HR: 0800h
AN: P31C-0214    [Abstracts]
TI: Dielectric Properties of Mafic Dust-Ice Mixtures: Case Study of the Martian Polar Layered Deposits
AU: * Heggy, E
EM: heggy@lpi.usra.edu
AF: Lunar and Planetary Institute, 3600 Bay Area Boulevard, Houston, TX 77058-1113 United States
AU: Clifford, S M
EM: clifford@lpi.usra.edu
AF: Lunar and Planetary Institute, 3600 Bay Area Boulevard, Houston, TX 77058-1113 United States
AB: The dielectric properties of the dust-ice mixtures (also referred as dirty ice) are key parameters in understanding the suitability of the layered deposits in the Martian poles for radar deep subsurface sounding and hence the investigation of the poles' stratigraphy and the potential presence of subglacier melting at the base of the structure. In a first step toward experimentally investigating the frequency, compositional and temperature dependence of this parameter, we measured the dielectric properties of several models of mafic dust and used the mixture formulas to investigate the effect of contamination in ice for different concentrations and temperatures in the frequency range 1 MHz-1 GHz. In light of this analysis, we suggest some outlines on the geoelectrical constraints in terms of losses and dielectric contrast for mapping the layering and the subglacier melt in the polar deposits.
DE: 0726 Ice sheets
DE: 0770 Properties
DE: 3285 Wave propagation (0689, 2487, 4275, 4455, 6934)
DE: 5144 Wave attenuation
DE: 6225 Mars
SC: Planetary Sciences [P]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005