What's this then?

• by Duncanglister

  Can someone tell me what this is?

  Posted January 10, 2013 9:47 PM

• by AstroBaz in response to Duncanglister's comment.

  I wonder whether they are old lava channels from when Mars was more active but I dont really know for sure sorry. I presume you are talking about the vein like features?

  Posted January 10, 2013 10:17 PM

• by mschwamb scientist, translator

  Nicely spotted. Those 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 can learn more about what these features are here and here.
  Cheers,
  ~Meg

  Posted January 10, 2013 10:24 PM

• by GregS

  What is the scale? Are they radiating from a point (and getting narrower) or are they converging on a point? I wonder if these are more like extensional features from uplifted zones, maybe pingos?

  Posted January 10, 2013 10:35 PM