On Earth, solar radiation can transmit down to multiple meters within ice, depending on its optical properties. Organisms within ice can harness energy from photosynthetically active radiation while being protected from damaging ultraviolet radiation. On Mars, the lack of an effective ozone shield allows approximately 30% more damaging ultraviolet radiation to reach the surface in comparison with Earth. However, new research shows that despite the intense surface ultraviolet radiation, there are radiatively habitable zones within ice in the Martian mid-latitudes, at depths ranging from a few centimeters for ice with 0.01-0.1% dust, and up to a few meters within cleaner ice.
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