Remote sensing and geological studies of planetary surfaces

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The long-term goal of the work proposed here is to understand the processes of regolith development and evolution on the Moon and Mars. The regoliths of these planets are important because they contain cumulative records of the physical processes that have occurred at each location over time. The ability to measure and interpret variations in regolith physical and chemical properties, and the processes that drive regolith evolution, is the key to unraveling the geologic histories of a planetary surface. In addition, the regoliths of the Moon and Mars are important as potential resources for future landed robotic or human exploration. In the short term, I will address these issues via three projects, all using radar remote sensing. Radar can provide quantitative measurements of key parameters used to characterize the physical properties of geological materials, and is particularly effective when used in synergy with other remotely sensed data. For many planetary applications - particularly those relating to Mars - a thorough understanding of the interaction of radar with ice-rich materials is of key importance. In light of these considerations, I will carry out the following three projects during the course of the current NSERC Discovery funding cycle. 1) Conduct geological investigations of selected targets on the nearside of the Moon using new high-resolution, multi-wavelength, dual polarization Earth-based imaging radar observations. 2) Investigate the shallow subsurface expressions of geological features on Mars, using orbital sounding radar observations. 3) In the field on Earth, quantify the interactions of polarimetric radar with ice-rich geological materials that can serve as analogues to planetary materials.