Abstract
Dunes, dune fields, and ripples are unique and useful records of the interaction between wind and granular materials
– finding such features on a planetary surface immediately suggests certain information about climate and surface
conditions (at least during the dunes’ formation and evolution). Additionally, studies of dune characteristics under nonEarth conditions allow for “tests” of aeolian process models based primarily on observations of terrestrial features and
dynamics, and refinement of the models to include consideration of a wider range of environmental and planetary
conditions. To-date, the planetary aeolian community has found and studied dune fields on Mars, Venus, and the
Saturnian moon Titan. Additionally, we have observed candidate “aeolian bedforms” on Comet 67P/ChuryumovGerasimenko, the Jovian moon Io, and – most recently -- Pluto. In this paper, we hypothesize that the progression of
investigations of aeolian bedforms and processes on a particular planetary body follows a consistent sequence –
primarily set by the acquisition of data of particular types and resolutions, and by the maturation of knowledge about
that planetary body. We define that sequence of generated knowledge and new questions (within seven investigation
phases) and discuss examples from all of the studied bodies. The aim of such a sequence is to better define our past
and current state of understanding about the aeolian bedforms of a particular body, to highlight the related
assumptions that require re-analysis with data acquired during later investigations, and to use lessons learned from
planetary and terrestrial aeolian studies to predict what types of investigations could be most fruitful in the future.
– finding such features on a planetary surface immediately suggests certain information about climate and surface
conditions (at least during the dunes’ formation and evolution). Additionally, studies of dune characteristics under nonEarth conditions allow for “tests” of aeolian process models based primarily on observations of terrestrial features and
dynamics, and refinement of the models to include consideration of a wider range of environmental and planetary
conditions. To-date, the planetary aeolian community has found and studied dune fields on Mars, Venus, and the
Saturnian moon Titan. Additionally, we have observed candidate “aeolian bedforms” on Comet 67P/ChuryumovGerasimenko, the Jovian moon Io, and – most recently -- Pluto. In this paper, we hypothesize that the progression of
investigations of aeolian bedforms and processes on a particular planetary body follows a consistent sequence –
primarily set by the acquisition of data of particular types and resolutions, and by the maturation of knowledge about
that planetary body. We define that sequence of generated knowledge and new questions (within seven investigation
phases) and discuss examples from all of the studied bodies. The aim of such a sequence is to better define our past
and current state of understanding about the aeolian bedforms of a particular body, to highlight the related
assumptions that require re-analysis with data acquired during later investigations, and to use lessons learned from
planetary and terrestrial aeolian studies to predict what types of investigations could be most fruitful in the future.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | AEOLIA_2016_55 |
| Journal | Aeolian Research |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 24 Oct 2016 |