studies have shown that the ice located in the south pole of mars is mostly first - year ice.
studies have shown that the ice located in the south pole of mars is mostly?
first - year ice
between the viking and mars global surveyor missions, mars saw "much colder (10-20 k) global atmospheric temperatures were observed during the 1997 versus 1977 perihelion periods" and "that the global aphelion atmosphere of mars is colder, less dusty, and cloudier than indicated by the established viking climatology," with "generally colder atmospheric temperatures and lower dust loading in recent decades on mars than during the viking mission." the mars reconnaissance orbiter, though spanning a much shorter dataset, shows no warming of planetary average temperature, and a possible cooling. "mcs my 28 temperatures are an average of 0.9 (daytime) and 1.7 k (night- time) cooler than thermal emission spectrometer|tes]] my 24 measurements." locally and regionally, however, changes in pits in the layer of frozen carbon dioxide at the martian south pole observed between 1999 and 2001 suggest the south polar ice cap is shrinking. more recent observations indicate that mars' south pole is continuing to melt. "it's evaporating right now at a prodigious rate," says michael malin, principal investigator for the mars orbiter camera. the pits in the ice are growing by about 3 meters (9.8 ft) per year. malin states that conditions on mars are not currently conductive to the formation of new ice. a web site has suggested that this indicates a "climate change in progress" on mars. multiple studies suggests this may be a local phenomenon rather than a global one.
extraterrestrial atmosphere
section::::flora and fauna.









































due to its exceptionally harsh climate, there are no native resident plants or animals at the south pole. remarkably, though, off-course south polar skuas and snow petrels are occasionally seen there.









































in 2000 it was reported that microbes had been detected living in the south pole ice.









































section::::see also.









































bullet::::- list of antarctic expeditions









































bullet::::- north pole









































bullet::::- south pole telescope









































section::::external links.









































bullet::::- noaa south pole webcam









































bullet::::- 360° panoramas of the south pole









































bullet::::- images of this location are available at the degree confluence project









































bullet::::- south pole photo gallery
south pole