This image was acquired by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander's Surface Stereo
Imager on the 31st Martian day of the mission, or Sol 31 (June 26, 2008),
after the May 25, 2008 landing. This image shows the trenches informally
called "Snow White 1" (left), "Snow White 2" (right), and within the Snow
White 2 trench, the smaller scraping area called "Snow White 3." The Snow
White 3 scraped area is about 5 centimeters (2 inches) deep. The dug and
scraped areas are within the diggiing site called "Wonderland."
The Snow White trenches and scraping prove that scientists can take
surface soil samples, subsurface soil samples, and icy samples all from
one unit. Scientists want to test samples to determine if some ice in the
soil may have been liquid in the past during warmer climate cycles.
The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf
of NASA. Project management of the mission is led by NASA's Jet Propulsion
Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin
Space Systems, Denver