PSP_002824_1355.jpg which is derived from PSP_002824_1355_RED.JP2
I deemed it necessary to add my cropped photo from the above PSP JP2 so that the viewer may compare this representation of TRUE sand dunes with false ones that many scientists are regarding as "sand dunes", and are obviously not sand dunes at all.
PSP_002176_2025copy2fromJP2.jpg
#2 Pixel: 12453,40126 Data: 435 Display: 125
Many scientists may mistakenly claim that these are, in fact, sand dunes. They may RESEMBLE sand dunes slightly, but compare the big differences between this photo and the one above of true sand dunes. The objects in this photo are alive and evidently capable of movement. Notice the appearance of horn-like appendages and the centipede-like "legs" that are perhaps meant to enable motility. Also, there are many of these critters who appear to have a segment attached to the main body. These are, perhaps, their offspring that are not quite ready to detach from the parent. All of them appear to have some sort of sand covering over their "skin" to protect them from a hostile environment and that, once that sand covering is shed, they no longer are protected. I believe that these photos in this section tell quite a bit about the life and death cycles of these critters. PSP_002176_2025copy3fromJP2.jpg
#3 Pixel: 22910,4508 Data: 304 Display: 31 This is a field of sand with what I believe to be about 6 skeletal remains of what certain scientists presently consider to be "sand dunes". Of course, there are bona fide sand dunes on Mars, such as the first photo in this section. However, many that are mistaken for sand dunes may be, in reality, animals that mimic sand dunes, but are living and possibly mobile. To the left of the skeletons is one that may yet be alive. (See photos #4, #5 and #6).
PSP_002176_2025copy4fromJP2.jpg
#4 Pixel: 18342,3662 Data: 319 Display: 41 Here's another example of dead "sand dunes" with their skeletons exposed. For want of a better scientific name I shall refer to them as "sand dune critters".
PSP_002176_2025copy5fromJP2.jpg
#5 Pixel: 19070,4501 Data: 306 Display: 32 And yet another example of dead "sand dune critters". The ones at the left side, which is possibly a lower elevation than the right, have died and the skeletons are exposed as in the first two photos. It appears that the live ones on the right are moving towards the dead ones and are about to fall down from the higher elevation. These do look more like Terran earthworms, don't they? Perhaps they cover themselves with sand in order to stay moist?? There is a ravine further to the left of this photo.
PSP_002176_2025copy6fromJP2.jpg
#6 Pixel: 15600,4529 Data: 421 Display: 105 Looking like beached whales, only one large "sand dune critter" seems to be healthy. The others are all in various states of deterioration. This is much further to the left of photo #5. What can it be that's eating these critters?
PSP_001374_1805copy40fromJP2.jpg
From PSP_001374_1805_RED.JP2 Pixel: 4066,21503 Data: 117 Display: 75 Rotation: -87.6 degrees
#40 This cropped photo is borrowed from the above JP2 PSP large file photo and placed in this section to illustrate further that what many scientists call "sand dunes" are NOT made of sand. This photo was cropped from the West side of the original JP2 photo at the above approximate PSP map coordinates using the IASViewer and is outside of the crater.
As you should be able to see, there are several "sand dune critters" who have died and their bones are bleaching out in the open. Their "flesh" may also have been eaten by insects and/or spiders. These "sand dune critters" evidently bury themselves under the sand and then emerge with sand sticking to their bodies in order to move about. These are most likely consumers and digesters of sand just as Terran earthworms on Earth consume dirt and digest it. Therefore, this species on Mars may be just as valuable for their ability to produce essential elements back to the soil.
I think, at this time, that it is most appropriate to rename these critters as "Sand Dune Worms" as that is what I believe them to be.
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PSP_002176_2025copy7fromJP2.jpg
#7 Pixel: 9473,35792 Data: 328 Display: 35 This looks very much like an ant. The head may be facing South towards the waypoint 7 but could be looking North. I've seen others like this but this one is the closest. I used a handheld magnifying glass and then magnified the "insect" using the Viewer's feature. (see #8 photo below).
PSP_002176_2025copy8fromJP2.jpg
#8 Same as #7, above, but magnified. This photo may lack enough clarity, but I thought I'd include it anyway.
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This letter is from the following scientists and the complete letter (announcement) may be found at this URL: ftp://ftp.hq.nasa.gov/pub/pao/pressrel/2000/00-082.txt
At the bottom of this page, I have printed in red the part of this letter which describes the strangeness of the "Sand Dune Worms", although at the time, they were not aware of giant worms on Mars(and, in January 2008, many scientists still won't admit that these creatures exist on Mars). But it IS admitted that they cannot be dunes because of the sharpness of the crests or ridges, the symmetry of the slopes, and what they call erosion is what we now know are the hundreds or thousands of "legs" that provide mobility to these worms. Throughout most, if not all of the photos on my webpages, these sand dune worms are present.
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Donald Savage
Headquarters, Washington, DC May 22, 2000
(Phone: 202/358-1727)
Mary Hardin
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA
(Phone: 818/354-0344)
Dr. Ken Edgett
Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego, CA
(Phone: 858/552-2650 x500)
RELEASE: 00-82
PUBLIC INVITED TO BROWSE 20,000 NEW ADDITIONS TO MARS PHOTO GALLERY
The letter says, in part:
"Putting these data into perspective is very difficult. We have focused on 'themes.' Layers on the Martian surface are the biggest 'theme' or 'finding' of the imaging investigation so far. To a geologist, layers record history and they are the most geologically important, profound thing we have seen," said Dr. Michael Malin, principal investigator for the camera system at Malin Space Science Systems. "We see layers in the walls of canyons, craters, and troughs. We see layers in both the north and south polar regions. We see them in the craters on top of volcanoes, we see them in pits at the bottoms of impact craters, we see them virtually everywhere that some process has exposed the subsurface so that we can see it from above."
"Seeing Mars up close through the narrow angle camera has been a humbling
experience. We often find surfaces for which there are no obvious analogs on Earth, like certain ridges that look like dunes. Our terrestrial geologic experience seems, at times, to fail us," Edgett said. "Perhaps it is because water is the dominant force of erosion on Earth, even in the driest desert regions.
But on Mars that force of change may have been something else, like wind. The ridges seen in places like the Valles Marineris floors are strange. They aren't dunes because they occur too close together, their crests are too sharp, their slopes too symmetrical. They often appear to be a specific layer of material that has undergone erosion -- we just wish we knew what processes are involved that cause this kind of erosion."
#1 Pixel: 14556,24135 Data: 471 Display: 169 Rotation: -67.8 degrees
#46 Pixel: 17249,4666 Data: 178 Display: 151
#2 Pixel: 23263,21911 Data: 460 Display: 164 Rotation: 47.5 degrees
#3 Pixel: 23495,20960 Data: 282 Display: 85 Rotation: 47.5 degrees
#4 Pixel: 5655, 20147 Data: 274 Display: 70 Rotation: 2.4 degrees
#5 Pixel: 5586,19943 Data: 395 Display: 135 Rotation: -9.7 degrees
