AGU: Geophysical Research Letters

 

Editors' Highlight

Windy Mars revealed through camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter

The surface of Mars is heavily influenced by wind-driven processes. The High resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter provides new views of Mars's wind-driven geology because of its ability to see features less than half a meter in size. Bridges et al. (2007) studied images from HiRISE to observe current sand movement on the surface of Mars. The authors saw evidence of recent bedform development, and found that dunes and ripples exhibit complex surfaces down to the limits of imaging resolution. Wind-scoured ridges, called yardangs, have diverse textures, some with noticeable horizontal and cross-cutting layers and others containing blocky material. At high elevations, the surface exhibits "reticulate" textures, characterized by a fine-scale polygonal morphology. The authors expect that future images will give insight into wind-driven processes currently on Mars and potentially provide information on past Martian environments.

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