News Space

Dry ice, wetter Mars

Newfound cache of frozen carbon dioxide could periodically thicken Red Planet’s atmosphere

By Ron Cowen

- More than 2 years ago

A newfound reservoir of dry ice on Mars suggests that the planet’s surface has been wetter in the relatively recent past, though not necessarily warmer than it is today.

CAPPED The thickness of a newfound reservoir of frozen carbon dioxide at Mars’ south polar cap varies from a few meters (blue) to more than 500 meters (red).