Martian dunes indicative of wind regime shift in line with end of ice age

Orbital observations suggest that Mars underwent a recent 'ice age' (roughly 0.4-2.1 million years ago), during which a latitude-dependent ice-dust mantle (LDM)(1,2) was emplaced. A subsequent decrease in obliquity amplitude resulted in the emergence of an 'interglacial period'(1,3) during which the lowermost latitude LDM ice(4-6) was etched and removed, returning it to the polar cap. These observations are consistent with polar cap stratigraphy(1,7), but lower- to mid-latitude in situ surface observations in support of a glacial-interglacial transition that can be reconciled with mesoscale and global atmospheric circulation models(8) is lacking. Here we present a suite of measurements obtained by the Zhurong rover during its traverse across the southern LDM region in Utopia Planitia, Mars. We find evidence for a stratigraphic sequence involving initial barchan dune formation, indicative of north-easterly winds, cementation of dune sediments, followed by their erosion by north-westerly winds, eroding the barchan dunes and producing distinctive longitudinal dunes, with the transition in wind regime consistent with the end of the ice age. The results are compatible with the Martian polar stratigraphic record and will help improve our understanding of the ancient climate history of Mars(9).

Automated summary

According to orbital observations, Mars experienced a recent 'ice age' approximately 0.4-2.1 million years ago, during which a latitude-dependent ice-dust mantle (LDM) was formed. Subsequently, a decrease in obliquity amplitude led to an 'interglacial period' in which the lowermost latitude LDM ice was eroded and returned to the polar cap. However, there is a lack of in situ surface observations in lower- to mid-latitudes to support a glacial-interglacial transition consistent with atmospheric circulation models.