This oblique view of the sloping edge of the stack of icy layers over the South Pole has some interesting morphologies.

The slope appears to be eroding from a combination of landslides, block falls, and sublimation. The bright icy exposure in the larger landslide scar (upper right) suggests that this was a relatively recent event.

Small-scale textures over the scene are due to both blowing wind and the thermal expansion and contraction of shallow ice.

ID: ESP_013224_1080
date: 22 May 2009
altitude: 247 km

https://uahirise.org/hipod/ESP_013224_1080
NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona
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