Instruments NASA Mars Exploration [Video]

The Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons tool, called DAN for short, looks for telltale changes in the energies of neutrons released from Martian subsurface that indicate how much water is chemically bound in the soil or rocks.

Tech Specs

Main Job	Search for signs of water by measuring the hydrogen in the ground below. Detections of hydrogen may indicate the presence of water bound in minerals.
Location	On the aft-port-side of the rover “body.”
Capability	Measures subsurface hydrogen up to one meter (three feet) below the surface.
Sensitivity	Can detect water content as low as 1/10th of 1 percent.

Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN)

Detecting Subsurface Water: Water, whether liquid or frozen, absorbs neutrons more than other substances. The Detector of Albedo Neutrons on the Mars Science Laboratory rover will use this characteristic to search for subsurface ice on Mars.Download full image ›

One way to look for water on Mars is to look for …

Tags Green Energy, Hydrogen, Hydrogen Energy