Ventifacts on Mars

Abstract

Prior to the Pathfinder mission, rocks on the Martian surface appeared relatively unaffected by physical weathering processes. A major discovery of Pathfinder was the finding that numerous rocks exhibit features characteristic of ventifacts, rocks that have been abraded by windborne particles. Initial studies have shown that: 1) at least half the rocks at the landing site are abraded, 2) ventifacts are more abundant at the Pathfinder site than at the Viking sites, and 3) most of the rock erosion appears to have occurred in a climatic regime different from that of today. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.