Fact Sheet
'Muddy' Mars
This map of Mars shows how much water ice may be mixed with the top one-meter layer of soil across the planet. White and brown areas have little or no ice, green areas have a moderate amount, and blue and purple areas have the highest concentrations. The purple region at top is around the north polar ice cap. The map was generated from data produced by the 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft, which recently completed its primary mission after studying Mars from orbit for more than two years. Last week, NASA extended the craft's mission for another Mars year -- through September 2006. [Credit: NASA/JPL]
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