Media Information

 
 
 
Collection:
NASA Planetary Photo Journal Collection
Title:
Ice on Mars Utopia Planitia Again
Original Caption Released with Image:
This high-resolution color photo of the surface of Mars was taken by Viking Lander 2 at its Utopia Planitia landing site on May 18, 1979, and relayed to Earth by Orbiter 1 on June 7. It shows a thin coating of water ice on the rocks and soil. The time the frost appeared corresponds almost exactly with the buildup of frost one Martian year (23 Earth months) ago. Then it remained on the surface for about 100 days. Scientists believe dust particles in the atmosphere pick up bits of solid water. That combination is not heavy enough to settle to the ground. But carbon dioxide, which makes up 95 percent of the Martian atmosphere, freezes and adheres to the particles and they become heavy enough to sink. Warmed by the Sun, the surface evaporates the carbon dioxide and returns it to the atmosphere, leaving behind the water and dust. The ice seen in this picture, like that which formed one Martian year ago, is extremely thin, perhaps no more than one-thousandth of an inch thick.
Addition Date:
1997-02-28
Produced By:
JPL
Mission:
Viking
Spacecraft:
Viking Lander 2
Target Name:
Mars
Is a satellite of:
Sol (our sun)
Instrument:
Camera 1
Product Size:
478 samples x 512 lines
Primary Data Set:
Viking EDRs
Producer ID:
P21873
facet_what:
Sun
facet_what:
Earth
facet_what:
Mars
facet_what:
Viking
facet_what:
Viking 2 Lander
facet_what:
Camera 1
facet_where:
Mars
facet_where:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where:
Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
facet_where:
Utopia Planitia, Mars
facet_when:
May 18, 1979
facet_when_year:
1979
Image #:
PIA00571
UID:
SPD-PHOTJ-PIA00571
orignial url:

Ice on Mars Utopia Planitia Again