Geoscience Reference
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Fig. 8.7 ( To p )and( bottom ): Proportion of water ice present in the upper meter of the Martian
surface for lower ( top ) and higher ( bottom ) latitudes. The percentages are derived through
stoichiometric calculations based on epithermal neutron fluxes. These fluxes were detected by
the neutron spectrometer aboard the Mars Odyssey spacecraft ( http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/odyssey/
gallery/latestimages/20030724a.html - NASA/JPL-Caltech/LANL, 2003)
slowly degrading. A cover of debris is required both to explain the dull surfaces seen
in the images that do not reflect like ice and also to allow the patches to exist for
an extended period of time without subliming away completely. These patches have
been suggested as possible water sources for some of the enigmatic channelized
flow features like gullies also seen in those latitudes.
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