Remote sensing and geological studies of planetary surfaces

这里提出的工作的长期目标是了解月球和火星上的风化层发育和进化过程。这些行星的风化层很重要，因为它们包含了随时间在每个位置发生的物理过程的累积记录。测量和解释风化层物理和化学性质变化的能力，以及驱动风化层演化的过程，是揭开行星表面地质历史的关键。此外，月球和火星的风化层是未来登陆机器人或人类探索的重要潜在资源。在短期内，我将通过三个项目来解决这些问题，这些项目都使用雷达遥感。雷达可以提供用于表征地质材料物理特性的关键参数的定量测量，并且在与其他遥感数据协同使用时特别有效。对于许多行星应用，特别是与火星有关的应用，彻底了解雷达与富含冰的物质的相互作用是至关重要的。鉴于这些考虑，我将在当前的NSERC发现资助周期内开展以下三个项目。1)利用新型高分辨率、多波长、双偏振地球成像雷达观测，对月球近侧选定目标进行地质调查。2)利用轨道探测雷达观测，研究火星浅层地下地质特征的表达。3)在地球上，量化极化雷达与富含冰的地质物质的相互作用，这些地质物质可以作为行星物质的类似物。

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.