PIA05282: Polygons in Seasonal Frost

Target Name: Mars Is a satellite of: Sol (our sun) Mission: Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Spacecraft: Mars Global Surveyor Orbiter Instrument: Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) Product Size: 512 x 768 pixels (width x height) Produced By: Malin Space Science Systems Producer ID: MOC2-630 Full-Res TIFF: PIA05282.tif (393.8 kB) Full-Res JPEG: PIA05282.jpg (78.13 kB)

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Original Caption Released with Image: 8 February 2004 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a summertime scene in the south polar region of the red planet. A patch of bright frost--possibly water ice--is seen in the lower third of the image. Polygon patterns that have developed in the ice as it sublimes away can be seen; these are not evident in the defrosted surfaces, so they are thought to have formed in the frost. This image is located near 82.6°S, 352.5°W. Sunlight illuminates this scene from the upper left; the image covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi) wide. Image Credit: NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems Image Addition Date: 2004-02-08