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Collection:
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NASA Planetary Photo Journal Collection
Collection
NASA Planetary Photo Journal Collection
Collection
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Title:
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Ice on Mars Utopia Planitia Again
Title
Ice on Mars Utopia Planitia Again
Title
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Original Caption Released with Image:
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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.
Original_Caption_Rel eased_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.
Original Caption Released with Image
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Addition Date:
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1997-02-28
Addition_Date
1997-02-28
Addition Date
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Produced By:
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JPL
Produced_By
JPL
Produced By
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Mission:
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Viking
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Spacecraft:
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Viking Lander 2
Spacecraft
Viking Lander 2
Spacecraft
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Target Name:
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Mars
Target_Name
Mars
Target Name
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Is a satellite of:
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Sol (our sun)
Is_a_satellite_of
Sol (our sun)
Is a satellite of
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Instrument:
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Camera 1
Instrument
Camera 1
Instrument
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Product Size:
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478 samples x 512 lines
Product_Size
478 samples x 512 lines
Product Size
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Primary Data Set:
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Viking EDRs
Primary_Data_Set
Viking EDRs
Primary Data Set
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Producer ID:
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P21873
Producer_ID
P21873
Producer ID
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facet_what:
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Sun
facet_what
Sun
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Earth
facet_what
Earth
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Mars
facet_what
Mars
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Viking
facet_what
Viking
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Viking 2 Lander
facet_what
Viking 2 Lander
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Camera 1
facet_what
Camera 1
facet_what
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facet_where:
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Mars
facet_where
Mars
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
facet_where
Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Utopia Planitia, Mars
facet_where
Utopia Planitia, Mars
facet_where
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facet_when:
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May 18, 1979
facet_when
May 18, 1979
facet_when
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facet_when_year:
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1979
facet_when_year
1979
facet_when_year
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Image #:
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PIA00571
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UID:
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SPD-PHOTJ-PIA00571
UID
SPD-PHOTJ-PIA00571
UID
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orignial url:
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orignial_url
orignial url
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