PIA05951: High Latitude Polygons


High Latitude Polygons

Caption:

21 September 2004
This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows polygon patterned ground in the south polar region near 82.0°S, 90.8°W. Polygons are fairly common at high latitudes in both martian hemispheres, but they do not occur everywhere. On Earth, features such as these would be good indicators of the presence and freeze-thaw cycles of ground ice. On Mars, the same might (emphasis on might ) also be true. This image covers an area approximately 3 km (1.9 mi) across and is illuminated by sunlight from the upper left. Seasonal frost enhances the contrast in the scene; the darkest areas have advanced the farthest in the springtime defrosting process.

Cataloging Keywords:

Name Value Additional Values
Target Mars
System
Target Type Planet
Mission Mars Global Surveyor (MGS)
Instrument Host Mars Global Surveyor
Host Type Orbiter
Instrument Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC)
Detector
Extra Keywords Grayscale
Acquisition Date
Release Date 2004-09-21
Date in Caption 2004-09-21
Image Credit NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems
Source photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA05951
Identifier PIA05951