Mercury Radar Imaging: Evidence for Polar Ice
The first unambiguous full-disk radar mapping of Mercury at 3.5-centimeter wavelength, with the Goldstone 70-meter antenna transmitting and 26 antennas of the Very Large Array receiving, has provided evidence for the presence of polar ice. The radar experiments, conducted on 8 and 23 August 1991, we...
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American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
1992
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.258.5082.635 https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.258.5082.635 |
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craaas:10.1126/science.258.5082.635 2024-06-23T07:55:24+00:00 Mercury Radar Imaging: Evidence for Polar Ice Slade, Martin A. Butler, Bryan J. Muhleman, Duane O. 1992 http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.258.5082.635 https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.258.5082.635 en eng American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science volume 258, issue 5082, page 635-640 ISSN 0036-8075 1095-9203 journal-article 1992 craaas https://doi.org/10.1126/science.258.5082.635 2024-06-13T04:01:14Z The first unambiguous full-disk radar mapping of Mercury at 3.5-centimeter wavelength, with the Goldstone 70-meter antenna transmitting and 26 antennas of the Very Large Array receiving, has provided evidence for the presence of polar ice. The radar experiments, conducted on 8 and 23 August 1991, were designed to image the half of Mercury not photographed by Mariner 10. The orbital geometry allowed viewing beyond the north pole of Mercury; a highly reflective region was clearly visible on the north pole during both experiments. This polar region has areas in which the circular polarization ratio (μ c ) was 1.0 to 1.4; values < ∼0.1 are typical for terrestrial planets. Such high values of μ c have hitherto been observed in radar observations only from icy regions of Mars and icy outer planet satellites. Article in Journal/Newspaper North Pole AAAS Resource Center (American Association for the Advancement of Science) North Pole Science 258 5082 635 640 |
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AAAS Resource Center (American Association for the Advancement of Science) |
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English |
description |
The first unambiguous full-disk radar mapping of Mercury at 3.5-centimeter wavelength, with the Goldstone 70-meter antenna transmitting and 26 antennas of the Very Large Array receiving, has provided evidence for the presence of polar ice. The radar experiments, conducted on 8 and 23 August 1991, were designed to image the half of Mercury not photographed by Mariner 10. The orbital geometry allowed viewing beyond the north pole of Mercury; a highly reflective region was clearly visible on the north pole during both experiments. This polar region has areas in which the circular polarization ratio (μ c ) was 1.0 to 1.4; values < ∼0.1 are typical for terrestrial planets. Such high values of μ c have hitherto been observed in radar observations only from icy regions of Mars and icy outer planet satellites. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Slade, Martin A. Butler, Bryan J. Muhleman, Duane O. |
spellingShingle |
Slade, Martin A. Butler, Bryan J. Muhleman, Duane O. Mercury Radar Imaging: Evidence for Polar Ice |
author_facet |
Slade, Martin A. Butler, Bryan J. Muhleman, Duane O. |
author_sort |
Slade, Martin A. |
title |
Mercury Radar Imaging: Evidence for Polar Ice |
title_short |
Mercury Radar Imaging: Evidence for Polar Ice |
title_full |
Mercury Radar Imaging: Evidence for Polar Ice |
title_fullStr |
Mercury Radar Imaging: Evidence for Polar Ice |
title_full_unstemmed |
Mercury Radar Imaging: Evidence for Polar Ice |
title_sort |
mercury radar imaging: evidence for polar ice |
publisher |
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) |
publishDate |
1992 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.258.5082.635 https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.258.5082.635 |
geographic |
North Pole |
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North Pole |
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North Pole |
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North Pole |
op_source |
Science volume 258, issue 5082, page 635-640 ISSN 0036-8075 1095-9203 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.258.5082.635 |
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Science |
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258 |
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5082 |
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635 |
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640 |
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1802648000405700608 |