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 northwest/southeast trend; however, other wind directions can occur within a localized region.