This HiRISE image shows part of the central uplift of Moreux Crater, at about 42 degrees north of the equator.

In several parts of the image, the underlying topography appears mantled by a later deposit. This appears mostly in topographic lows and has lineations which suggest that it has flowed downslope, suggesting that this mantle may have been ice-rich.

In one point near the center of the image, some of this material appears detached in a local topographic minimum; however, this patch is still lineated. North of the image center there are several patches of dark material which appear smooth at low resolution (zoomed out). A closer look reveals that these areas are broken into polygonal patterns, which may be due to stresses created by temperature variations. Such polygons often indicate the presence of ground ice near the surface.

Sites like this provide a wealth of information about processes affecting the the surface of Mars.
Written by: Colin Dundas

All of the images produced by HiRISE and accessible on this site are within the public domain: there are no restrictions on their usage by anyone in the public, including news or science organizations. We do ask for a credit line where possible: Image: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corporation and is operated by the University of Arizona. The image data were processed using the U.S. Geological Survey’s ISIS3 software.