Goldstone/VLA 3.5-cm Mars Radar Observations - Volcanic Regions

Details Goldstone/VLA 3.5-cm Mars Radar Observations - Volcanic Regions Goldstone/VLA 3.5-cm Mars Radar Observations - Volcanic Regions

Sep 2006

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006dps....38.6108c&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #38, #61.08; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 38, p.604

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Radar experiments provide a powerful means to probe surface and subsurface regions of planetary bodies to determine their chemical, physical, and geological properties. The 2003 Mars opposition provided an excellent opportunity for experiments using the combined Goldstone/VLA 3.5-cm radar instrument. The combination of the proximity of Mars (<0.4 AU) and the VLA being in its highest resolution configuration gave a linear surface resolution of less than 100 km. Observations were taken on four dates near the 2003 opposition: August 11, 19, 28, and September 8. These observations provided the highest resolution images of Mars to date from the combined Goldstone/VLA radar. The images that result from these observations, as well as those obtained in previous observations, give us an opportunity to make comparisons between Mars' two major volcanic regions. The Tharsis and Elysium volcanic regions are the two most reflective non-polar areas on the planet, but they show marked differences in their brightness. While Olympus Mons and the Tharsis volcanoes are fairly bright reflectors, they are only a little more than half as bright as the caldera of Elysium Mons. The Elysium Planitia has a bright, well defined outline, much different than its surroundings. The Daedalia Planum is also extremely bright, near the base of Arsia Mons. Although the lava flows in these regions are of approximately the same age, they exhibit a wide range of reflectiveness. We will present possible explanations for these differences, taking into account age, composition, and morphology variations between the regions. Analysis of the radar echoes from other regions is presented in a companion paper in these proceedings (Butler et al.). The NRAO is a facility of the National Science Foundation, operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc. this work was supported by the NSF REU program at NRAO.

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