Tag Archives: transverse dunes

HiRISE: Bedrock riddles of Nili Fossae

This image of the Nili Fossae region, to the west of the great Isidis basin, shows layered bedrock with many impact craters. Nili Fossae is one of the most mineralogically important sites on Mars. Remote observations by the infrared spectrometer … Continue reading

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Seeing Mars in a grain of sand

[Ed. note: The following is a guide to two recent special issues of the Journal of Geophysical Research; both collect papers reporting on studies of the Bagnold Dunes in Gale Crater. The guide complements the MSL report posted earlier here.] … Continue reading

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THEMIS: Frost-free dunes in north polar sand sea

THEMIS Image of the Day, March 16, 2018. This VIS image was collected at the height of summer. It is during this season that winds are able to move sand sized particles, slowly modifying the dunes. Olympia Undae is a … Continue reading

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THEMIS: Dunes in transition

THEMIS Image of the Day, March 15, 2018. This VIS image highlights the dune form/dune density aspects of Olypmia Undae. In the center there is a brighter, diagonal region of few dunes. These dunes are the arc or crescent shape … Continue reading

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THEMIS: Dunes, lacy and regular

THEMIS Image of the Day, March 14, 2018. This VIS image hightlights the density of dunes, the bottom third of the image has fewer dunes, spaced farther apart than the top two thirds of the image. The bottom of the … Continue reading

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THEMIS: Is that gypsum under the dunes?

THEMIS Image of the Day, March 13, 2018. This VIS image of Olympia Undae was collected during north polar summer. The dunes are now completely frost free and are dark in color due to being made of basaltic sand. The … Continue reading

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THEMIS: Edge of the great northern sand sea

THEMIS Image of the Day, March 12, 2018. This VIS image of Olympia Undae was collected during north polar summer. The dunes are now completely frost free and are dark in color due to being made of basaltic sand. The … Continue reading

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THEMIS: Amidst the sea of sand

THEMIS Image of the Day, March 9, 2018. This VIS image of Olympia Undae was collected during north polar spring. The crests of the dunes and other surfaces are light colored, indicative of a frost covering. The density of dunes … Continue reading

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THEMIS: Dunes don’t climb hills (very far)

THEMIS Image of the Day, March 8, 2018. This VIS image of Olympia Undae was collected during north polar spring. The crests of the dunes and other surfaces are light colored, indicative of a frost covering. At the top right … Continue reading

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THEMIS: Defrosting dunes in Olympia Undae

THEMIS Image of the Day, March 7, 2018. This VIS image of Olympia Undae was collected early in north polar spring. The crests of the dunes are light colored, indicative of a frost covering. As the season changes into summertime, … Continue reading

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