Astonishing Glacier Surges

On May 29, 2019, Hi-RISE, the High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, caught this stunning avalanche. Also, the picture illustrates the north pole’s layers at this time of year. A rise in temperature causes ice to destabilize, which leads to blocks breaking away and spewing dust into the air.

Like this one shot in 2010, avalanches down high cliffs might be triggered by melting ice and frost much as on Earth when temperatures rise in the spring. Fast-moving glacier surges, another name for these gigantic ice avalanches, may hold the key to understanding Mars’ unusual geological characteristics.