[X] My Assistant

[climber]

I didn't read about an idea I had, so, may be you'll be interested to share your comments or point to me some references talking about it.
Idea : Ice, in the Polar caps keep the history of the atmosphere of planets. I was thinking that, by comparing Polar caps ice from both Earth and Mars that formed at the same time, we could deduce the behavior of the Sun. Did it gave less energy or if did the solar system crossed a dust cloud....?? I was particulary thinking of a recent period, 14 & 15 century when northern (Earth) hemisphere get a mini glaciation. The results are not very deep inside the ice and can eventualy be probed on Mars in a resonnable future. I don't think Phoenix will do it since it's not going THAT North.
Does it make sense to you or am I totaly wrong ?

[paxdan]

I was particulary thinking of a recent period, 14 & 15 century when northern (Earth) hemisphere get a mini glaciation.

The mini-ice age is well correlated* with the Maunder minimum period of reduced sunspot activity. No dust cloud required.

*correlation, of course, does not equal causation