Other
Scientific paper
Dec 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010agufm.p23a1619u&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2010, abstract #P23A-1619
Other
[0669] Electromagnetics / Scattering And Diffraction, [5420] Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets / Impact Phenomena, Cratering, [5430] Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets / Interiors, [6250] Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects / Moon
Scientific paper
Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR) has been widely cited as an important scientific instrument for future Moon and Mars surface exploration missions. In support of GPR technique testing for lunar subsurface exploration, a series of overlapping 3D GPR surveys were conducted over impact melt rocks in the 39 Ma, 23 km diameter Haughton impact structure, Devon Island, Nunavut, Canada. The target consisted of calcite-dominated clast-rich impact melt rock with permafrost at depths less than one metre. The target rocks were chosen as a physical analogue to lunar electrical conditions: the electrical permittivity and conductivity in ice produce a better match for lunar electrical conditions than liquid water bearing sites. Using commercially available equipment, 50, 100 and 200 MHz GPR surveys were conducted in a high-resolution grid 30m by 30m totalling nearly 14 km of GPR lines. Lines ran in both X and Y directions with the following line spacings: 50 cm for 50 MHz for a total of 122 lines; 50 cm with a subset at 25 cm at 100 MHz totalling 162 lines; and subsets of the grid were done at 25 and 10 cm line spacings at 200 MHz totalling 182 lines. CMP surveys at each frequency were performed to provide velocity information for the active and permafrost layers with results ranging from 0.068 to 0.088 m/ns. Physical samples were obtained to confirm the electrical properties of the survey site for use in comparative modelling. Initial data show some shallow dipping features which vanish at depths of approximately 7, 4 and 2.5 metres at 50, 100 and 200 MHz respectively. These data are compared to a 100 MHz transect of nearby non-brecciated dolomitic limestone which shares a weathering processes and is compositionally similar. In the non-brecciated materials, clear reflectors are visible beyond a depth of 8 metres at 100 MHz. Thus, preliminary results show higher effective attenuation in the breccia than can be explained by conductivity alone. This suggests that the brecciated and melted medium is increasing signal attenuation due to scattering processes. This additional attenuation has implications for the usefulness of GPR as an exploration method in lunar mediums, particularly in seeing through regolith and impact breccias. Additional modelling and field surveys at other terrestrial impact structures are planned to confirm these results.
Osinski Gordon
Pratt Gerhard R.
Tiampo Kristy F.
Unrau T.
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