Volcanic dust and wind lanes in Arcadia Planitia
Volcanic dust and wind lanes in Arcadia Planitia
The northern hemisphere of Mars is dominated by a vast lowland plain that shows significantly fewer geological landscape features than the highlands of the southern hemisphere. Evidence of long-lasting winds is widespread in these regions. This image offers a perspective view of a prominent rock ridge in the Arcadia Planitia region. This structure acts as a barrier to the prevailing winds, where dark sands of volcanic origin have been deposited and transported by the wind. On closer inspection, streamlined ridges – known as yardangs – can be seen on the plain in the right half of the image, which form parallel to the prevailing wind direction.
