Prospecting for Martian Ice from Orbit
Recent data from the Gamma-Ray Spectrometer (GRS) on Mars Odyssey indicate the presence of a hydrogen-rich layer tens of centimeters thick in high latitudes on Mars. This hydrogen-rich layer correlates to previously determined regions of ice stability. It has been suggested that the subsurface hydro...
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ftnasantrs:oai:casi.ntrs.nasa.gov:20040085587 2023-05-15T16:37:17+02:00 Prospecting for Martian Ice from Orbit Kanner, L. C. Bell, M. S. Allen, C. C. Unclassified, Unlimited, Publicly available 2003 application/pdf http://hdl.handle.net/2060/20040085587 unknown Document ID: 20040085587 http://hdl.handle.net/2060/20040085587 Copyright, Distribution under U.S. Government purpose rights CASI Lunar and Planetary Science and Exploration Third International Conference on Mars Polar Science and Exploration; LPI-Contrib-1184 2003 ftnasantrs 2017-10-07T22:47:50Z Recent data from the Gamma-Ray Spectrometer (GRS) on Mars Odyssey indicate the presence of a hydrogen-rich layer tens of centimeters thick in high latitudes on Mars. This hydrogen-rich layer correlates to previously determined regions of ice stability. It has been suggested that the subsurface hydrogen is ice and constitutes 35 plus or minus 15% by weight near the north and south polar regions. This study constrains the location of subsurface ice deposits on the scale of kilometers or smaller by combining GRS data with surface features indicative of subsurface ice. The most recognizable terrestrial geomorphic indicators of subsurface ice, formed in permafrost and periglacial environments, include thermokarst pits, pingos, pseudocraters and patterned ground. Patterned ground features have geometric forms such as circles, polygons, stripes and nets. This study focuses on the polygonal form of patterned ground, selected for its discernable shape and subsurface implications. Polygonal features are typically demarcated by troughs, beneath which grow vertical ice-wedges. Ice-wedges form in thermal contraction cracks in ice-rich soil and grow with annual freezing and thawing events repeated over tens of years. Ice wedges exist below the depth of seasonal freeze-thaw. Terrestrial ice wedges can be several meters deep and polygons can be tens of meters apart, and, on rare occasions, up to 1 km. The crack spacing of terrestrial polygons is typically 3 to 10 times the crack depth. Other/Unknown Material Ice permafrost Thermokarst wedge* NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) |
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Open Polar |
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NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) |
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ftnasantrs |
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topic |
Lunar and Planetary Science and Exploration |
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Lunar and Planetary Science and Exploration Kanner, L. C. Bell, M. S. Allen, C. C. Prospecting for Martian Ice from Orbit |
topic_facet |
Lunar and Planetary Science and Exploration |
description |
Recent data from the Gamma-Ray Spectrometer (GRS) on Mars Odyssey indicate the presence of a hydrogen-rich layer tens of centimeters thick in high latitudes on Mars. This hydrogen-rich layer correlates to previously determined regions of ice stability. It has been suggested that the subsurface hydrogen is ice and constitutes 35 plus or minus 15% by weight near the north and south polar regions. This study constrains the location of subsurface ice deposits on the scale of kilometers or smaller by combining GRS data with surface features indicative of subsurface ice. The most recognizable terrestrial geomorphic indicators of subsurface ice, formed in permafrost and periglacial environments, include thermokarst pits, pingos, pseudocraters and patterned ground. Patterned ground features have geometric forms such as circles, polygons, stripes and nets. This study focuses on the polygonal form of patterned ground, selected for its discernable shape and subsurface implications. Polygonal features are typically demarcated by troughs, beneath which grow vertical ice-wedges. Ice-wedges form in thermal contraction cracks in ice-rich soil and grow with annual freezing and thawing events repeated over tens of years. Ice wedges exist below the depth of seasonal freeze-thaw. Terrestrial ice wedges can be several meters deep and polygons can be tens of meters apart, and, on rare occasions, up to 1 km. The crack spacing of terrestrial polygons is typically 3 to 10 times the crack depth. |
format |
Other/Unknown Material |
author |
Kanner, L. C. Bell, M. S. Allen, C. C. |
author_facet |
Kanner, L. C. Bell, M. S. Allen, C. C. |
author_sort |
Kanner, L. C. |
title |
Prospecting for Martian Ice from Orbit |
title_short |
Prospecting for Martian Ice from Orbit |
title_full |
Prospecting for Martian Ice from Orbit |
title_fullStr |
Prospecting for Martian Ice from Orbit |
title_full_unstemmed |
Prospecting for Martian Ice from Orbit |
title_sort |
prospecting for martian ice from orbit |
publishDate |
2003 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/2060/20040085587 |
op_coverage |
Unclassified, Unlimited, Publicly available |
genre |
Ice permafrost Thermokarst wedge* |
genre_facet |
Ice permafrost Thermokarst wedge* |
op_source |
CASI |
op_relation |
Document ID: 20040085587 http://hdl.handle.net/2060/20040085587 |
op_rights |
Copyright, Distribution under U.S. Government purpose rights |
_version_ |
1766027578831798272 |