Martian Dunes: A Crucial Record of Present and Past Mars Surface Environment and Aeolian Processes

Abstract

Across planetary surfaces, aeolian bedforms are unique and useful records of sustained interaction between wind and granular materials. The first extraterrestrial dunes were found on Mars and martian dunes studies have since yielded improved estimations of dune sand size(s) and saltation threshold wind speeds, refined dune morphology models that enable improved prediction of past/present winds, and present-day sediment flux rates that contribute to erosional processes. However, new data are needed to address critical questions, such as about the sources/ages of martian dune sand, estimation of the martian sediment budget, and the connections between surface wind distributions and sediment lofting/transport rates.