Smooth-appearing slopes are found widely, often -- though not always -- on sun-facing slopes. I've often wondered whether the appearance is due to ice itself or to the sublimation and recondensation of ices under solar insolation. In other words, is there a low-hanging water or water-ice mist/fog on these slopes, or is it something else? So far as I know, there is no literature that explores the question, but there is so much literature, it can be quite a trial to sort thru. And I'm way behind!

If these slopes are actually icy exposures, it would be pretty astonishing. Evidence of surface ice outside the poles would be very exciting.

Impact craters can certainly expose underlying material. This was very evident to me at Meteor Crater in Arizona. But I just don't know what's happening on these slopes.

In some cases, I think we need a different model of how craters form on Mars. I'm nearly certain many are not impact structures.

Cheers, B R Felix