HR: 17:40h
AN: P24A-09    [Abstracts]
TI: A Study of the Subsurface Structure of a Region of the Martian South Polar Layered Deposits by Means of Sharad High Resolution Radar Data
AU: * Giacomoni, E
EM: emanuelegiacomoni@gmail.com
AF: INFOCOM Department, University of Rome "Sapienza", Via Eudossiana 18, Rome, 00184, Italy
AU: Marinangeli, L
EM: luciam@irsps.unich.it
AF: International Research School of Planetary Sciences, University "Gabriele d'Annunzio", Viale Pindaro 42, Pescara, 65127, Italy
AU: Pettinelli, E
EM: pettinelli@fis.uniroma3.it
AF: Dipartimento di Fisica "E. Amaldi", University of "Roma Tre", Via della Vasca Navale 84, Roma, 00146, Italy
AU: Biccari, D
EM: d.biccari@infocom.uniroma1.it
AF: INFOCOM Department, University of Rome "Sapienza", Via Eudossiana 18, Rome, 00184, Italy
AU: Cutigni, M
EM: marcocutigni@gmail.com
AF: INFOCOM Department, University of Rome "Sapienza", Via Eudossiana 18, Rome, 00184, Italy
AU: Russo, F
EM: federusso@gmail.com
AF: INFOCOM Department, University of Rome "Sapienza", Via Eudossiana 18, Rome, 00184, Italy
AU: Fuga, O
EM: oreste.fuga@gmail.com
AF: INFOCOM Department, University of Rome "Sapienza", Via Eudossiana 18, Rome, 00184, Italy
AU: Seu, R
EM: roberto.seu@uniroma1.it
AF: INFOCOM Department, University of Rome "Sapienza", Via Eudossiana 18, Rome, 00184, Italy
AU: Phillips, R J
EM: phillips@wustite.wustl.edu
AF: Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MO 63130, United States
AU: Flamini, E
EM: enrico.flamini@asi.it
AF: Agenzia Spaziale Italiana, Viale Liegi 26, Rome, 00198, Italy
AB: SHARAD (SHAllow RADar) is a Ground Penetrating Radar provided by the Italian Space Agency, which is participating as a facility instrument to NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter mission. Goal of this nadir-looking, low-frequency SAR is to investigate surface and subsurface of Mars and subsequently provide data, including high resolution views of the stratigraphy within the layered deposits, that supply unique information concerning dielectric interfaces. The latter can thus be analyzed and interpreted in terms of occurrence and distribution of expected materials, including water, ice, rock and regolith. Among the most interesting results obtained so far, the numerous and continuous subsurface reflectors detected below the Promethei Lingula area, extending for approximately 1 km in depth, can give a relevant contribution in understanding the geophysical features of this part of the South Polar Layered Deposits, in particular the still unknown phenomenon that is at the base of the layers formation. In this work we will analyze whether the reflectors detected are a result of a real physical interaction between electromagnetic wave and subsurface structures or are due to phenomena such as multiple reflections. At the same time we are able to exclude possible off-nadir clutter by means of a surface simulator developed at the SHARAD operational center. We then give an exhaustive description of the reflectors, especially their structure shape as well as the horizontal and vertical extension. In addition to that we put together SHARAD radar data in 3D images to better understand shape and slope of the subsurface reflectors. Moreover we make a comparison with terrestrial areas, that show similar features.
DE: 0710 Periglacial processes
DE: 0720 Glaciers
DE: 0758 Remote sensing
DE: 5422 Ices
DE: 5462 Polar regions
SC: Planetary Sciences [P]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting