South Polar Layered Deposits

Scaled Image

Image Credit: NASA/JPL/ASU

About this image

Similar to ice cores taken from Greenland and Antarctica, Mars also has fine-scale layered deposits in both the north and south polar regions. In this image from the south pole, alternating light and dark bands represent varying amounts of dust or sand mixed in with carbon dioxide ice. These layers are related in part to climate cycles caused by variations in the tilt of Mars' rotational axis, as well as other orbital variations that occur on geologic time scales (tens of thousands of years).

Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images. 

Context

Image ID: 
V06607005 (View data in Mars Image Explorer)
-80.1264
260.35
6607
2003-06-11 03:23
Thu, 2003-07-17
VIS
1024 pixels (17 km)
3648 pixels (62 km)
0.017032 km/pixel
0.017156 km/pixel

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