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Scientists believe Mars lander exposed ice crumbs

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-06-20 11:38

LOS ANGELES -- Scientists believe NASA's Phoenix Mars lander exposed bits of ice while digging in the soil of the Martian arctic in recent days.

This color image released by NASA and acquired by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander's Surface Stereo Imager on Friday, June 13, 2008, shows one trench informally called 'Dodo-Goldilocks' after two digs on June 12, by Phoenix's Robotic Arm. [Agencies]

Principal investigator Peter Smith said Thursday that crumbs of bright material seen in the trench have since vanished. He says that means it must have been frozen water that vaporized after being exposed.

Scientists had also considered whether the specks might be salt. Smith points out that salt wouldn't have vaporized.

The lander is on a mission to discover whether the polar environment could be favorable for primitive life to emerge.