Rabe Crater Dunes

Today's VIS image shows part of the dune field on the floor and within the pits of Rabe Crater. This crater, and a handful of others in Noachis Terra, have unique floors. At some point after the initial formation of the crater there was an influx of fill material. The later erosion of this material formed a series of large, deep pits in the crater floor. The continued erosion of the floor fill as well as the influx of wind driven sand and dust particles provided the raw materials for the formation of the dunes. The prevailing winds blow from the lower right to the upper left of the image.