Researchers have studied extensive samples of sand megaripples, sand waves that measure almost 12 inches (3 centimeters) and around 30 feet (9 meters), around the world to gain new insights into the composition of sand waves.
Megraipples can also be seen on other planets, such as Mars. Scientists believe that learning the mathematical law behind the mechanistic origin of megaripples will improve their ability to infer information about previous weather patterns and climate events based on sediment records.
Mathematical Feature Behind Megaripples
According to Science Alert, researchers have analyzed megaripple fields in China, India, Israel, Antarctica, Namibia, Jordan, and New Mexico in the US to understand the mechanisms behind their formation. Also, they studied the megaripples found on Mars and in a lab wind tunnel.
The team discovered that megaripples follow some mathematical law in their formation that involves the grain size, which is a key characteristic of these middle-ground ripples aside from their overall size. These ripples are never the same, and the winds that blow them create distinct patterns.
Researchers claim that megaripples follow a mathematical feature that has not been seen before, even after many decades of research. They say this mathematical formula includes dividing the diameter of the sand grains in the mix with the smallest sand grains, yielding a similar or equal number.
The team said the resulting number could classify various types of ripples and identify which particular grain transport process formed them, Science Daily reported. The team hopes to use their new insights on megaripples to explain better the formation of new sand waves on Mars that seems to be reshaping the planet.
In their study, "Megaripple Mechanics: Bimodal Transport Ingrained in Bimodal Sands," published in Nature Communications, they wrote that the characteristic signature of grain-scale transport is embedded in the grain-size distributions (GSDs) that have evolved with megaripples.
They explained that wind whips the grains across the sand, kicking up coarser ones and creating megaripples. The coarse grains travel at different rates and are collected on the crests of the ripples as fine grains settle on the troughs.
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Megaripples Sees to Be Reshaping Mars
When looking at Mars, the Red Planet is an unchanging place, unlike Earth that is constantly moving. But a new study on the Martian megaripples reveals that the planet could be refashioning itself as these formations of the sand move to other places along with the wind.
According to CNet, researchers used images captured by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's HiRise camera to investigate the dune field on the Red Planet's north pole region where megaripples were widespread and migrating at high rates to other sites on Mars, such as the lower latitudes.
They said that the Martian atmosphere is capable of moving some coarse-grained megaripples. This contradicts previous theories that state megaripples on Mars are static relic formations from the planet's past climate. They seem to be moving during windy periods in spring and summer but hibernate during winter.
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