PIA08461: Outer Dregs


Outer Dregs

Caption:

15 May 2006
This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows the very edge of the south polar residual cap of Mars. The bright areas, which appear somewhat like pieces of sliced Swiss cheese, are composed mainly of frozen carbon dioxide. The scarps around the edges of the carbon dioxide mesas have been retreating at a rate of roughly 3 meters (~3 yards) per martian year; in this case, exposing a darker surface that lies below.

Location near : 85.4°S, 88.6°W
Image width : ~3 km (~1.9 mi)
Illumination from : upper left
Season : Southern Summer

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 2006-05-15
Date in Caption 2006-05-15
Image Credit NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems
Source photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA08461
Identifier PIA08461