Mars Express captures windblown yardangs shaping Martian surface
New imagery from the European Space Agency's Mars Express spacecraft reveals rippled ridges formed by wind erosion on Amazonis Mensa.
What happened
The Mars Express spacecraft has captured an image of Amazonis Mensa, a large flat mountain on Mars, showing multiple surface features including ancient impact craters partially filled by lava from approximately three billion years ago. The image prominently displays yardangs—rippled ridges formed when wind whips loose sand particles across the surface in a sandblasting effect. Two distinct groups of yardangs visible in the image ripple in different directions because Amazonis Mensa acts as a windbreak, redirecting wind-blown material into separate orientations.
Context
Mars Express has provided observations of the Martian surface for over 20 years, helping scientists understand the geological forces that have sculpted the Red Planet over extended timescales. The image illustrates how wind erosion acts as a powerful agent in reshaping planetary surfaces over geological time, working in conjunction with other processes like volcanic activity and impact cratering.