NASA's Perseverance captures giant sand ripples on Mars, revealing planet’s hidden winds

Giant Ripples on Mars Observed by Perseverance Offer Clues to Past Winds (Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

• NASA’s Perseverance rover has studied massive Martian sand formations called megaripples, including one nicknamed “Hazyview,” in Jezero Crater. These ripples, up to 2 meters tall, preserve clues about past wind patterns and water-dust interactions. While many appear dormant, some may still shift under rare strong winds. Analysing their structure helps scientists understand Mars’ surface evolution and informs future exploration, including vehicle mobility and resource access. The research highlights how even seemingly simple sand formations reveal both the planet’s history and its practical challenges for human missions.

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NASA’s Perseverance rover has captured the most detailed observations yet of massive sand formations called megaripples on Mars. In late December 2025, the mission team shared images and data from a feature nicknamed “Hazyview,” a giant wind-shaped ripple rising around 2 metres tall. These aeolian megaripples are largely dormant, preserving clues about ancient winds and interactions between dust and water on the Red Planet. The study could improve both scientific understanding and future mission planning.

What Are Martian Megaripples?

On Earth, wind constantly reshapes sand into dunes and ripples. On Mars, the process is similar but complicated by a thinner atmosphere. Perseverance’s team explained that Martian megaripples can develop a salty, dusty crust when water interacts with surface dust. This crust binds grains tightly, making ordinary winds ineffective at moving them. In this way, many megaripples act like time capsules, recording earlier Martian environmental conditions. Some show minor shifts, hinting that rare, strong winds could still partially reactivate the sand.

Exploring the Honeyguide Ripple Field

The “Hazyview” megaripple lies within the Honeyguide ripple field, near Jezero Crater’s rim, where Perseverance has been exploring since February 2021. During the recent campaign, the rover collected over 50 observations using its full payload, including SuperCam, Mastcam-Z, MEDA, PIXL, and WATSON. The goal was to study the ripple’s structure and determine if it remains fully dormant or still shifts in response to occasional wind events.

Why It Matters for Science and Exploration

Although studying sand may seem minor compared with searching for ancient life, megaripples connect directly to both science and human exploration. Dormant ripples preserve evidence of past wind patterns and water-dust chemistry. Active or reactivated megaripples show that Mars can still rearrange its surface even today. Understanding soil cohesion and chemistry is also vital for future operations, affecting rover traction, dust behaviour, and resource access. Perseverance continues to balance exploring Mars’ past while preparing for its human future.