Tag Archives: sand ripples

The transition between sand ripples and megaripples on Mars

Posted on May 22, 2019 by rburnham

[Editor’s note: From a paper by James Zimbelman recently published in Icarus.] The transition between sand ripples and megaripples on Mars • HiRISE images of small sand dunes and megaripples in Gamboa and Matara craters on Mars suggest that there … Continue reading →

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Curiosity update: Back to work after a weekend at the beach

Posted on May 22, 2019 by rburnham

Sol 2413, May 20, 2019, update by MSL scientist Mariah Baker: After spending the weekend playing in the sand of a nearby ripple field, Curiosity is back on the move, searching for our next drill target. Since nothing in our … Continue reading →

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Curiosity update: Grains, up close!

Posted on May 20, 2019 by rburnham

Sols 2410-12, May 20, 2019, update by MSL scientist Susanne Schwenzer: Curiosity is continuing the investigations at “Rigg.” The image in this update shows a close up taken by the MAHLI Hand Lens imager to allow the detailed investigation of … Continue reading →

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Curiosity update: Playing in the sand

Posted on May 17, 2019 by rburnham

Sol 2409, May 16, 2019, update by MSL scientist Ryan Anderson: The sol 2408 plan ended with the rover using its front wheel to dig a small trench in a ripple at the ripple field named “Rigg.” That means today’s … Continue reading →

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Curiosity: Ripple studies

Posted on May 16, 2019 by rburnham

Sol 2408, May 16, 2019. With Curiosity parked at the edge of a field of sand ripples, mission scientists directed the Navcam to image the ripple field leading up to Vera Rubin Ridge (above). Then the camera imaged part of … Continue reading →

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Curiosity update: Touch-and-go!

Posted on May 16, 2019 by rburnham

Sol 2408, May 15, 2019, update by MSL scientist Mark Salvatore: Now that we’re back on the road following our drill campaign at Kilmarie, Curiosity is planning a quick “touch-and-go” activity today to characterize the local bedrock. Yesterday afternoon, Curiosity … Continue reading →

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HiRISE: Sinuous ridge in Peraea Cavus

Posted on February 22, 2019 by rburnham

A sinuous ridge in Peraea Cavus. In addition to the ridge, there’s also bright deposits here. A cavus is an irregular steep-sided depression usually in arrays or clusters. HiRISE Picture of the Day archive [More at links]

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HiRISE: Wind flow

Posted on February 8, 2019 by rburnham

The atmospheric pressure on Earth at sea level is about 1 bar. On Mars, the pressure is 6 to 10 millibars, or 1/100th that of our planet. But even in this atmosphere, wind still flows around obstacles. In this image … Continue reading →

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HiRISE: Dark and possibly stationary ripples

Posted on June 7, 2018 by rburnham

Dark and possibly stationary ripples in anomalous terrain.  These strange ripples are in some anomalous terrain on the Olympus Mons aureole. These dark ripples have not been imaged in about 8 years, so another shot should show movement…if there IS … Continue reading →

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HiRISE: The moving sands of Lobo Vallis

Posted on April 3, 2018 by rburnham

Bright ripples line the topography in this region, formed within a past climate. Dark dunes and sand streaks (composed of basaltic sand) have moved and filled lower areas, pushed by more recent winds from the top towards the bottom of … Continue reading →

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