When barchan dunes move over craters

TL;DR

This study explores how subaqueous barchan dunes interact with crater-like depressions through experiments, revealing various outcomes and proposing a classification map applicable to planetary dune behavior.

Contribution

It introduces a new experimental framework and a classification map for dune-crater interactions, extending understanding to planetary surface processes.

Findings

Dunes can be blocked, destroyed, or pass over craters

Transitions depend on size ratios and flow conditions

A classification map predicts interaction outcomes

Abstract

We investigate the possible outcomes of a subaqueous barchan moving over a crater-like depression in the bed. For that, we carried out experiments where we varied the dune size, crater and grain diameters, and flow velocities. We found that subaqueous barchans can be blocked, destroyed, or pass over craters, with transitional situations, and that strong instabilities take place under some conditions. Based on a dune-crater size ratio and a modified Stokes number, we propose a map that classifies the different outcomes of interactions. If used with caution, the map can serve as a reference for understanding the much slower behavior of dunes migrating over or near craters on the surface of Mars.