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Possible Water-Ice in a "fresh" Crater (CTX Frame - Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga - Lunexit Team)
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Previous HiRISE images of Fresh Craters in the Middle to High Northern Latitudes show exposed Water Ice on the Poleward-facing slopes. Here is another example.
The EDM shows an approx. 6 meters (20 feet) diameter Crater. Based on before and after images acquired by the Odyssey THEMIS and MRO CTX cameras, respectively, this Crater formed some time between April 2004 and January 2010.
The Crater is at a latitude of 44° North and is itself located on the ejecta of a larger crater. The image was acquired in early Summer, when frost at this latitude is not expected.
It is therefore believed that the bright blueish material that can be seen in the EDM is Subsurface Ice that was exposed by the impact.
This ice is probably at the same depth and has a similar origin to that excavated by the Phoenix Lander back in 2008. The area of exposed ice based on the HiRISE images is about 1-2 square meters (such as 10-20 square feet).
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