Migrating meter-scale bedforms on Martian dark dunes: Are terrestrial aeolian ripples good analogues?

We found that Martian meter-scale ripples are morphologically distinct from terrestrial aeolian ripples, presenting a lower degree of straightness. Only ∼3% of the mapped ripples can be considered sinuous or straight bedforms. Moreover, we conclude that this two-dimensional sub-population is restricted to well define dune settings, where factors that promote the elongation of the meter-scale ripples were identified: gravity transport on higher slopes, bedform obliquity and flow convergence on the leeward side of dunes. We also report that the different sets of ripples that were mapped and segmented do not present a transverse migration. Therefore we conclude that terrestrial aeolian ripples are not good analogues for Martian meter-scale bedforms, either in terms of morphology or dynamic evolution.