Active aeolian processes on Mars: A regional study in Arabia and Meridiani Terrae

We present evidence of widespread aeolian activity in the Arabia Terra/Meridiani region (Mars), where different kinds of aeolian modifications have been detected and classified. Passing from the regional to the local scale, we describe one particular dune field in Meridiani Planum, where two ripple populations are distinguished by means of different migration rates. Moreover, a consistent change in the ripple pattern is accompanied by significant dune advancement (between 0.4-1 meter in one Martian year) that is locally triggered by large avalanche features. This suggests that dune advancement may be common throughout the Martian tropics. Citation: Silvestro, S., D. A. Vaz, L. K. Fenton, and P. E. Geissler (2011), Active aeolian processes on Mars: A regional study in Arabia and Meridiani Terrae, Geophys. Res. Lett., 38, L20201, doi: 10.1029/2011GL048955.