Descriptions courtesy of NASA:  The image shows a Martian avalanche, or debris fall, in action.  Cameras orbiting Mars have taken thousands of images that have enabled scientists to put together pieces of Mars' geologic history. However, most of them reveal landscapes that haven't changed much in millions of years. Some images taken at different times of year do show seasonal changes from one image to the next, however, it is extremely rare to catch such a dramatic event in action. (Another, unrelated, active process that has been captured by Mars cameras are dust devils.) Observing currently active processes is often a useful tool in unlocking puzzles of the past for scientists studying the Earth. Working from primarily still images, it is harder for scientists studying Mars to rely on this tool. The HiRISE image of avalanching debris is a very rare opportunity to directly do so.
<ul><li>derivative work: <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Ianare" title="User:Ianare">ianaré</a> (<a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Ianare" title="User talk:Ianare"><span class="signature-talk">talk</span></a>)</li>
<li><a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:PIA10245-Martian_landslide.jpg" title="File:PIA10245-Martian landslide.jpg">PIA10245-Martian_landslide.jpg</a>: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona</li></ul>
<ul><li><a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:PIA10245-Martian_landslide.jpg" title="File:PIA10245-Martian landslide.jpg">PIA10245-Martian_landslide.jpg</a></li></ul>