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PIA04474: South Polar Ice Cap
 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:  540 x 810 pixels (w x h)
 Produced By:  Malin Space Science Systems
 Full-Res TIFF:  PIA04474.tif (415.7 kB)
 Full-Res JPEG:  PIA04474.jpg (56.69 kB)

Click on the image above to download a moderately sized image in JPEG format (possibly reduced in size from original)

Original Caption Released with Image:

MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-337, 21 April 2003

This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows the "swiss cheese" pattern of frozen carbon dioxide on the south polar residual cap. Observation of these materials over two Mars years has revealed that the scarps that bound the mesas and small buttes are retreating-the carbon dioxide ice is subliming away-at a rate of about 3 meters (3 yards) per Mars year in some places. The picture covers an area about 900 m (about 900 yards) wide near 87.1°S, 93.7°W. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the upper left.

Image Credit:
NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems

Image Addition Date:
2003-04-21