PIA07945: Spring Defrosting
 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:  768 x 1187 pixels (w x h)
 Produced By:  Malin Space Science Systems
 Producer ID:  MOC2-1089
 Full-Res TIFF:  PIA07945.tif (912.8 kB)
 Full-Res JPEG:  PIA07945.jpg (136.2 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:

12 May 2005
This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows defrosting south high latitude dunes. In late winter and into the spring season, dark spots commonly form on dunes and other surfaces as seasonal carbon dioxide begins to sublime away.

Location near: 59.3°S, 343.3°W
Image width: ~2 km (~1.2 mi)
Illumination from: upper left
Season: Southern Spring

Image Credit:
NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems

Image Addition Date:
2005-05-12