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Bunge Crater Dunes - Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
Barchan dunes located in the 70km wide Bunge Crater (33.7 S, 311.4 E). In this type of dune, the crescent-shaped tips point downwind. The tips are connected connected by a steep slope (the 'slipface'), which marks the migrating front edge of the dune. Dunes of this type form when wind blows from a single direction, in this case from the bottom left. Some dunes, especially towards the top, appear to be transitioning towards seif ('ridge') dunes or star dunes, indicating that the general wind direction is more complex. As these dunes are located close to the crater rim, it is likely that the topography creates large changes in the wind field over short distances.
This image was created using the CRISM imaging spectrometer. Each pixel of a CRISM image contains a 500 point spectrum, from which a color can be reconstructed. This reconstructed color was overlaid on a higher-resolution image taken with the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Context Camera (CTX), which simultaneously took a photo while CRISM was collecting data.
This image was taken on January 19, 2007. It uses CRISM observation HRS00003F3D and CTX observation P03_002260_1459_XI_34S048W
Image Credit: NASA / JPL / JHUAPL / MSSS / Justin Cowart
Bunge Crater Dunes - Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
Barchan dunes located in the 70km wide Bunge Crater (33.7 S, 311.4 E). In this type of dune, the crescent-shaped tips point downwind. The tips are connected connected by a steep slope (the 'slipface'), which marks the migrating front edge of the dune. Dunes of this type form when wind blows from a single direction, in this case from the bottom left. Some dunes, especially towards the top, appear to be transitioning towards seif ('ridge') dunes or star dunes, indicating that the general wind direction is more complex. As these dunes are located close to the crater rim, it is likely that the topography creates large changes in the wind field over short distances.
This image was created using the CRISM imaging spectrometer. Each pixel of a CRISM image contains a 500 point spectrum, from which a color can be reconstructed. This reconstructed color was overlaid on a higher-resolution image taken with the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Context Camera (CTX), which simultaneously took a photo while CRISM was collecting data.
This image was taken on January 19, 2007. It uses CRISM observation HRS00003F3D and CTX observation P03_002260_1459_XI_34S048W
Image Credit: NASA / JPL / JHUAPL / MSSS / Justin Cowart