Renaudot is a 64-kilometer diameter impact crater located on the border of Utopia and Terra Sabaea, Mars. It contains a variety of dunes that vary in size, shape, and composition.

Both dark and light-toned dunes are located on the floor of this crater. The dark-toned dunes are likely basaltic sand while the light-toned dunes source from other materials. The floor underlying the dunes is an eroded lighter-toned surface consisting of rougher, angular blocky material or cracked, cemented surface materials.

It is likely that the sources for these dunes are outside of the crater and sediment was blown in by prevailing winds. Windward-facing dune slopes tend to have lower slopes while those pointing in the downwind direction are steeper. This suggests that the windward direction for the basaltic and larger light-toned dunes is generally towards the south, although there are smaller sets of differently aligned dunes suggesting varying wind directions.

Written by: Ginny Gulick  (8 July 2025)