MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-443, 5 August 2003

Yardangs are ridges formed by wind erosion. The classic, "textbook" examples of yardangs are those that appear to be like the inverted hull of a boat. They most commonly form in sedimentary rock or volcanic ash deposits that contain some proportion of sand-sized grains. This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows yardangs in the Aeolis region of Mars. Their tapered ends point toward the upper left, indicating the dominant winds responsible for their erosion came from the lower right. This picture is located near 1.0°N, 214.4°W. It is illuminated by sunlight from the lower left.