Tag Archives: south polar residual cap

HiRISE: Dramatic changes over the south polar cap

The south polar residual cap of carbon dioxide ice rapidly changes. This image was planned as an almost exact match to the illumination and viewing angles of a previous one we took in August 2009. The pits have all expanded … Continue reading

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

HiRISE: The changing climate of Mars

A story of changes in the climate of Mars is told by icy deposits. Remnants of a formerly extensive deposit composed of dry ice layered together with dust and water ice form what is known as the south polar residual … Continue reading

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , | Comments Off

HiRISE: Dramatic changes over the south polar residual cap

The South Polar residual cap is composed of carbon dioxide ice that persists through each Martian summer. However, it is constantly changing shape. The slopes get more direct illumination at this polar location, so they warm up and sublimate, going … Continue reading

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off

HiRISE: Thousands of spiders on Mars

As part of the Planet Four citizen science effort, volunteers searched Context Camera images for possible new locations on Mars with “spiders,” or features with radial troughs from which fans emanate in the springtime. We planned this HiRISE image over … Continue reading

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

HiRISE: On the intricacies of carbon dioxide ice

On the intricacies of carbon dioxide ice. Measuring the mass balance of what we call the residual South Polar cap (RSPC) has important climatic implications. This image was requested to detect any vertical changes compared to earlier observations. Beautiful Mars … Continue reading

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

HiRISE: Patterns unique, yet familiar

This close-up image gives the impression of looking like bacterial cells and their internal structures which travel and split in the process of life. These features are fractal in nature: the same image is preserved through different scales, with the … Continue reading

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

THEMIS: South polar textures as local summer ends

THEMIS Image of the Day, June 8, 2017. This VIS image of the south pole was taken at the end of summer. Frost will soon start to form as the season transitions into fall. Fall in the southern hemisphere means … Continue reading

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

THEMIS: Pages from the south polar climate history book

THEMIS Image of the Day, February 22, 2017. Today’s VIS image shows part of the south polar cap. It is now summer in the region and the surface frosts are gone. The layers of ice comprising the cap are now … Continue reading

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

HiRISE: South polar residual ice cap

At the south polar residual cap. Beautiful Mars series.

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

HiRISE: Monitoring the south polar residual cap

That distant polar shore. Monitoring the south polar residual cap. Beautiful Mars series.

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off