NASA Mars Picture of the Day: Large Bright Ripples

Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera

MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-625, 3 February 2004

NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems

Wind is the chief agent of change on Mars today. Wind blows
dust and it can move coarser sediment such as sand and silt.
This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC)
image shows bright ripples or small dunes on the floors
of troughs northeast of Isidis Planitia
near 31.1°N, 244.6°W.
The picture covers an area 3 km
(1.9 mi) wide; sunlight illuminates the scene from the lower left.

Malin Space Science Systems and the California Institute of Technology
built the MOC using spare hardware from the Mars Observer mission.
MSSS operates the camera from its facilities in San Diego, California.
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Mars Surveyor Operations Project
operates the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft with its industrial
partner, Lockheed Martin Astronautics, from facilities in Pasadena,
California and Denver, Colorado.