PIA04655: Polygons in Martian Frost
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows a polygonal pattern developed in seasonal carbon dioxide frost in the martian southern hemisphere.
 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:  PIA04655.tif (438.1 kB)
 Full-Res JPEG:  PIA04655.jpg (108.8 kB)  

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Original Caption Released with Image:

MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-428, 21 July 2003

This June 2003 Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a polygonal pattern developed in seasonal carbon dioxide frost in the martian southern hemisphere. The frost accumulated during the recent southern winter; it is now spring, and the carbon dioxide frost is subliming away. This image is located near 80.4°S, 200.2°W; it is illuminated by sunlight from the upper left, and covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi) across.

Image Credit:
NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems

Image Addition Date:
2003-07-24