ORCID

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 surfaceconditions (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 anddynamics, and refinement of the models to include consideration of a wider range of environmental and planetaryconditions. To-date, the planetary aeolian community has found and studied dune fields on Mars, Venus, and theSaturnian 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 ofinvestigations 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 aboutthat planetary body. We define that sequence of generated knowledge and new questions (within seven investigationphases) and discuss examples from all of the studied bodies. The aim of such a sequence is to better define our pastand current state of understanding about the aeolian bedforms of a particular body, to highlight the relatedassumptions that require re-analysis with data acquired during later investigations, and to use lessons learned fromplanetary and terrestrial aeolian studies to predict what types of investigations could be most fruitful in the future.

Publication Date

2016-10-24

Publication Title

Aeolian Research

ISSN

1875-9637

Acceptance Date

2016-10-04

Deposit Date

2024-06-04

Embargo Period

2019-06-14

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