High-res photo of Mars - what am I seeing?

General Questions
#1

In the caption below this exquisite close-up shot of the Martian surface, a number of features are explained. But, unless I missing something, and I probably am, what is the ribbon-like structure running from the bottom right towards the upper left? And, what are the groups of short dark parallel lines that appear here and there on the ‘ribbon’ (they actually look very much like bar codes)? Are they just a more regular pattern of “dust devils” to use the term that Phil, the Bad Astronomer, mentions in the caption? Even if they are, I’m still not sure what the ‘ribbon’ is. Can you enlighten me.

Thanks!

#2

That’s a steep slope, where the dunes fall off at the angle of repose.
The linear stripes demark gulleys in the face of the slope.

#3

Aha! Got it. Thanks.

BTW, six minutes to answer? You slowing down or what?

#4

Sorry, Karl.

:slight_smile:

#5

That photo looks strangely anatomical.

#6

Yep, I agree. Looks like a piece of flesh with a tattoo. A martian tattoo.

#7

Yeah, I’m betting the panel voting on these pics was made up of men. Lonely scientific types. . .

#8

Turn it 180 degrees and it looks like some kind of weird, hairy, Martian tramp stamp.

If you click on the photo on discovermagazine.com, it takes you to a site that has links on the right to much larger images of the entire area. They are much less confusing.