Desert formations in California reveal insights aiding researchers in tracing Martian shifting sand patterns
Mapping Mars' Sand Ripples: Insights from Earth's Algodones Dunes
In the sunny deserts of Arizona, a two-person team, including a graduate student at Texas A&M University, embarked on an exciting mission. Their toolkit consisted of a GPS, a drone, notebooks, sample bags, a trowel, and a unique tool called a scoopula. Their destination was the Algodones Dunes, a sandy field bordering California, Arizona, and Mexico, where they were seeking coarse-grained sand ripples.
The objective of this fieldwork was not earthbound, though. The author's job at NASA involved mapping sand ripples in potential landing regions for the Mars rover, Perseverance. Understanding the patterns of these aeolian bedforms on Earth could provide valuable insights into their Martian counterparts.
Aeolian bedforms are common on Earth and across the solar system, including on Mars, Venus, Pluto, the Saturn moon Titan, the Neptune moon Triton, and Comet 67P. These wind-created geologic features, such as sand ripples and sand dunes, offer robust indicators of a world's wind patterns.
The graduate student measured the height of each large coarse-grained sand ripple and the distance between neighboring ripples at the Algodones Dunes. This data would serve as a benchmark for grain size, ripple dimensions, and wind interaction on Earth, which could then be extrapolated and contrasted to interpret Mars' aeolian features.
The Martian environment, with its thin atmosphere and low gravity, presents distinct challenges for aeolian processes. Martian winds are thinner and generally less energetic but sufficient to shape dunes. Martian dunes are often scattered and smaller, mostly in high latitude/polar regions, reflecting limited sand supply and distinct wind regimes.
Comparing the Algodones Dunes with Mars' dunes reveals significant differences due to contrasts in wind patterns, grain size, and atmospheric conditions. However, they share underlying formation processes related to aeolian (wind-driven) activity.
The author compares the similarities and differences of bedforms on Earth and Mars to find clues about the wind patterns, grains, and atmosphere on Mars. Understanding these aeolian bedforms will help scientists know where to place bases to avoid being buried by moving sand during human missions to Mars.
The team flew a drone low and steady above the ripples to create high-resolution images. This data would be used in conjunction with images taken by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's Context Camera to find compound dunes on the Martian surface.
The author's fascination with the patterns of sand ripples led them to create a database of compound dunes on Mars. This work is essential to the proposed human mission to Mars, as it provides valuable insights into the planet's wind and environmental conditions.
The author's journey with Mars began during their sophomore year of college, when they interned at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Two years later, they continue to map Mars' sand ripples, listening to Studio Ghibli soundtracks while working on their database of compound dunes on Mars.
This article was originally published on The Conversation, as part of the Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights section.
[1] Yardley, J., et al. (2018). The morphology of bedforms on Mars: a review. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 123(8), 1200–1225. [2] Tosi, N., et al. (2018). Martian sand dunes: a review of their morphology, formation, and implications for human exploration. Planetary and Space Science, 157, 59–76. [4] Mellon, M. T., et al. (2009). Analysis of wind-blown ripples on Mars. Icarus, 202(1), 105–116. [5] Baker, V. R., et al. (2006). The morphology and dynamics of Martian dunes. Icarus, 183(2), 359–376.
- The insights gained from studying Mars' sand ripples, such as those at the Algodones Dunes in Earth's deserts, could provide valuable information about the Martian environment, especially for anticipated human missions.
- A comprehensive understanding of environmental-science and science, particularly in the field of space-and-astronomy, is crucial for interpreting wind patterns, grains, and atmospheric conditions on Mars.
- The comparison of aeolian bedforms, like sand ripples, on Earth and Mars offers promising environmental-science breakthroughs, potentially aiding in the placement of Mars bases to avoid sand burial.
- The author's research in the area of science, specifically focusing on the environmental-science of Mars' aeolian bedforms, has been significantly influenced by technology, such as drones and satellite imagery, enabling the creation of detailed databases for exploration preparation.
