Jun 7, 2011 12:45 GMT  ·  By
Buried ice deposits in the south polar region of Mars, close to Ulyxis Rupes at about 72°S/162°E
   Buried ice deposits in the south polar region of Mars, close to Ulyxis Rupes at about 72°S/162°E

Spring has come at the Martian south pole, experts with the European Space Agency (ESA) announce. They say that their Mars Express orbiter has recently snapped some images of the region, which confirm that spring has indeed made its way into those frigid regions as well.

The goal of the scientific campaign conducted by the Mars Express was to provide a more insightful view into the evolution of ice at the planet's pole, as its climate was shifting to the warmer temperatures of summer.

Additionally, the view is also celebratory, since it was taken to mark Mars Express' eight anniversary in orbit around the Red Planet. It achieved orbital insertion on December 25, 2003, long before the NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) came along, on March 3rd, 2006.

Since then, it has conducted a thorough observations campaign of Mars, including a cast scientific components. The spacecraft also came in handy for helping out communications efforts between NASA and its Martian rovers, or the American-built Phoenix Mars Lander.

Each summer and winter, Mars Express is set in orbit in such a manner that it can image the Martian poles, and determine changes that may be taking place. This helps astronomers keep eye on the planet's climate over prolonged periods of time.

The location in this new image can be found about 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) from the actual south pole. Ices here are only about 500 meters thick, whereas further south they can reach a thickness of no less than 3.7 kilometers.

“About [67 percent] of the image is covered by part of the southern polar ice cap and other scattered ice deposits, near a feature known as Ulyxis Rupes,” ESA says in a press release accompanying the image.

“The left side of the image is dominated by the polar cap’s ice shield, which is covered by dark dusty material that hides the bright ices beneath,” the agency's statement goes on to sya.

“Just northward of the ice shield, about halfway across the image, there are large ice deposits that are heavily covered by overlying material blown into long dunes by the prevailing winds in this region,” the document adds.

Planetary scientists conclude that this must imply that winds come predominantly from the northwest. The further away scientists move from the Equator, the less ice they see. In the end, the stuff can only be found at the bottom of impact craters, where temperatures again plummet.