- NASA ID: PIA24470
- Keywords: Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), Mars
- Center: JPL
- Secondary Creator Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona
- Date Created: 2021-03-22
- Visit JPL Website
A
sinuous ridge is a thin and meandering formation that gives the
appearance of a stream channel, but stays raised above the surface
rather than incised into it. It is believed that these ridges were once
stream channels that cut down into the surface.
Flowing water can have a number of effects on a channel bed, such as
sorting grains and depositing rocks, all while removing loose material.
The water can also carry a number of dissolved minerals that become
deposited and cement the remaining grains together. The result is a
stream bed that has become "armored."
Once the stream stops flowing and dries up, this armored layer can
resist future erosion. Over the millions of years that follow, forces
such as wind can gradually remove the original material of the
surrounding terrain, but the stream bed can remain. Examining the
characteristics of the ridge can reveal clues about the amount of water
and the flow speed that existed long ago.
https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA24470
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