There could be huge hidden ice masses on Mars, according to new data

There could be huge hidden ice masses on Mars, according to new data. The Medusae Fossae formation likely contains layers of dust and ice covered by a layer of dust and ash hundreds of meters thick, the European Space Agency said on Thursday.

If melted, the ice mass could fill the entire Red Sea – or cover Mars with a 1.5 to 2.7 meter deep layer of water.

The Medusae Fossae Formation (MFF) consists of several wind-shaped trains and lies at the transition between the high and low plains of Mars near the Martian equator. The formation is possibly the largest source of dust on the Red Planet and also one of the most extensive deposits.

During an initial investigation of the formation in 2007, researchers discovered massive deposits up to 2.5 kilometers deep. Although some data pointed to ice, scientists could not rule out that it was instead deposits of dust, volcanic ash or sediment.

When the area was re-examined using newer radar images from the ESA Mars Express probe, the scientists found that some deposits were as much as 3.7 kilometers thick. On the other hand, the shots were less compact than you would expect with dust.

“If the MFF were simply a giant pile of dust, given its depth, we would expect it to compress under its own weight,” says Andrea Cicchetti of the National Institute of Astrophysics in Italy. Even when modeling with ice-free materials, the formation properties were not revealed. “We need ice,” Cicchetti said.

Although Mars appears to be a fairly dry planet today, its surface shows plenty of evidence that water was once abundant, according to ESA. Massive ice deposits near the equator, such as those suspected in the formation, should have formed in an earlier climatic epoch. It was said that this would not be possible in the planet’s current climate.

The hidden ice could be important for future Mars missions: according to ESA, they need water and need to land near the equator, far away from the planet’s frigid polar ice caps or glaciers. “Unfortunately, the MFF deposits are covered in hundreds of meters of dust, making them inaccessible for at least the next few decades,” says ESA’s Colin Wilson. But every piece of ice helps build a better picture of where water once flowed on Mars and where it can be found today. (dabbing/sda/dpa)