In what ways is Mars similar to Earth? Recent studies show

However, attention is now turning to other elements that may be the common link between Mars and Earth.

A new study is looking at understanding wind phenomena on Mars by focusing on what happens when dunes collide there.

The results of research conducted by Mackenzie Day of the University of California, Los Angeles, were published in the journal Geology.

Dunes develop when windblown sand forms in patterns, often in deserts and arid or semi-arid parts of the world. Every continent on Earth has dune fields, but dunes and sand dune-like patterns are also found throughout the Solar System.

On Earth, weather stations measure wind speed and direction, allowing us to predict and understand the flow of air in the atmosphere.

“On Earth, we know that sand dunes collide, unite, bond, and merge all the time. This is what causes the dune pattern to change over time. When this happens, the dune interactions leave a certain pattern in the sand but that pattern is usually covered in sand. Actively mobile and difficult to see without special tools,” said Day.

On Mars, many sand dunes look and behave similar to sand dunes on Earth, but other than that, Mars has a structured sand pattern similar to sand dunes but has some differences that have not been explained by the scientific community. Whether these unusual features, sometimes called “transverse Aeolian ridges” or “big ripples” shaped like sand dunes, has long been debated.

“In this work, he shows that unusual sandy ledges blown off by the wind sometimes show patterns that form on the surface when dunes meet,” Day added.

In the Iapygia region of Mars, the transverse Aeolian ridges cover light and dark sand, producing a dark band of light on the windward side of the ridge. The band that occurs on only one side of the ridge indicates that the band formed when the ridge migrated. Furthermore, the well-known pattern of dune interactions from the surface can be seen in some dunes where the range is cut off and then reconnected, as is the case for two sand dunes touching and then merging with the wind direction.

The patterns associated with dune interactions only form when two dunes coalesce, so seeing them on a Martian dune suggests that this mysterious feature (as shown in the attached image) behaves like sand dunes on Earth.

“Just like sand dunes on Earth, the Aeolian mountains across Mars migrate, collect and develop complex patterns in response to winds,” Day said.

Aeolian transverse ridges are very common on Mars, and the results from this study allow us to better interpret the winds on Mars using these dune-like features.

“Overall, this work leverages knowledge of Mars and knowledge of Earth to understand other planets and opens the door to improving the way we interpret wind across planetary bodies in the solar system,” Day concludes.