Springtime on Mars

The Mars Express spacecraft has been photographing the Red Planet for eight years - and counting. Among other tasks, the craft is gathering evidence to help scientists evaluate whether there is - or ever was - life on Mars.

The vehicle, operated by the European Space Agency, recently sent back pictures from the Martian southern polar region. At the moment it is summer on Mars. The southern winter begins in March 2012, when the temperatures drop and more ice will accumulate.

In this color-coded image, the elevation of the Martian southern pole region drops by roughly 1,500 meters from south to north. Purple indicates the lowest lying regions with gray being the highest.

In this image, you can make out the cliff region of Ulyxis Rupes is a large cliff, as indicated here by arrows. South is to the left, north is to the right. North-facing cliffs show layers of ice and dust. There also are heavily-covered large ice deposits (box 2). Scientists aren't sure what yet to make of the parallel structures in the Martian dust seen in boxes 4 and 5. They say it is possible that they are the result of underlying ice deposits.

Buried ice deposits in the south polar region of Mars, close to Ulyxis Rupes.

Another view of ice deposits in the southern polar region of Mars.

Layers in these cliffs reveal buried ice deposits in the southern polar region of Mars.

A look at the Mars Express. Its solar panels deliver a maximum 650 Watts. The craft's maximum energy requirement is 500 Watts, which is the equivalent of five ordinary 100 Watt light bulbs.