Beautiful dunes on Mars, sculpted by swirling winds

This attention-grabbing picture from the HiRISE digital camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter reveals a area of fascinating dunes known as barchan dunes. These dunes have fashioned alongside a cliff in Chasma Boreale, within the North Pole of Mars.

The Excessive-Decision Imaging Experiment, or HIRISE is a robust digital camera takes footage that see options as small as a desk from orbit. The picture right here reveals an space lower than 1 km (beneath a mile) throughout and MRO was about 197 km above the floor when the picture was taken.

HiRISE scientists say that barchan dunes are widespread on each Earth and Mars. Normally, these dunes are very distinctive in form, and are necessary as a result of they will inform scientists concerning the surroundings through which they fashioned and the route of the winds at a selected location.

Barchans type in sandy areas the place winds blow in a single dominant route. This creates a crescent-shaped sand dune. The arcs of sand that outline the barchan dunes finish in “horns” that time downwind, whereas sand is blown into crests and slopes. Many occasions, this varieties a form that, from above, appears to be like just like the Star Trek insignia.

The winds on the Martian North Pole should swirl in numerous instructions as a result of the dunes proven above aren’t formed within the basic crescent, chevron form. The picture was taken utilizing the red-green-blue filter on the digital camera, giving the sand a blue look.

The HiRISE digital camera operates in visible wavelengths, the identical as human eyes, however with a telescopic lens that makes it one of many highest decision cameras at the moment in space. These high-resolution images allow scientists to differentiate 1-meter-size (about 3-foot-size) objects on Mars and to review the surface structure in a way more complete method than another Mars mission.

HiRISE additionally makes observations at near-infrared wavelengths to acquire info on the minerals current. MRO has been in Mars orbit since 2006, and the longevity of the mission means planetary scientists can observe adjustments over time. The aim for taking the lead picture is for the workforce to trace for seasonal adjustments on this area over time.