This photo shows a portion of the north polar layered deposits. The photo was taken in northern spring so the deposits are still covered by carbon dioxide frost or ice.

However, the different layers of the deposit can still be seen from the variations in relief; in fact, the frost helps to accentuate the relief. If the layers in this deposit can be matched with layers in other areas, then the geometry of layering in the current northern polar cap can be better constrained.

These layered deposits are thought to be ice and dust deposits that record climate changes over thousands of years.

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.