<p>I can't be sure, but I strongly suspect that the radial lines in the first two images are the result of a bug in the software used to draw the map, probably resulting from vector polygons that are described in an inappropriate coordinate system going around, or too close to, the south pole.</p>

<p>It's impossible to guess at the meaning of the blue lines in the third image without any caption or context, but from referring back to your link for the article that you took it from, my guess would be that the lines show the tracks of the flights that gathered the data. </p>

<p>No, they are not related to each other.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-25T07:20:20.240Z
Okay I really appreciate your insight. The first one reminded me of what I saw in the question [strange artifacts seen in 3D view of script-animated high-poly mesh](https://blender.stackexchange.com/q/38057/5334) and the second one is obviously deliberate, so I think you are probably right. I think it's strange SpaceX would leave a problem like that through multiple video releases, but I suppose they have more challenging issues to worry about. Thanks for your answer!
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-25T06:56:51.403Z
2018-05-25T06:56:51.403Z
Semidiurnal Simon
<p>In <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_0GgKfwCSk" rel="nofollow noreferrer">the video</a> of the recent Iridium-6/GRACE-FO launch at about <code>T+ 33:00</code> (curently at <code>49:00</code> in the video) the 2nd stage passes over Antarctica and this is shown in the animation.</p>

<p>I noticed a strange pattern of radial lines drawn on Antarctica, presumably near the South Pole. I remembered seeing these before and assumed them to be some kind of graphics glitch, until I saw something similar in the BBC News article <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-44245893" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Giant canyons discovered in Antarctica</a>.</p>

<p>Are the patterns in the two images related, and what do they mean?</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/FD6NY.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/FD6NY.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/G1A9U.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/G1A9U.jpg" alt="Screen Shot SpaceX Iridium-6 GRACE-FO"></a></p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/RYmlE.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/RYmlE.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-25T21:05:09.357Z
The +/-180 meridian is in the area. It looks like there are small polygons there. Possibly not built correctly as islands/holes/doughnuts or whatever so they're "zinging" to the south pole.
mkennedy
<mapping><antarctica><satellite-oddities>
What are these radial line patterns shown in representations of antarctica?
uhoh
# What are these radial line patterns shown in representations of antarctica?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-05-25)

In [the video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_0GgKfwCSk) of the recent Iridium-6/GRACE-FO launch at about `T+ 33:00` (curently at `49:00` in the video) the 2nd stage passes over Antarctica and this is shown in the animation.

I noticed a strange pattern of radial lines drawn on Antarctica, presumably near the South Pole. I remembered seeing these before and assumed them to be some kind of graphics glitch, until I saw something similar in the BBC News article [Giant canyons discovered in Antarctica](http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-44245893).

Are the patterns in the two images related, and what do they mean?

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/FD6NY.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/FD6NY.jpg)

[![Screen Shot SpaceX Iridium-6 GRACE-FO](https://i.sstatic.net/G1A9U.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/G1A9U.jpg)

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/RYmlE.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/RYmlE.jpg)

**Tags:** mapping, antarctica, satellite-oddities

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: The +/-180 meridian is in the area. It looks like there are small polygons there. Possibly not built correctly as islands/holes/doughnuts or whatever so they're "zinging" to the south pole.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-05-25. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

I can't be sure, but I strongly suspect that the radial lines in the first two images are the result of a bug in the software used to draw the map, probably resulting from vector polygons that are described in an inappropriate coordinate system going around, or too close to, the south pole.

It's impossible to guess at the meaning of the blue lines in the third image without any caption or context, but from referring back to your link for the article that you took it from, my guess would be that the lines show the tracks of the flights that gathered the data.

No, they are not related to each other.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Okay I really appreciate your insight. The first one reminded me of what I saw in the question [strange artifacts seen in 3D view of script-animated high-poly mesh](https://blender.stackexchange.com/q/38057/5334) and the second one is obviously deliberate, so I think you are probably right. I think it's strange SpaceX would leave a problem like that through multiple video releases, but I suppose they have more challenging issues to worry about. Thanks for your answer!  

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