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SETI Institute
SETI Institute
@setiinstitute@mastodon.social  ·  activity timestamp 22 hours ago

#PPOD: In this HiRISE image of #Mars, many sand dunes are visible. They have an elongated crescent form and are called "barchan dunes." They are formed by the continuous action of the wind, blowing in the same direction, giving this particular shape.

The orientation of these dunes tells us that the prevailing wind blows from the right to the left (east to west). The wind continuously moves sand grains up the longer dune slope towards the top.

#space #science #planetaryscience

Orbiter image taken of the surface of Mars, showing several large Barchan dunes (nearly pointed arches) with the narrow ends to the right. The ground around the dunes is cracked and dry and seen in shades of tan and pale blue.
Orbiter image taken of the surface of Mars, showing several large Barchan dunes (nearly pointed arches) with the narrow ends to the right. The ground around the dunes is cracked and dry and seen in shades of tan and pale blue.
Orbiter image taken of the surface of Mars, showing several large Barchan dunes (nearly pointed arches) with the narrow ends to the right. The ground around the dunes is cracked and dry and seen in shades of tan and pale blue.
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SETI Institute
SETI Institute
@setiinstitute@mastodon.social  ·  activity timestamp 22 hours ago

The small ripples on the slope are caused by this movement. When the sand grains arrive at the top, they fall down the steeper and shorter slope, which, as a consequence, has no ripples. It is this gradual sand movement that causes the dunes to slowly move over time.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona

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