Originally Posted By: Mike Kremer


"It must be Martian ice" said Phoenix Principal Investigator Peter Smith, after the white lumps scooped up with the soil disappeared (sublimated or melted). They thought it could be salt, but salt dosn't melt.

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It seems that ice is pretty hard, and the scoop can't cut into it. (Seems they did'nt think about that? They should have fitted the scoop with a sharp pick)

http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu/06_19_pr.php

Hopefully we will see some 'before and after' melt pictures soon