Ice geysers 'discovered on Mars'

[DoYouEverWonder]

20 August 2006



Geysers spewing sand and dust hundreds of feet into the air have been discovered on Mars, scientists say.

Images from a camera orbiting Mars have shown the 100mph jets of carbon dioxide erupt through ice at the planet's south pole, Arizona State University says.

The orbiting camera, called the Thermal Emission Imaging System (Themis), is on the Mars Odyssey probe.

The geyser debris leaves dark spots, fan-like markings and spider-shaped features on the ice cap.

The scientists said geysers erupted when sunlight warming the ice turned frozen carbon dioxide underground into high-pressure gas.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5268892.stm

[Vidar]

1. Very cool.

[Gman]

2. Martian global warming?

[Pab Sungenis]

3. Why do you think Mars is so desolate?

Actually, global warming on Mars would be about the only thing keeping the temperature out of the "cold as hell" range. It is considerably further from the sun than the Earth, and remarkably temperate for its distance.

I remember years ago, some NASA types had worked out a plan to terraform Mars over a century or so. Part of it was to use low-water plants to increase the concentration of oxygen in the atmosphere, and weed out some of the carbon dioxide. If Mars has CO2 geysers, it may not be possible (or at least less feasible).

[Gman]

6. I admit it...

I hate Mars!

[Javaman]

8. I'm totally "Mars-out" myself, I mean if it's so great

why doesn't it have life?

I hate Mars' freedom.

[Javaman]

4. Because the Martian republican Senate refused to believe in

global warming.

[Acadia Blue]

5. Good answer.

[dipsydoodle]

7. If you wuz english

an ice geezer would be person who sells what you call popsicles - ice lollies to us. :)

[Hard_Work]

9. M.A.R.S.

Mars, bitches!
-Dave Chapelle as Black Bush

[bloom]

10. That is awesome. nt