Sand dunes often accumulate in the floors of craters. In this region of Lyot Crater there is a field of classic barchan dunes.

Just to the south of the group of barchan dunes is one large dune with a more complex structure. This particular dune, appearing like turquoise blue in enhanced color*, is made of finer material and/or has a different composition than the surroundings.

*NB: “Enhanced color” is also the same as false color, which we use to show details we cannot see in black and white. The dune is not actually blue and it would not look that way to our eyes if we were there. See “About color products”

ID: ESP_053894_2295
date: 24 January 2018
altitude: 306 km

https://uahirise.org/hipod/ESP_053894_2295
NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona
#Mars #science #NASA