Polar Pit Gullies (PSP_004988_1085).
"What is particularly interesting about these gullies is that some might be forming (see subimage, approximately 800 meters across, of the south-facing gullies in the bottom pit; 1590 x 1445; 7 MB). The gullies on this wall have incised alcoves, but only a few have well-developed channels.
"This could be a region of current gully formation. Aiding this hypothesis is the fact that there are a couple of depressions between the visible gullies, suggestive of a developing gully where water and/or material removed from under the surface caused the overlying ground to collapse. It is also possible that water originating on the surface is carving out these depressions, although it is difficult to melt water ice at the temperatures found in this particular location."
http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/PSP_004988_1085
Some TES temperature readings of the Mars south polar region show temperatures might reach the melting point even as far south as this Hirise image, 71S latitude.
See the images here:
Mars-Ice.org Consortium : All About Ice:
http://www.mars-ice.org/_more/about/sphistory.php
The third image on the 1st row shows south polar temperatures during Nov 27-29,1999, late southern Spring:Day_Temp(!Uo!NC).gif)
The second white circle from the center in this image is at 70S latitude. Notice that some parts at this latitude are at 0 C temperature. This was during southern spring. It may be during Summer the temperatures are even higher.
And an animation showing the temperature change at the south pole over time on this page also shows some portions at 70S latitude reached 0 C temperature during November, 1999:
South Polar Cap Recession.
http://www.mars-ice.org/_more/about/sp99.php
Bob Clark
Polar pit gullies currently forming?
