Liu Hsin (crater)

Liu Hsin Crater is a crater in the Phaethontis quadrangle of Mars, located at 53.6°S latitude and 171.6°W longitude. It is 137.0 km in diameter and was named after Liu Xin. Liu Hsin (also spelled Xin) was a Chinese astronomer, historian, and editor during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BCE to 9 CE) and the Xin Dynasty (9 to 23 CE).^[1] The name was approved in 1973 by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN).^[2] Pictures show gullies on the wall of the crater; these can be seen in one of the pictures below.

Dunes are common on Mars. Liu Hsin Crater shows some barchan dunes. When there are perfect conditions for producing sand dunes, steady wind in one direction and just enough sand, a barchan sand dune forms. Barchans have a gentle slope on the wind side and a much steeper slope on the lee side where horns or a notch often forms.^[3] The whole dune may appear to move with the wind. Observing dunes on Mars can tell us how strong the winds are, as well as their direction.

Liu Hsin, as seen by MOLA, THEMIS IR Day, and in map by International Astronomical Union Working Group

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  Liu Hsin Crater, as seen by CTX camera (on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter).

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  Dunes in Liu Hsin Crater, as seen by CTX camera (on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter). Dark lines are dust devil tracks. Note: this is an enlargement of a previous image of Liu Sin Crater.

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  Dust devil tracks in Liu Hsin Crater, as seen by CTX camera (on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter). Gullies can also be seen on the crater wall, near the bottom of picture. Note: this is an enlargement of a previous image of Liu Sin Crater.

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  Gullies in Liu Hsin Crater, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program. Curved lines on crater floor may be remains of old glaciers.

See also

• Climate of Mars
• Geology of Mars
• Impact crater
• List of craters on Mars
• Martian gullies
• Glaciers
• Glaciers on Mars
• Barchan

References