Abstract
Water plays a unique role in our solar system. Its presence in liquid form is a prerequisite for the development of life. In solid form, it is ubiquitous, occurring on many planetary bodies from Mercury to Pluto. On Earth, variations in polar and snow‐covered regions are related to processes of global change and climate trends. Snow‐covered areas control land surface albedo and thus radiation balance and are a major contributor to water resources in arid and semi‐arid regions of the world. In space, spectacular images of Europa suggest the crust of that moon was once mobile with blocks of ice rafting over an internal ocean that may or may not still be present. Ice on Mars plays a central role in climate history and its abundance is critical in the assessment of the water inventory of that planet.
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