Swiss Cheese Like Landscape on Mars . ... Credit Copyright: Malin Space Science Systems , MGS , JPL , NASA Explanation: Why do parts of the south pole of Mars look like swiss cheese ? ... Since this swiss-cheese topography is unique to the polar cap covering southern Mars , exogeologists speculate that mesa composition might be high in frozen carbon dioxide ( dry ice ). ... In the above picture , the Martian surface is illuminated by sunlight from the upper right. ... NASA Official: Jay Norris. ...