What are the viens on the surface?

• by paulsan77

  Posted January 8, 2013 10:12 PM

• by paulsan77

  I have seen them on a few photos now

  Posted January 8, 2013 10:13 PM

• by mschwamb scientist, translator

  These veins in the images are what we call "spiders" or araneiform . We're looking at the south pole of Mars where is an ice sheet of carbon dioxide on the surface. In the spring/ summer when the sun come up the sun heats the base of the ice sheet the ice sublimates on the bottom creating carbon dioxide gas that carves these channels or spider-like features. If the gas can exploit through cracks in the ice sheet the gas escapes into the atmosphere bringing along dust and dirt to the surface that we think get blown by surface binds into the beautiful fans we ask to mark or if no wind the blotches we ask you to map.
  Cheers,
  ~Meg

  Posted January 8, 2013 10:37 PM