Open AccessMeasurements of thermal properties of icy Mars regolith analogs
Author(s) -
Siegler Matthew,
Aharonson Oded,
Carey Elizabeth,
Choukroun Mathieu,
Hudson Troy,
Schorghofer Norbert,
Xu Steven
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: planets
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.67
H-Index - 298
eISSN - 2156-2202
pISSN - 0148-0227
DOI - 10.1029/2011je003938
Subject(s) - regolith , mars exploration program , astrobiology , thermal diffusivity , thermal conductivity , thermal , geology , sea ice growth processes , solar system , freezing point , geophysics , materials science , physics , cryosphere , meteorology , sea ice thickness , sea ice , thermodynamics , composite material , oceanography
In a series of laboratory experiments, we measure thermal diffusivity, thermal conductivity, and heat capacity of icy regolith created by vapor deposition of water below its triple point and in a low pressure atmosphere. We find that an ice‐regolith mixture prepared in this manner, which may be common on Mars, and potentially also present on the Moon, Mercury, comets and other bodies, has a thermal conductivity that increases approximately linearly with ice content. This trend differs substantially from thermal property models based of preferential formation of ice at grain contacts previously applied to both terrestrial and non‐terrestrial subsurface ice. We describe the observed microphysical structure of ice responsible for these thermal properties, which displaces interstitial gases, traps bubbles, exhibits anisotropic growth, and bridges non‐neighboring grains. We also consider the applicability of these measurements to subsurface ice on Mars and other solar system bodies.