Geophysical Investigations of Ground Ice in the Arctic: Considerations for Mars

Physics

Scientific paper

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0794 Instruments And Techniques, 5422 Ices, 6221 Europa, 6225 Mars

Scientific paper

Our understanding of Mars has been advanced with the continuing successes of MARSIS and SHARAD. As we move forward with studying ice deposits on Mars, it is important to consider how to efficiently collect data with available (or future) instrument resources. Although a suite of instruments are currently operating at Mars, little is known about the shallow subsurface, up to depths of several meters, except where outcrops can be extrapolated into the subsurface. When considering deposits of ground ice that are most accessible, it will be those encountered within a few meters of the surface that require the least amount of energy and effort to sample or mine, whether by robots or humans. The only planned mission that will investigate the top meters of Mars is the ESA ExoMars rover which includes the WISDOM ground penetrating radar (GPR). In order to understand how to quickly and efficiently detect potential resources of ground ice, field studies in the Mackenzie Delta, NWT, Canada, were undertaken using a combination of ground penetrating radar and capacitive-coupled resistivity (CCR) measurements. We will present survey data collected along coincident transects with commercial GPR and CCR systems at a variety of locations and ground ice settings throughout the Mackenzie Delta. In addition, we will show data collected with the Strata Mars GPR prototype antenna which produced data comparable to (and sometimes indistinguishable from) the commercial GPR antennas. Part of the motivation for using these two geophysical techniques was to demonstrate the capabilities of combined measurements to provide information about ice content and distribution beyond what could be accomplished using either technique alone. In addition to showing that combined GPR and CCR geophysical surveys have the ability to map massive ground ice, ice-rich sediments, ice wedges, thermokarst, and basic stratigraphic relationships, field measurements also reaffirmed that these geophysical measurements are a fast, relatively easy, and arguably necessary precursor to more destructive, complicated, and expensive drilling or mining operations.

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