An illustrative picture of Mars.

Gulf Today Report

Researchers from Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory have discovered dozens of frozen lakes less than a mile under the surface of Mars, through data from the European Agency's Mars Express orbiter, and after analysing dozens of radar reflections around the south pole of the planet.

The researchers found the radar signals in an area of Mars known as the Antarctic sediments, home to water ice, dry ice and dust.

The icy south pole of Mars.

The researchers explained that there are many of these lakes in areas that are likely to be very cold; so that the water freezes, even with the presence of the salty minerals known as perchlorate, a fact that currently puzzles researchers.

"We're not sure if these signals are liquid or frozen water," study co-author Jeffrey Plott said in a statement.