The Angustus Labyrinthus region near the south pole of Mars
The Angustus Labyrinthus region near the south pole of Mars
This vertical top view of Angustus Labyrinthus shows the diverse, sometimes exotic Martian landscapes at a latitude of around 80 degrees south. In winter, here, near the South Pole of Mars, the landscape is covered for many years by coarse-grained dry ice, which trickles out of the planet's atmosphere at temperatures as low as minus 130 degrees Celsius. In addition to the polygons of the 'Inca city' in the left (southern) third of the image, dark areas and patches are particularly striking. These presumably occur when the underlying ice, at its base, sublimates in the spring and the resulting carbon dioxide gas expands and creates pressure. The overlying ice cracks, and through it dark sands are pulled to the surface during the sudden gas eruption.
