Unusual dunes in the shape of circles have been photographed by NASA‘s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) spacecraft. The sand dunes are situated in the region of “Noctis Labyrinthus,” which is close to the Martian equator and is distinguished by an intricate network of valleys and canyons.
A picture of the dunes was taken with the HiRise colour camera on MRO. On Mars, though, there are sand dunes of all sizes and shapes. According to planetary geologist Alfred McEwen, the MRO photographed “dunes that are almost perfectly circular, which is rare.”
Unusual sand dunes circles on Mars – What do we know so far
They are round, but “they are still slightly asymmetrical,” and have “steep slip faces on the south ends,” according to McEwen. Sand “usually travels to the south, although the winds may be changeable,” he said, explaining this. With diameters between 30 and 120 meters, the dunes themselves are quite small. They resemble crop circles on Earth in their spectacular pattern formation. As scientists were examining the area to look for seasonal variations in frost coverage in late November of last year, they took a picture of the dunes. In this picture, the countryside is devoid of frost.
Launched in 2005, MRO features equipment with a better resolution than Odyssey. Since 2006, it has observed the terrain and atmosphere of the Red Planet from orbit while also acting as a vital data hub for other Mars missions. The MRO has returned thousands of breathtaking images of the Martian surface that are assisting scientists in their understanding of Mars, including the history of water flows on or near the planet’s surface.
It is equipped with a potent camera called HiRISE that has helped in a number of discoveries. In order to better understand the weather and winds on Mars, NASA scientists are examining these peculiar sand dunes. This knowledge could be useful for future exploration and possibly settlement efforts on the planet.
