HiPOD: Thursday, 25 April 2024
Defrosting Dunes

Defrosting Dunes
This image shows a field a sand dunes in the Martian springtime while the seasonal carbon dioxide frost is sublimating into the air. This sublimation process is not at all uniform, instead creating a pattern of dark spots.

In addition, the inter-dune areas are also striking, with bright frost persisting in the troughs of polygons. Our enhanced-color cutout is centered on a brownish-colored inter-dune area.

ID: ESP_082672_1180
date: 16 March 2024
altitude: 252 km

https://uahirise.org/hipod/ESP_082672_1180
NASA/JPL-Caltech/UArizona
#Mars #science #NASA

Black & white is less than 5 km across; enhanced color is less than 1 km. For full observation details, visit the ID link.