PIA04670: South Polar Scarps

Target Name: Mars Is a satellite of: Sol (our sun) Mission: Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Spacecraft: Mars Global Surveyor Orbiter Instrument: Mars Orbiter Camera Product Size: 540 samples x 810 lines Produced By: Malin Space Science Systems Full-Res TIFF: PIA04670.tif (433.7 kB) Full-Res JPEG: PIA04670.jpg (69.98 kB)

Original Caption Released with Image: MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-438, 31 July 2003 The terrain of the south polar residual ice cap, made up mostly of frozen carbon dioxide, has come to be known by many as "swiss cheese terrain," because many areas of the cap resemble slices of swiss cheese. However, not all of the south polar cap looks like a tasty lunch food. This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a series of curving scarps formed by erosion and sublimation of carbon dioxide from the south polar cap. This area is located near 86.3°S, 51.2°W. The image is illuminated by sunlight from the upper left; the area is about 1.5 km (0.9 mi) wide. Image Credit: NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems