Planum Australe [SEP] located on astronomical body
Planum Australe
Planum Australe (Latin: "the southern plain") is the southern polar plain on Mars. It extends southward of roughly 75°S and is centered at . The geology of this region was to be explored by the failed NASA mission Mars Polar Lander, which lost contact on entry into the Martian atmosphere.
In July 2018, scientists reported the discovery, based on MARSIS radar studies, of a subglacial lake on Mars, below the southern polar ice cap, and extending sideways about , the first
known stable body of water on the planet.
Ice cap.
Planum Australe is partially covered by a permanent polar ice cap composed of frozen water and carbon dioxide about 3 km thick. A seasonal ice cap forms on top of the permanent one during the Martian winter, extending from 60°S southwards. It is, at the height of winter, approximately 1 meter thick. It is possible that the area of this ice cap may be shrinking due to localized climate change. Claims of more planetwide global warming