do we know what is going on here

• by ben_richardson

  I'm very new to this can any one spread some light on this image ...?

  Posted January 10, 2013 11:12 PM

• by mschwamb scientist, translator

  Welcome to the site. Those swiggly looking lines are channels. They are carved into the surface of Mars by carbon dioxide gas trapped under the thawing carbon dioxide ice sheet on the south pole of Mars. You may also see dark blotches and fans in other images. Those are blotches and fans which are deposits of dust and dirt. They are produced by carbon dioxide geysers on the South pole of Mars which lofts the dust on to the top of the carbon dioxide ice sheet in the summer and fall in the Southern hemisphere. We want you to mark these with the blotch and fan tool. You can learn more about what these features are here and here.
  Cheers,
  ~Meg
  Cheers,
  ~Meg

  Posted January 10, 2013 11:23 PM