Jesús Martínez Frías
Planetary geologist and astrobiologist at the IGEO (CSIC-UCM). Academician of the Royal Academies of Sciences and Doctors of Spain. President of the Planetary Geology Commission of the Geological Society of Spain and of the Spanish Network of Planetology and Astrobiology.
It is a very interesting and high quality study that combines different aspects: basically ice, atmosphere, radiation and astrobiological potential, considering comparative modelling on Mars and Earth.
Although some previous studies had already partially addressed this issue, usually the more experimental investigations, carried out theoretically or in planetary environment simulation chambers, had focused on determining the capacity of the Martian regolith to act as a radiation shield.
This work goes further by considering and carrying out a more complex and global analysis, taking into account potentially analogous Earth-Mars zones for modelling experiments, specifically in Greenland.
This study opens, on the one hand, real new perspectives on the possibility of finding habitable areas on Mars, consistent with those of terrestrial photosynthetic organisms, from the radiation point of view. On the other hand, it also considers the problems linked to low temperatures and the existence of liquid water.
The implications of this study are both geological and astrobiological in the Martian cryosphere and should be considered in future robotic or human missions to the red planet.
The study is very well structured and developed. It would be interesting to deepen these topics by covering similar analyses and modelling at different Martian latitudes and complementing them with other mineralogical and geochemical aspects.