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How do dust devils affect the surface of Mars?

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Mars
Mars An especially serene view of Mars (Tharsis side), a composite of images taken by the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft in April 1999. The northern polar cap and encircling dark dune field of Vastitas Borealis are visible at the top of the globe. White water-ice clouds surround the most prominent volcanic peaks, including Olympus Mons near the western limb, Alba Patera to its northeast, and the line of Tharsis volcanoes to the southeast. East of the Tharsis rise can be seen the enormous near-equatorial gash that marks the canyon system Valles Marineris.

While dust devils are too small to be observed from Earth, they have been documented by spacecraft landing sites and orbital imagery on Mars. These whirlwinds affect the Martian surface by creating narrow, visible tracks across the landscape.1

Beyond these specific markings, dust devils contribute to the broader atmospheric and surface dynamics of the planet. They are a form of small-scale motion that, along with other wind patterns, helps move dark sand and sweep areas free of bright dust, which influences the changing appearance of dark surface markings over time. While large-scale dust storms are the primary drivers of global dust distribution, dust devils are a persistent, localized phenomenon that plays a role in the ongoing redistribution of surface materials.231