6 April 2006
This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows south polar mesas composed largely of solid carbon dioxide separated by generally circular depressions. The arcuate scarps, which delineate the mesas, retreat approximately 3 meters per Mars year (two Earth years), owing to sublimation which occurs primarily during the martian summer months.
Location near
: 86.9°S, 340.2°W
Image width
: ~3 km (~1.9 mi)
Illumination from
: upper left
Season
: Southern Summer
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 | 2006-04-07 | |
Date in Caption | 2006-04-06 | |
Image Credit | NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems | |
Source | photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA08055 | |
Identifier | PIA08055 |