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Aeolian processes are the dominant geological activity on Mars under current environmental conditions, and decoding the surface features on Mars is important for determining its history. Transverse Aeolian Ridges (TARs) on Mars are mysterious aeolian features originally considered to be unique to Mars. The origin, formation process and sediment sources for TARs remain uncertain, but using high-resolution satellite images and studying terrestrial analogs are important tools for examining these features. TAR-like features in the Lut desert of Iran are excellent analogs for exploring the diversity and dimensions of TAR-like features, in order to shed light on the most likely origin of TARs on Mars. We used a semi-automatic mapping methodology to document TAR-like bedforms in the Lut desert. Morphometry of more than 2 million TAR-like features in the Lut study area were automatically extracted for this study, along with manual measurements of ~2000 features using photoclinometry in order to document heights. High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) digital terrain models (DTMs) were used to obtain measurements for ~2000 Martian TARs, in order to compare similar data sets for the morphometry of both Martian TARs and the Lut analogs. We analyzed measured physical attributes in order to explore physical conditions that may have contributed to their formation. A multi-temporal analysis of the Lut TAR-like features used satellite images spanning an 8-year time period. Four groups of TAR-like features in the Lut Desert were identified by their morphometry and their response to wind conditions.
Foroutan et al. (Sun,) studied this question.