Observation of branches on Mars by the Curiosity Rover is discussed, with a focus on the role of wind erosion in their formation. All images were processed from NASA's RAW-data from Curiosity on Sol 3876 (2023-07-02).

The strong winds on Mars have the ability to pick up small particles, such as sand and pebbles, which act as abrasives, gradually wearing down the surface of rocks. This process can result in the creation of flat branches that resemble elongated structures. It is important to note that these branches are not formed due to speculative biological processes but rather as a consequence of the erosive power of wind. These branches are a few centimeters in length and located along the edges of rocks.

The physics behind this phenomenon can be explained by weathering and erosion caused by wind-blown particles impacting the rock edges. To visualize how Curiosity works to find these formations, high-resolution 4K render are included.

Source credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS

Source original NASA's image: https://mars.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/...

Animation, visuals and renders made by iGadgetPro

NASA's images were processed from noisy RAW format by iGadgetPro.

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Timecodes
0:00 - Intro
0:15 - Wind erosion as explanation for the observed formation
0:37 - Curiosity rover's multiple view on rocks with branches
1:26 - Physics behind the branch formation
2:07 - Animation of Mars Rover Curiosity drives on Mars to detect rock branches
2:33 - Credits

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