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Nature 419, 350-351 (26 September 2002) | doi:10.1038/419350a

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Planetary science: Tracking the martian climate

Alan D. Howard

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Like Earth, Mars has experienced long-term fluctuations in climatic conditions. The cause of certain fluctuations is now identified as variation in the planet's astronomical behaviour.

In 1971, the Mariner 9 orbiter revealed extensive layered deposits on Mars at each pole at latitudes above 75°. Later spacecraft provided more detailed views of these deposits, which occur in both the northern and southern hemispheres as broad domes up to 2.