars were mostly made up of rocky debris, with a thin coating of ice. However, this new research suggests that the ice content is far higher than previously thought.
The team, led by Yuval Steinberg, a graduate student at Israel’s Weizmann Institute of Science, analyzed radar data from five debris-covered glaciers scattered across both hemispheres of the Red Planet.
The results were surprising. All of the glaciers, whether located near the equator or closer to the poles, displayed nearly identical electrical signatures. This consistency indicates that the glaciers are made up of at least 80% ice by volume, with a thin layer of debris on top, which helps insulate the ice from the planet’s harsh conditions.
Understanding Mars’ icy past
The presence of large glaciers composed mostly of pure ice suggests that Mars has experienced sustained glaciation over millions of years. This means the planet likely underwent multiple ice ages, each of which left behind glaciers composed of snow and frost. The findings provide crucial information about Mars’ climate history, especially the conditions under which these glaciers formed and how they were preserved over time.
Mars today is an arid planet, with little water on its surface and an atmosphere too thin to support liquid water. However, scientists believe that in the past, the planet had enough moisture in the atmosphere to produce significant snowfall. The thick layers of ice beneath the debris are thought to have been buried by dust storms, preserving them for hundreds of millions of years.
A water source for future missions
Beyond its scientific importance, this discovery holds great promise for future missions to Mars. One of the key challenges for astronauts is the need for water, which is essential for drinking, oxygen production, and rocket fuel. Extracting water from ice on Mars is a logical solution, but it is easier said than done if the ice is mixed with rocks or other debris. The new findings suggest that many of Mars’ glaciers are made up of nearly pure ice.
With glaciers located across various terrains, they present promising sites for future human outposts. The study suggests that these ice-rich glaciers could serve as valuable resources for future explorers, providing not only water but also critical insights into Mars’ climate and potential habitability.
