4.5 Article

Topographical analysis of a candidate subglacial water region in Ultimi Scopuli, Mars

Journal

ICARUS
Volume 392, Issue -, Pages -

Publisher

ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE
DOI: 10.1016/j.icarus.2022.115394

Keywords

Mars; polar geology; Ices; polar caps

Ask authors/readers for more resources

Possible subglacial standing bodies of liquid water have been discovered at the base of the South Polar Layered Deposits on Mars, based on the interpretation of radar signals from the MARSIS instrument. Surface topography analysis combined with radar sounder signals support the presence of these subglacial water zones.
Radar signals of the MARSIS (Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding) instrument at the base of the South Polar Layered Deposits (SPLD) in the region known as Ultimi Scopuli, on Mars, have been interpreted as reflections from putative subglacial standing bodies of liquid water. The interpretation of the MARSIS radar signals is not unique and different explanations have been proposed for the anomalous bright radar reflection observed in Ultimi Scopuli, including the presence of CO2 deposits within the ice, or clays and metal-bearing minerals. We analysed the surface topography of Ultimi Scopuli with Digital Elevations Models (DEMs) derived from MOLA (Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter), photogrammetric processing of the High-Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) images and SHARAD radargrams. In each case, we found an anomalous flat and smooth area in correspondence to the potential subglacial water zone, indicating a condition of hydrostatic equilibrium of the ice, similar to the surface observations found above large terrestrial subglacial lakes. We found that the surface topography, in addition to MARSIS radar sounder signals, are compatible with the presence of subglacial standing bodies of liquid water at the base of Ultimi Scopuli.

Authors

I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.

Reviews

Primary Rating

4.5
Not enough ratings

Secondary Ratings

Novelty
-
Significance
-
Scientific rigor
-
Rate this paper

Recommended

No Data Available
No Data Available