Undae

In Astronomy, the term undae indicates a field of Dune S or more generally of the formations or corrugated structures on the surface of a planetary body. The term comes from the plural of the Latin name unda , which indicates water, in particular of water in displacement (like a wave).

Currently (May 2007), of the fields of dunes were named only on Venus and Mars. There are also some on Titan, but he yet were not officially baptized

Venus

Three fields of dunes were officially named on Venus, all according to goddesses:

Al-Uzza Undae (according to Uzza, Arab goddess)
Menat Undae
Ningal Undae (according to Ningal, goddess sumérienne)

March

There exists five undae officially named on Mars, which bears the name of traditional areas of albedo close relations. The five is between 75°N and 85°N, between Planum Boreum and Vastitas Borealis. These fields of dunes cover 200° longitude.

Abalos Undae
Hyperboreae Undae
Olympia Undae
Siton Undae
Aspledon Undae

Moreover, within the framework of the mission Mars Exploration Rover , a small dune located in the Cratère Gusev was named El Dorado in an not-official way. It was explored by the rover Spirit between the grounds 706 and 710. El Dorado made up of black sand “sorted good, is well rounded and rich in Olivine”.

See too

Internal bonds

Dune

External bonds

'' Gazetteer off Planetary Nomenclature' (official database of the UAI concerning the planetary nomenclature)

References

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