This image shows the rock Yogi and tracks from the Rover.
Click on image for full size
Courtesy of NASA
Weathering processes on Mars
There are two main weathering agents on Mars: wind and acid fog.
Although acid fog can be very important, because large amounts of water are not readily accessible from the Martian surface, the action of sand and wind is the main agent of weathering on Mars.
Wind erosion of Mars was examined in the Mars Pathfinder mission. Rocks examined by the Pathfinder's Rover found evidence of the following erosion features:
A wind tail, or drift deposit is shown in lee of the rock dubbed "
Yogi" in the picture to the left.
Sand and dust from the surface is whipped up by the winds of Mars and distributed around the globe in global dust storms. The force of winds during these storms pounds sand into the rock formations, contributing toward the breakdown and recycling of the Martian surface.
Shop Windows to the Universe Science Store!
Our
online store includes
books on science education, ranging from
evolution,
classroom research, and the
need for science and math literacy!
You might also be interested in:
Fluvial environments (water) are the origin of sand grains on Earth, but what of Mars? Sand grains of Mars come from basalt. They seem to be particles which are cemented together, rather than rounded crystalline
...more
The Mars Pathfinder (MPF) mission was sent to investigate the geology of Mars. Its principal objective was to analyze the rocks and soil of Mars. The MPF consisted of 2 components, a lander and a mobile
...more
This image shows pits and holes (ventifacts) in a small rock found by the Mars Pathfinder Rover. These ventifacts are artifacts of weathering on Mars and were created by wind erosion. The Souffle rock
...more
These are the findings of Mars Pathfinder. High Silica Rocks - a result from chemical analysis of the Martian rocks. suggestive of differentiated (evolved) rocks and minerals. helps establish that, like
...more
The rocks explored by the Mars Pathfinder's Rover have been classified into three kinds by scientists analysing the Rovers' findings. Potentially the rocks may all be the same kind of rock, all having
...more
The rocks explored by the Mars Pathfinder's Rover are classified into two groups according to how they weather. Differing weathering properties may indicate differing conditions of deposition because impact
...more
One of the measurement objectives of the Mars Pathfinder mission was the examination of the composition and structure of the soil. As the Rover traversed the surface exploring the rocks of Mars, it also
...more
