Large wind ripples on Mars: A record of atmospheric evolution

M. G. A. Lapotre; R. C. Ewing; M. P. Lamb; W. W. Fischer; J. P. Grotzinger; D. M. Rubin; K. W. Lewis; M. J. Ballard; Mitch D. Day; S. Gupta; S. G. Banham; N. T. Bridges; D. J. Des Marais; A. A. Fraeman; J. A. Grant; Kenneth E. Herkenhoff; D. W. Ming; M. A. Mischna; M. S. Rice; D. Y. Sumner; A. R. Vasavada; R. A. Yingst

doi:10.1126/science.aaf3206

Large wind ripples on Mars: A record of atmospheric evolution

Science

By: M. G. A. Lapotre, R. C. Ewing, M. P. Lamb, W. W. Fischer, J. P. Grotzinger, D. M. Rubin, K. W. Lewis, M. J. Ballard, Mitch D. Day, S. Gupta, S. G. Banham, N. T. Bridges, D. J. Des Marais, A. A. Fraeman, J. A. Grant, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, D. W. Ming, M. A. Mischna, M. S. Rice, D. Y. Sumner, A. R. Vasavada, and R. A. Yingst

https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaf3206

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Abstract

Wind blowing over sand on Earth produces decimeter-wavelength ripples and hundred-meter– to kilometer-wavelength dunes: bedforms of two distinct size modes. Observations from the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter reveal that Mars hosts a third stable wind-driven bedform, with meter-scale wavelengths. These bedforms are spatially uniform in size and typically have asymmetric profiles with angle-of-repose lee slopes and sinuous crest lines, making them unlike terrestrial wind ripples. Rather, these structures resemble fluid-drag ripples, which on Earth include water-worked current ripples, but on Mars instead form by wind because of the higher kinematic viscosity of the low-density atmosphere. A reevaluation of the wind-deposited strata in the Burns formation (about 3.7 billion years old or younger) identifies potential wind-drag ripple stratification formed under a thin atmosphere.

Suggested Citation

Lapotre, M.G., Ewing, R.C., Lamb, M.P., Fischer, W.W., Grotzinger, J.P., Rubin, D.M., Lewis, K.W., Ballard, M.J., Day, M.D., Gupta, S., Banham, S.G., Bridges, N.T., Des Marais, D.J., Fraeman, A., Grant, J.A., Herkenhoff, K.E., Ming, D.W., Mischna, M.A., Rice, M.S., Sumner, D.Y., Vasavada, A.R., Yingst, R.A., 2016, Large wind ripples on Mars: A record of atmospheric evolution: Science, v. 353, no. 6294, p. 55-58, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaf3206.

Additional publication details
Publication type	Article
Publication Subtype	Journal Article
Title	Large wind ripples on Mars: A record of atmospheric evolution
Series title	Science
DOI	10.1126/science.aaf3206
Volume	353
Issue	6294
Year Published	2016
Language	English
Publisher	AAAS
Contributing office(s)	Astrogeology Science Center
Description	3 p.
First page	55
Last page	58
Other Geospatial	Mars
Online Only (Y/N)	N
Additional Online Files (Y/N)	N