Sedimentary processes of the Bagnold Dunes: Implications for the eolian rock record of Mars

Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets
Ryan EwingW W Fischer

Abstract

The Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity visited two active wind-blown sand dunes within Gale crater, Mars, which provided the first ground-based opportunity to compare Martian and terrestrial eolian dune sedimentary processes and study a modern analog for the Martian eolian rock record. Orbital and rover images of these dunes reveal terrestrial-like and uniquely Martian processes. The presence of grainfall, grainflow, and impact ripples resembled terrestrial dunes. Impact ripples were present on all dune slopes and had a size and shape similar to their terrestrial counterpart. Grainfall and grainflow occurred on dune and large-ripple lee slopes. Lee slopes were ~29° where grainflows were present and ~33° where grainfall was present. These slopes are interpreted as the dynamic and static angles of repose, respectively. Grain size measured on an undisturbed impact ripple ranges between 50 μm and 350 μm with an intermediate axis mean size of 113 μm (median: 103 μm). Dissimilar to dune eolian processes on Earth, large, meter-scale ripples were present on all dune slopes. Large ripples had nearly symmetric to strongly asymmetric topographic profiles and heights ranging between 12 cm and 28 cm. The composite observations of the m...Continue Reading

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Citations

May 23, 2020·Geology·Matthew ChojnackiAnna C Urso
Nov 3, 2020·Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets·S SilvestroF Esposito

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
overprinting

Software Mentioned

Otavi
HiRISE
ArcGIS
MATLAB
GIS
Mastcam
REMS

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