<p>On Earth we know of frozen carbon dioxide as "dry ice." If shaved, it could exist as "dry ice snow." On Mars the dry ice snow could precipitate, then become compressed into dry ice. It would probably be a stiffly packed granular solid.<br>
I had only heard of "water ice" on Mars. Check the article on kottke.org  Link:  <a href="https://kottke.org/18/12/a-massive-ice-filled-crater-on-mars" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://kottke.org/18/12/a-massive-ice-filled-crater-on-mars</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-26T23:39:31.140Z
2018-12-26T23:39:31.140Z
John Canon
<p>When carbon dioxide forms on Mars is it like ice or snow? How dense is newly formed solid carbon dioxide? Would more carbon dioxide form inside a pit vs a flat plain?</p>

<p><a href="https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/28232/how-thick-or-deep-does-solid-carbon-dioxide-accumulate-on-mars">How thick or deep does solid carbon dioxide accumulate on Mars?</a></p>

<p><a href="https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/31724/martian-carbon-dioxide-turbine-oxygen-generator">https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/31724/martian-carbon-dioxide-turbine-oxygen-generator</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-15T22:34:23.273Z
Snow is ice. I imagine that the ices of the poles have at least *some* texture to them—possibly snow-like. I mean, they can't possibly be mirror-smooth.
BenjaminF
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-16T00:39:21.070Z
It does snow dry ice on Mars, at least it was observed once on it's south pole.   https://www.space.com/17583-mars-snow-carbon-dioxide-discovery.html    A cool question - pun not intended.
userLTK
<planetary-atmosphere><mars><weather><thermodynamics>
What are the characteristics of solid carbon dioxide on the Martian poles?
Muze
# What are the characteristics of solid carbon dioxide on the Martian poles?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-12-15)

When carbon dioxide forms on Mars is it like ice or snow? How dense is newly formed solid carbon dioxide? Would more carbon dioxide form inside a pit vs a flat plain?

[How thick or deep does solid carbon dioxide accumulate on Mars?](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/28232/how-thick-or-deep-does-solid-carbon-dioxide-accumulate-on-mars)

<https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/31724/martian-carbon-dioxide-turbine-oxygen-generator>

**Tags:** planetary-atmosphere, mars, weather, thermodynamics

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Snow is ice. I imagine that the ices of the poles have at least *some* texture to them—possibly snow-like. I mean, they can't possibly be mirror-smooth.  
> **username_2**: It does snow dry ice on Mars, at least it was observed once on it's south pole.   https://www.space.com/17583-mars-snow-carbon-dioxide-discovery.html    A cool question - pun not intended.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-12-26. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

On Earth we know of frozen carbon dioxide as "dry ice." If shaved, it could exist as "dry ice snow." On Mars the dry ice snow could precipitate, then become compressed into dry ice. It would probably be a stiffly packed granular solid.  
I had only heard of "water ice" on Mars. Check the article on kottke.org Link: <https://kottke.org/18/12/a-massive-ice-filled-crater-on-mars>


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