Dust deposits on seasonal ice
Dust deposits on seasonal ice
Australe Scopuli is a hilly polar landscape where deposits of water and carbon dioxide ice (CO₂) alternate with darker sand. Thin lines and circular formations clearly reveal the layered nature of these sediments. In the colour view captured by Mars Express, faint orange tones appear in the northern part of the image (right side; the north-south extent of the scene is approximately 330 kilometres). These tones are caused by reddish Martian dust blown on to the ice surface. In contrast, the left side of the image is dominated by numerous dark fan-shaped deposits, which appear here as small, thin spots. These fans are aligned with the prevailing winds and range in length from a few dozen metres to several hundred metres. The fan-shaped structures only emerge at the end of the austral winter in Australe Scopuli.
