Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Radar Exploration of Mars: Recent Results and Progresses

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Planetary Exploration and Science: Recent Results and Advances

Part of the book series: Springer Geophysics ((SPRINGERGEOPHYS))

  • 1339 Accesses

Abstract

Radar is the acronym for RAdio Detection And Ranging. It is an object-detection system, which principles consist basically in the transmission, propagation, and reflection of radio waves. After the first exploitations in the military field, radar evolved as a useful device also in the civil field, widely extending its applications. After having been tested on Earth, radar capabilities to penetrate a planet surface have been applied on Mars exploration. MARSIS, part of the payload of ESA Mars Express mission, and SHARAD, embarked on board NASA MRO spacecraft, are two nadir-looking radar sounders which use synthetic aperture radar (SAR) techniques. The two instruments are complementary: MARSIS is able to detect subsurface interfaces at great depth, while SHARAD can better discriminate subsurface interfaces close to the surface. The two radars achieved information on Martian craters, both exposed and buried, provided geophysical evidences for the former existence of an ocean in the Martian northern hemisphere, investigated Martian pedestal craters, provided a useful contribution to analyze the nature of the Medusae Fossae Formation, and probed the ice-rich polar layered deposits of Mars, detected a boundary in many areas of plains off the south polar layered deposits. The analysis of MARSIS data enables to study also the Martian ionosphere and to estimate its TEC producing the related maps. Through volumetric (3D) study, the two radars provide an opportunity to extend our knowledge of a planetary body to the third dimension, allowing to detect features that are difficult to investigate in vertical profiles. Since Martian polar terrains are considered a close analogue to the material forming the crusts of Jovian satellites Europa and Ganymede, a radar sounder, RIME, has been selected as part of ESA’s first large-class mission in Cosmic Vision Program, JUICE, the first orbiter on an icy moon which will investigate the emergence of habitable worlds around gas giants, characterizing Ganymede, Europa, and Callisto as planetary objects and potential habitats.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Acuna MH, Connerney JEP, Ness NF, Lin RP, Mitchell D, Carlson CW, McFadden J, Anderson KA, Reme H, Mazelle C, Vignes D, Wasilewski P, Cloutier P (1999) Global distribution of crustal magnetization discovered by the Mars Global Surveyor MAG/ER experiment. Science 284(5415):790–793. doi:10.1126/science.284.5415.790

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arvidson RE, Coradini M, Carusi A, Coradini A, Fulchignoni M, Federico C, Funiciello R, Salomone M (1976) Latitudinal variation of wind erosion of crater ejecta deposits on Mars. Icarus 27(4):503–516. doi:10.1016/0019-1035(76)90166-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baker VR, Strom RG, Gulick VC, Kargel JS, Komatsu G, Kale VS (1991) Ancient oceans, ice sheets and the hydrologic cycle on Mars. Nature 352:589–594. doi:10.1038/352589a0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carr MH (1987) Water on Mars. Nature 326:30–35. doi:10.1038/326030a0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carr MH (1996) Channels and valleys on Mars: cold climate features formed as a result of a thickening cryosphere. Planet Space Sci 44:1411–1423. doi:10.1016/S0032-0633(96)00053-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cartacci M, Amata E, Cicchetti A, Noschese R, Giuppi S, Langlais B, Frigeri A, Orosei R, Picardi G (2012) TEC Analysis from MARSIS subsurface data. Icarus 223(1):423–437. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2012.12.011

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carter LM, Campbell BA, Watters TR, Phillips RJ, Putzig NE, Safaeinili A, Plaut JJ, Okubo CH, Egan AF, Seu R, Biccari D, Orosei R (2009) Shallow radar (SHARAD) sounding observations of the Medusae Fossae Formation, Mars. Icarus 199:295–302

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman S (1931) The absorption and dissociative or ionizing effect of monochromatic radiation of an atmosphere on a rotating Earth. Proc Phys Soc Lond 43:26–45

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Di Achille G, Hynek BM (2010) Ancient ocean on Mars supported by global distribution of deltas and valleys. Nat Geosci 3:459–463. doi:10.1038/ngeo891

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frigeri A, Orosei R, Cartacci M, Cicchetti A, Mitri G, Giuppi S, Noschese R, Picardi G, Plaut JJ (2012) Radar soundings of the North Polar Cap of Mars. Paper presented at 3rd Moscow solar system symposium, IKI – Space Research Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 8–12 October 2012

    Google Scholar 

  • Gurnett DA, Bhattacharjee A (2005) Introduction to plasma physics: with space and laboratory applications. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Gurnett DA, Huff RL, Morgan DD, Persoon AM, Averkamp TF, Kirchner DL, Duru F, Akalin F, Kopf AJ, Nielsen E, Safaenili A, Plaut JJ, Picardi G (2008) An overview of radar soundings of the Martian ionosphere from the Mars Express spacecraft. Adv Space Res 41:1335–1346

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Head JW, Roth R (1976) Mars pedestal crater escarpments: evidence for ejecta‐related emplacement. Paper presented at symposium on planetary cratering mechanics. U.S. Geological Survey, Flagstaff, AZ

    Google Scholar 

  • Ilyushin YA, Kunitsyn VE (2004) Methods for correcting ionosphere distortions of orbital ground-penetrating radar signals. J Commun Technol Electron 49:154–165

    Google Scholar 

  • Jordan R, Picardi G, Plaut J, Wheeler K, Kirchner D, Safaeinili A, Johnson W, Seu R, Calabrese D, Zampolini E, Cicchetti A, Huff R, Gurnett D, Ivanov A, Kofman W, Orosei R, Thompson T, Edenhofer P, Bombaci O (2009) The Mars express MARSIS sounder instrument. Planet Space Sci 57:1975–1986

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leblanc F, Witasse O, Lilensten J, Frahm RA, Safaenili A, Brain DA, Mouginot J, Nilsson H, Futaana Y, Halekas J, Holmström, M, Bertaux JL, Winningham JD, Kofman W, Lundin R (2008) Observations of aurorae by SPICAM ultraviolet spectrograph on board Mars Express: simultaneous ASPERA-3 and MARSIS measurements. J Geophys Res 113(A08311). doi:10.1029/2008JA013033

  • Lillis RJ, Fillingim MO, Peticolas LM, Brain DA, Lin RP, Bougher SW (2009) Nightside ionosphere of Mars: modeling the effects of crustal magnetic fields and electron pitch angle distributions on electron impact ionization. J Geophys Res 114(E11009)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lillis RJ, Brain DA, England SL, Withers P, Fillingim MO, Safaeinili A (2010) Total electron content in the Mars ionosphere: temporal studies and dependence on solar EUV flux. J Geophys Res 115(A11314)

    Google Scholar 

  • Luo W, Stepinski TF (2009) Computer-generated global map of valley networks on Mars. J Geophys Res 114 (E11010). doi:10.1029/2009JE003357

  • McCauley JF (1973) Mariner 9 evidence for wind erosion in the equatorial and mid‐latitude regions of Mars. J Geophys Res 78(20):4123–4137. doi:10.1029/JB078i020p04123

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mouginot J, Kofman W, Safaeinili A, Herique A (2008) Correction of the ionospheric distortion on the MARSIS surface sounding echoes. Planet Space Sci 56:917–926

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mouginot J, Pommerol A, Beck P, Kofman W, Clifford SM (2012) Dielectric map of the Martian northern hemisphere and the nature of plain filling materials. Geophys Res Lett 39(L02202). doi:10.1029/2011GL050286

  • Němec F, Morgan DD, Gurnett DA, Duru F (2010) Nightside ionosphere of Mars: radar soundings by the Mars Express spacecraft. J Geophys Res 115(E12009). doi:10.1029/2010JE003663

  • Nielsen E, Zou H, Gurnett DA, Kirchner DL, Morgan DD, Huff R, Orosei R, Safaenili A, Plaut JJ, Picardi G (2006) Observations of vertical reflections from the topside Martian ionosphere. Space Sci Rev 126:373–388

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nunes DC, Smrekar SE, Fisher B, Plaut JJ, Holt JW, Head JW, Kadish SJ, Phillips RJ (2011) Shallow Radar (SHARAD), pedestal craters, and the lost Martian layers: Initial assessments. J Geophys 116 (E04006). doi:10.1029/2010JE003690

  • Picardi G, Sorge S, Seu R, Plaut JJ, Johnson WTK, Jordan RL, Gurnett DA, Provvedi F, Zampolini E, Zelli C (2000) MARSIS experiment: design and operations overview. In: Proceedings of SPIE 4084, eighth international conference on ground penetrating radar. doi:10.1117/12.383568

  • Picardi G, Plaut JJ, Biccari D, Bombaci O, Calabrese D, Cartacci M, Cicchetti A, Clifford SM, Edenhofer P, Farrell WF, Federico C, Frigeri A, Gurnett DA, Hagfors T, Heggy E, Herique A, Huff RL, Ivanov AB, Johnson WTK, Jordan RL, Kirchner DL, Kofman W, Leuschen CJ, Nielsen E, Orosei R, Pettinelli E, Phillips RJ, Plettemeier D, Safaeinili A, Seu R, Stofan ER, Vannaroni G, Watters TR, Zampolini E (2005) Radar soundings of the subsurface of Mars. Science 310:1925–1928

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Plaut JJ, Picardi G, Safaeinili A, Ivanov AB, Milkovich SM, Cicchetti A, Kofman W, Mouginot J, Farrell WM, Phillips RJ, Clifford SM, Frigeri A, Orosei R, Federico C, Williams IP, Gurnett DA, Nielsen E, Hagfors T, Heggy E, Stofan ER, Plettemeier D, Watters TR, Leuschen CJ, Edenhofer P (2007) Subsurface radar sounding of the south polar layered deposits of Mars. Science 316:92–95. doi:10.1126/science.1139672

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Safaeinili A, Kofman W, Nouvel JF, Herique A, Jordan RL (2003) Impact of Mars ionosphere on orbital radar sounder operation and data processing. Planet Space Sci 51(7–8):505–515

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Safaeinili A, Kofman W, Mouginot J, Gim Y, Herique A, Ivanov AB, Plaut JJ, Picardi G (2007) Estimation of the total electron content of the Martian ionosphere using radar sounder surface echoes. Geophys Res Lett 34(L23204). doi:10.1029/2007GL032154

  • Seu R, Biccari D, Cartacci M, Cicchetti A, Fuga O, Giuppi S, Masdea A, Noschese R, Picardi G, Federico C, Frigeri A, Melacci PT, Orosei R, Croci R, Guelfi M, Calabrese D, Zampolini E, Marinangeli L, Pettinelli E, Flamini E, Vannaroni G (2007) The SHAllow RADar (SHARAD) Experiment, a subsurface sounding radar for MRO. Mem Soc Astron Ital Suppl 11:26–36

    Google Scholar 

  • Skolnik MI (1980) Introduction to radar systems. McGraw-Hill, New York. ISBN 0070579091

    Google Scholar 

  • Watters TR, Leuschen CJ, Plaut JJ, Picardi G, Safaeinili A, Clifford SM, Farrell WM, Ivanov AB, Phillips RJ, Stofan ER (2006) MARSIS radar sounder evidence of buried basins in the northern lowlands of Mars. Nature 444:905–908

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Watters TR, Campbell BA, Carter LM, Leuschen CJ, Plaut JJ, Picardi G, Orosei R, Safaeinili A, Clifford SM, Farrell WM, Ivanov AB, Phillips RJ, Stofan ER (2007) Radar sounding of the Medusae Fossae Formation, Mars: equatorial ice or dry, low-density deposits? Science 318:1125–1128

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Z, Nielsen E, Plaut JJ, Orosei R, Picardi G (2009) Ionospheric corrections of MARSIS subsurface sounding signals with filters including collision frequency. Planet Space Sci 57:393–403

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali – Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, Rome, Italy

    Stefano Giuppi

Authors
  1. Stefano Giuppi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stefano Giuppi .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China

    Shuanggen Jin

  2. University of Hawaii-Manoa NASA Astrobiology Institute, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

    Nader Haghighipour

  3. National Central University, Taoyuan, Taiwan

    Wing-Huen Ip

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Giuppi, S. (2015). Radar Exploration of Mars: Recent Results and Progresses. In: Jin, S., Haghighipour, N., Ip, WH. (eds) Planetary Exploration and Science: Recent Results and Advances. Springer Geophysics. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-45052-9_5

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation