Frozen Water and the Southern Pole

A team of research scientists based out of MIT have determined that the Southern Pole of Mars contains the largest deposit of frozen water in the inner solar system (besides Earth). It is important to note that they determined that water and not CO2 is the most abundant frozen liquid on Mars. A thin crust of CO2 rests above layers of dust and ice on the pole, and it was previously unknown if additional deposits of CO2 are present. Scientists were also suspicious since the atmosphere of Mars is composed of 95% CO2, it has been hypothesized that the polar caps were frozen CO2. Measurements of density were used to calculate the composition of the pole, which was found to be mostly frozen water with about 15% dust and silicate. Density data was gathered from topographic and gravitational data collected by 3 Mars orbiters.
Scientists are now wondering why much of the Southern pole is covered in a layer of dust, and why this dust only covers certain areas. A study is currently underway to determine the densities of the Northern pole.