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re: NASA: Definitely water on Mars
Robert Clark — (archived)

According to New Scientist, William Boynton suggested in the news conference that salts may have melted the ice in the soil to cause it to stick to the scoop:

Phoenix Mars lander 'tastes' first sample of water ice.
Updated 19:43 01 August 2008
"On 15 July, the team used a sort of drill called a rasp attached to the scoop to cut cores out of Snow White and collect the shavings in a compartment on the back side of the scoop. But when the scoop was turned upside down, the sample stuck to the walls inside. Martian salt may have melted the ice and made the soil sticky, says Boynton."
http://space.newscientist.com/article/dn14442-phoenix-mars-lander-tastes-first-sample-of-water-ice.html

Note that the ice just turning into a gas would not make the soil sticky. Keep in mind also that salts also depress the pressure requirements for liquid water as it does the temperature requirements.

Bob Clark

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