HR: 15:10h
AN: P13C-07    [Abstracts]
TI: Bistatic Radar Exploration of Mars' South Polar Region
AU: * Simpson, R A
EM: rsimpson@magellan.stanford.edu
AF: Stanford University, Packard Bldg - Room 332, 350 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305 United States
AU: Tyler, G L
EM: len.tyler@stanford.edu
AF: Stanford University, Packard Bldg - Room 331, 350 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305 United States
AU: Paetzold, M
EM: paetzold@geo.uni-koeln.de
AF: Universitaet zu Koeln, Institut fuer Geophysik und Meteorologie, Albert-Magnus-Platz, Koeln, D-50923 Germany
AU: Haeusler, B
EM: bernd.haeusler@unibw-muenchen.de
AF: Universitaet der Bundeswehr Muenchen, Institut fuer Raumfahrttechnik, Neubiberg, D-85577 Germany
AB: Several bistatic radar experiments were conducted using Mars Express in late August and early September 2005 with targets in Mars' south polar region (latitudes poleward of 87S). Strong quasi-specular echoes were received on Earth at 13 and 3.6 cm wavelengths in both right- and left-circular polarization. Preliminary analysis shows rms slopes to be less than 2 degrees at the shorter wavelength; but there is considerable structure in the echo shape, suggesting surface heterogeneity. Two of the experiments targeted the residual south polar ice cap, which appears anomalously bright in Earth-based backscatter radar (Muhleman et al., Science, 253, 1508-1513, 1991). The bistatic geometry is not expected to trigger the anomalous scattering; but the new measurements should provide additional insight into the properties of the surface materials responsible.
DE: 5462 Polar regions
DE: 6225 Mars
DE: 6949 Radar astronomy
DE: 6994 Instruments and techniques (1241)
SC: Planetary Sciences [P]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005