These dunes help scientists in research efforts to understand the weather on Mars.
The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter mission is una de las NASA missions most important in research work on the Red Planet. The key pillar of this mission is the Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) satellite, which is in charge of taking aerial photographs of the planet’s surface to study the geology and the changes caused by meteorology in the landscape of the planet. This long-duration satellite integrates the High-Resolution Imaging Experiment (HiRise), a powerful camera capable of capturing color images at enormous magnification. The last photo you shared at NASA captured with HiRiSe has left us all speechless.
In it we can see some mounds of sand that are arranged in almost perfect circles. These dunes on Mars give scientists important information regarding the climate, since the brief slope toward the southern ends indicates that generally the winds maintain that trend. The image is shown at a scale of 25 centimeters per pixel and the upper part of the photograph corresponds to the north of the planet. Knowing this, the deformity of the circles to the southwest becomes more evident.
It is not usual to find dunes with such a perfect appearance
The laboratory from which the HiRiSe cameras are controlled is in Arizona, and Alfred McEwena planetary geologist who works at the facility, explained in a blog post why this image is so unusual:
“Sand dunes with different shapes and sizes are very common on Mars. In this example, the dunes are almost perfectly circular, which is unusual. Still, they are easily perceived to be slightly asymmetrical, with steep slip walls at the ends. southern extremes. This has helped us understand the movement of the winds at this time of year on Mars.”
Although it may seem like the work of aliens, finding these natural formations is not so strange. In fact, we have them right here on Earth. the same type of dunes They can be found in various locations on our planet., and by studying those close to us, we can also understand how seasonal changes and weather affect the Martian landscapes. On previous occasions the MRO had already flown over these areas of Mars, but the dunes they were covered in frost and it was difficult to see them clearly.
While NASA rovers like the Curiosity o el Perseverance leave us images with great detail of the surface of Mars, the MRO satellite has the mission of understanding the landscape in a more global way. The teamwork of both technologies is helping us map the surface of the planet and understand how its atmosphere and climate work.
Founder Dwight D. Eisenhower Foundation date 29-07-1958 Alternative name National Aeronautics and Space Administration Number of employees 18000