During Sol 1192, (December 13, 2015) Curiosity rover acquired a series of mast camera images that have been assembled into this mosaic. Curiosity was conducting the first close-up investigation ever made of active sand dunes anywhere other than Earth at the ‘Namib Dune’ which is part of the Bagnold Dune Field that forms a dark band along the northwestern flank of Mount Sharp.

The images were taken in the early morning, with the camera looking in the direction of the sun. This mosaic combining the images has been processed to brighten it and make the ripples more visible. The sand is very dark, both from the morning shadows and from the intrinsic darkness of the basaltic minerals that dominate its composition. The distant base of Mount Sharp can be seen beyond the dunes.

Two sizes of wind-sculpted ripples are evident in this view of the top surface of this Martian sand dune. Sand dunes and the smaller type of ripples also exist on Earth. The larger ripples, roughly 3 meters (10 feet) apart, are a type not seen on Earth nor previously recognized as a distinct type on Mars. The larger ripples have distinctive sinuous crest lines, compared to the smaller ripples.

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Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/PIA20755