Continual Dune and Ripple Migration in Nili Patera

Get ready for a Martian spectacle!  Nili Patera, an ever-changing canvas of dune dynamics, is offering a front-row seat to rapid planetary evolution.  HiRISE has been diligently capturing its breathtaking metamorphosis every couple of months.  In less than two Earth years, we’ve witnessed a trio of jaw-dropping changes:

• Dunes shifting positions by several meters, as if alive.
• Surface ripples so dramatically altered they’ve become unrecognizable.
• The thrilling emergence of fresh avalanches on the lee sides of the dunes. 

Nili Patera is a confirmation of Mars’ active, shape-shifting landscape!

Check out our 3D Mars Learning Center for more information on Mars.   You can also learn more at: NASA Mars Exploration.