Lucus Planum Yardangs

Today's VIS image is located on Lucus Planum. The surface in this image has been eroded by the wind to form features called yardangs. Yardangs form in a poorly cemented material where the wind cuts linear valleys, removing some of the material and leaving parallel ridges behind. The direction of the ridge/valley is aligned with the wind direction. The dominant wind direction in this region is along a northeast/southwest trend; however, other wind directions can occur within a localized region. There is a circular feature in the lower left side of the image. This is likely the remains of a crater. Meteor impacts melt the surface and subsurface, creating a harder material then the surrounding surfaces. The remnant of the crater are still visible due to being a more resistant material. Orbit Number: 81740 Latitude: -1.61604 Longitude: 187.227 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2020-05-18 18:55 https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA24008