This interesting image from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter’s HiRISE camera shows a field of fascinating dunes called dune dunes.
These dunes formed along a cliff in Chasma Boreale, at the North Pole of Mars.
The High Resolution Imaging Experiment, or HiRISE, is a powerful camera that takes pictures that see objects as small as a desk from orbit.
The image here shows an area less than 1 kilometer (under a mile) in diameter, and MRO was about 197 kilometers above the surface when the image was taken.
HiRISE scientists say barchan dunes are common on both Earth and Mars.
These dunes are usually very distinctive in shape and are important because they can tell scientists about the environment in which they formed and the direction of winds in a particular location.
Dunes form in sandy areas where winds blow in one dominant direction. This creates a crescent-shaped sand dune. The arcs of sand that define barchan dunes end in “horns” that point downwind as the sand is blown into ridges and slopes.
Many times this forms a shape that looks like the Star Trek logo from above.
These curious chevron shapes in the southeastern part of Hellas Planitia are the result of a complex history of dunes, lava and wind. (NASA/JPL-Caltech/UArizona)
The winds at the north pole of Mars must be spinning in different directions because the dunes shown above are not shaped in the classic crescent, chevron shape.
The image was taken using a red-green-blue filter on the camera, which gives the sand a blue appearance.
The HiRISE camera operates in visible wavelengths, the same as the human eye, but with a telescopic lens, making it one of the highest resolution cameras in space right now.
These high-resolution images allow scientists to distinguish objects as small as 1 meter (about 3 feet) on Mars and study the surface structure in a much more comprehensive way than any other Mars mission.
(NASA/JPL-Caltech/UArizona)
HiRISE also makes observations at near-infrared wavelengths to obtain information about the minerals present.
MRO has been orbiting Mars since 2006, and the mission’s longevity means planetary scientists can track changes over time.
The purpose of taking a flagship image is for the team to track seasonal changes in this region over time.
This article was originally published by Universe Today. Read the original article.
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