These images of ‘yardangs’, features sculpted by wind-blown sand seen here near Olympus Mons on Mars, were obtained by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on board the ESA Mars Express spacecraft
Loose sand fragments were transported by wind, scouring the bedrock of Mars
like a sandblaster to create these long grooves, scientists said last week.
The image was taken by the European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter. It
shows an area near the dormant volcano Olympus Mons.
If the wind blows in the same direction for a long enough period, "wind-lanes"
result, according to the European scientists. On Earth, such features are called
yardangs.
Where the surface consists of more resistant material, the force of the wind
may not be strong enough to cause this sandblasting. This might be the reason
for the three flat regions, which measure about 5.5 by 10.5 miles (9 by 17 kilometers).
This scene shows a structure south of Olympus Mons at 6° N latitude and 220°
E longitude.
-- SPACE.com Staff
Credit: ESA/DLR/FU (G. Neukum)
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