Avalanches On Mars: Spring Thaw Erodes Sand Dunes (PICTURES)

The surface of Mars is constantly changing due to the planet's seasonal patterns.

High resolution images captured by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter show the effects of the passage of time on the basalt sand dunes located near the red planet's north pole. According to the images, these dunes shift and reform--just like those on Earth.

It was previously though that this dune sea, which covers an area about the size of Texas, was a fairly static region. But new research shows that wind and seasonal erosion can physically transform the area from year to year. According to Discovery News, "The research includes tracking climate and environmental processes active on Mars today, so scientists can figure out what might have been different in the past, when Mars was warmer, wetter and more hospitable for life as we know it."

Take a look through the slideshow (below) to see changes in the dunes near Mars's north pole. Then, check out our slideshow of more extraordinary images of Mars, as well as NASA's most stunning images from 2010.

Loading Slideshow

• Yearly Erosion

  These images show the gradual erosion of a single Martian sand dune. The top image was captured on June 17, 2008 and the bottom was captured on July 2, 2010 (a period of time equal to roughly one Martian year). Both images were captured during the warm period of the year, when the dune's winter coating of carbon-dioxide ice has thawed. New alcoves, seen on the dune in the bottom image, were formed when melting ice loosened the sand and caused small <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/04/spacecraft-photographs-ma_n_89725.html" target="_hplink">avalanches</a>, changing the face of the dune.

• Winter Freeze Evaporating

  This image (captured Feb. 23, 2010) shows the same dune during the early stages of the springtime thaw. The dune's layer of carbon-dioxide ice has only just begun to melt. The dark streaks show fresh avalanches on the dune's slipface.

• Dune Field With Ice

  The same ongoing process can be observed on various dunes throughout the planet's northern dune field. This false-color image, acquired in Janauary 2010, shows the dunes covered in winter ice.

• Dune Field Without Ice

  The dark streaks show where melting ice caused avalanches that changed the shape of some dunes. Wind sometimes sweeps through the region and erases the evidence of avalanches.

• Gradual Erosion

Comments

[smolensk-lies]

03:49 AM on 02/08/2011

the gulf of Carpentaria impacts caused the extreme weather events of 536 AD, which led to the dark ages, and the sun/son when it came back in brightness led to the stories which were written down generations later to form Islam

http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?aBID=58381&p=3&topicID=33864155

had the impacts occurred 5 minutes later, or about 80km west, on dry land, nearly all of civilazation would have been wiped out.

[CessnaDriverI72]

10:53 PM on 02/07/2011

Well, HP was fun while it lasted.

The hypermoderation is just going to get worse...this comment got raptured (about this story).

"Nerd Porn".

Sheesh!

[smolensk-lies]

03:53 AM on 02/08/2011

how true - i tried to post on a recent article in religion and kept getting zapped. all i did was point out the similarities between the story of Jesus and that of superman

http://www.hollywoodjesus.com/superman.htm

who knew that a discussion about fiction characters could draw such ire?

HP when its good is GREAT, sadly not so much so now.

[RobbZombie]

10:59 AM on 02/07/2011

Probably caused by Martian global warming....

[Ish11]

09:45 AM on 02/07/2011

I'm laughing like that at&t guy commercial sayin "this is so dumb" because those pics cost billions.

[Cammy Smith]

09:29 AM on 02/07/2011

Wow! Thtat's about as interesting as paint drying. Must be an AOL sponsored news story.

[ArjenBoatsma]

07:48 AM on 02/07/2011

The carbon dioxide ice comes in, the carbon dioxide ice goes out; never a miscommunication.

[PeruvianFlakley]

09:55 AM on 02/07/2011

I lol'd.

[tooncesrocks]

07:36 AM on 02/07/2011

just amazing pictures...

cool to see how alive mars really is

[Amock]

07:20 AM on 02/07/2011

Glenn Beck added that this is further evidence of an uprising radical Islamic Caliphate.

[dubbleplusgood]

01:04 AM on 02/08/2011

that's radical Progressive-Marxist-Socialist-Communist-Liberal Islamic Caliphate to you.

[Amock]

07:18 AM on 02/07/2011

Sarah Palin accused Obama of "mishandling" the situation.

[keemia]

03:02 AM on 02/07/2011

This is all so surreal. Am I the only one who wants to reach into the screen and touch it? (no I'm not on drugs)

[AlexLannii]

02:35 AM on 02/07/2011

good pictures along with description, good work done.
Alex
http://www.conceiveplus.com/

[americanfreedoMYTH]

01:08 AM on 02/07/2011

dont we have better ways to spend money?

[mikeoregon]

01:42 AM on 02/07/2011

Yes, let's take the money from NASA and give it to the military so we can have more wars and super weapons. While we're at it, let's give a share to the big banks, they never have enough.

[Keefe Lehman]

09:17 AM on 02/07/2011

Money spent on NASA actually gives us a return by the Technology that is developed by its engineers who probably would not be as motivated working on other projects. Think of the money we save alone on our ability to accurately predict and prepare for weather. Thats just one example. If I was not at work I could fill about 20 pages of more examples.

[sekigahara]

05:22 AM on 02/07/2011

Yeah - let's spend it on building more prisons for non violent "drug offenders."

[Patrap]

12:48 AM on 02/07/2011

Mr. Bill O'Reilly wants to know whens the next High tide.

[PresidentRobertBooth]

11:37 PM on 02/06/2011

Pictures like these need an appropriate soundtrack...
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKp9VgIxjic

[tonyjim]

12:56 AM on 02/07/2011

Was that Brian Eno or Toto?

[Aj Searles]

01:27 AM on 02/07/2011

Eno! Nice :)

[PresidentRobertBooth]

01:33 AM on 02/07/2011

Toto

[LeeCalif]

11:35 PM on 02/06/2011

What are those footprints ?