SHARAD detection and characterization of subsurface water ice deposits in Utopia Planitia, Mars | Zendy

Stuurman C. M. | Zendy; Osinski G. R. | Zendy; Holt J. W. | Zendy; Levy J. S. | Zendy; Brothers T. C. | Zendy; Kerrigan M. | Zendy; Campbell B. A. | Zendy

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SHARAD detection and characterization of subsurface water ice deposits in Utopia Planitia, Mars

Author(s) -

Stuurman C. M.,

Osinski G. R.,

Holt J. W.,

Levy J. S.,

Brothers T. C.,

Kerrigan M.,

Campbell B. A.

Publication year - 2016

Publication title -

geophysical research letters

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007

H-Index - 273

eISSN - 1944-8007

pISSN - 0094-8276

DOI - 10.1002/2016gl070138

Subject(s) - geology , mars exploration program , ground penetrating radar , radar , terrain , expansive , water ice , geomorphology , astrobiology , materials science , telecommunications , ecology , physics , compressive strength , computer science , composite material , biology

Morphological analyses of Utopia Planitia, Mars, have led to the hypothesis that the region contains a substantial amount of near‐surface ice. This paper tests this hypothesis using ground‐penetrating radar techniques. We have identified an expansive radar reflective region spanning approximately 375,000 km 2 in SHAllow RADar (SHARAD) data over western Utopia Planitia. The SHARAD reflective regions coincides with high densities of scalloped depressions and polygonal terrain. The reflectors are associated with layered mesas ∼80–170 m thick. We find a value of 2.8 ± 0.8 for the dielectric constant of the material overlying the reflectors. This work finds that the dielectric constant is consistent with a mixture of ice, air, and dust, containing a water ice volume up to 14,300 km 3 in this unit.

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