Planet Four Talk

Rows of fans

  • Cartervilla by Cartervilla

    4 clear rows of fans

    Posted

  • Portyankina by Portyankina scientist

    You are looking at the area completely covered by CO2 ice. In spring, when jets are about to erupt this ice layer is subject to high amount of stress under which it finally fractures by forming long, often linear, cracks. Pressured CO2 from underneath the ice layer  finds these cracks and escapes through them. If it brings along some dust, it creates the fans that we observe here.
    Anya

    Posted