Model for Formation of Dunes at the North Martian Pole

The Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) took images of a series of strange horseshoe-shaped dunes at the North Martian pole in 2004. These dunes would be formed due to the strong Martian winds whose pattern is different from that on the Earth. We study the cause of the formation of these dunes and make a model for them. In this model, wind speed near the north Martian pole can be evaluated based on the shape of the dunes. We also estimate the surpassing speed of dunes of different sizes.