Feasibility study and design concept for an orbiting ice-penetrating radar sounder to characterize in three-dimensions the Europan ice mantle down to (and including) any ice/ocean interface

This report presents a radar sounding model based on the range of current working hypotheses for the nature of Europa's icy shell.Institute for Geophysic

United States and Western Europe cooperation in planetary exploration

A framework was sought for U.S.-European cooperation in planetary exploration. Specific issues addressed include: types and levels of possible cooperative activities in the planetary sciences; specific or general scientific areas that seem most promising as the main focus of cooperative efforts; potential mission candidates for cooperative ventures; identification of special issues or problems for resolution by negotiation between the agencies, and possible suggestions for their resolutions; and identification of coordinated technological and instrumental developments for planetary missions

Concepts and Approaches for Jupiter Icy Moon Orbiter

Science objectives for the proposed Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (JIMO) will be explored and assessed. The objective of the forum was to identify the most compelling approaches in seven thematic categories using a set of criteria that balanced science content, development risk, affordability, and overall program integration.sponsor, NASA Headquarters, Lunar and Planetary Instituteconvener, Dr. Colleen HartmanPARTIAL CONTENTS: Planetary protection considerations for JIMO / R.C. Koukol--Fine Resolution Topographic Mapping of the Jovian Moons: A Ka-band High Resolution Topographic Mapping Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar / S.N. Madsen, F.D. Carsey, and E.P. Turtle--Assessing the impact of regolith structure on the detectability of an ocean on Europa by a sounding radar / J. Eluszkiewic

Workshop on Radar Investigations of Planetary and Terrestrial Environments : February 7-10. 2005, Houston, Texas

Focuses on the capabilities of radar sounding and imaging systems to address issues such as: the subsurface geology and distribution of water on the Earth, Moon, Mars, and Europa, investigating the paleohydrology of planetary surfaces and identifying potential subsurface habitats capable of sustaining primitive life forms.Sponsored by: Lunar and Planetary Institute, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Southwest Research Institute.Conveners: Essam Heggy., Lunar and Planetary Institute, Stephen Clifford, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Tom Farr, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Cynthia Dinwiddie, Southwest Research Institute, Bob Grimm, Southwest Research Institute.PARTIAL CONTENTS: The Goldstone Solar System Radar: 1988-2003 Earth-based Mars Radar Observations / A. F. C. Haldemann, K. W. Larsen, R. F. Jurgens, and M A. Slade--Mapping Subsurface Stratigraphy and Anomalies in Iron-rich Volcanoclastics Using Ground-penetrating Radar: Potential for Shallow Sounding on Mars / E. Heggy, S. Clifford, R. Grimm, S. Gonzalez, D. Bannon, and D. Wyrick--Dielectric Map of the Martian Surface / E. Heggy and A. Pommerol--Surface Clutter Removal in Airborne Radar Sounding Data from the Dry Valleys, Antarctica / J. W. Holt, D. D. Blankenship, D. L. Morse, M E. Peters, and S. D. Kempf--Comparing Transient Electromagnetics and Low Frequency Ground Penetrating Radar for Sounding of Subsurface Water in Mars Analog Environments / J. A. Jernsletten and E. Heggy--The MARSIS Radar, Signal Simulation and Interpretation Using MOLA Topography Data / W. Koftnan, J. F. Nouvel, A. Herique, and J.-E. Martelal--A Phase Signature for Detecting Wet Structures in the Shallow Subsurface of Mars Using Polarimetric P-band SAR / Y: Lasne, Ph. Paillou, and J.-M Matezieux--Experimental Validation of the Mono and Bistatic Operating Mode of a GPR Dedicated to the Martian Subsurface Exploration / A. Le Gall, V. Ciorlelli, J. J. Berthelier, R. Ney, F. Dolon, and S. Bonoime

Cassini RADAR Sequence Planning and Instrument Performance

The Cassini RADAR is a multimode instrument used to map the surface of Titan, the atmosphere of Saturn, the Saturn ring system, and to explore the properties of the icy satellites. Four different active mode bandwidths and a passive radiometer mode provide a wide range of flexibility in taking measurements. The scatterometer mode is used for real aperture imaging of Titan, high-altitude (around 20 000 km) synthetic aperture imaging of Titan and Iapetus, and long range (up to 700 000 km) detection of disk integrated albedos for satellites in the Saturn system. Two SAR modes are used for high- and medium-resolution (300-1000 m) imaging of Titan's surface during close flybys. A high-bandwidth altimeter mode is used for topographic profiling in selected areas with a range resolution of about 35 m. The passive radiometer mode is used to map emission from Titan, from Saturn's atmosphere, from the rings, and from the icy satellites. Repeated scans with differing polarizations using both active and passive data provide data that can usefully constrain models of surface composition and structure. The radar and radiometer receivers show very good stability, and calibration observations have provided an absolute calibration good to about 1.3 dB. Relative uncertainties within a pass and between passes can be even smaller. Data are currently being processed and delivered to the planetary data system at quarterly intervals one year after being acquired

Tidal Heating: Lessons from Io and the Jovian System - Final Report

Tidal heating is key to the evolution and habitability of many worlds across our solar system and beyond. However, there remain fundamental gaps in our understanding of tidal heating and coupled orbital evolution, which motivated a Keck Institute for Space Studies (KISS) workshop on this topic. The Cassini mission has led to many recent results about ocean worlds and what may become a new paradigm for understanding orbital evolution with tidal heating, the model of resonance locking in the parent planet (Fuller et al., 2016). Resonance locking explains how subsurface oceans may persist over much of geologic time, even in tiny Enceladus. The discovery of the Laplace resonance of Io, Europa, and Ganymede orbiting Jupiter led to the prediction of intense tidal heating of Io (Peale et al., 1979); this system provides the greatest potential for advances in the next few decades. Europa Clipper and JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE) will provide in-depth studies of Europa and Ganymede in the 2030s. The easily observed heat flow of Io, from hundreds of continually erupting volcanoes, makes it an ideal target for further investigation, and the missing link—along with missions in development—to understand the Laplace system. We identified five key questions to drive future research and exploration: (Q1) What do volcanic eruptions tell us about the interiors of tidally heated bodies (e.g., Io, Enceladus, and perhaps Europa and Triton)? (Q2) How is tidal dissipation partitioned between solid and liquid materials? (Q3) Does Io have a melt-rich layer, or “magma ocean”, that mechanically decouples the lithosphere from the deeper interior? (Q4) Is the Jupiter/Laplace system in equilibrium (i.e., does the satellite’s heat output equal the rate at which energy is generated)? (Q5) Can stable isotope measurements inform long-term evolution of tidally heated bodies? The most promising avenues to address these questions include a new spacecraft mission making close flybys of Io, missions orbiting and landing on key worlds such as Europa and Enceladus, technology developments to enable advanced techniques, closer coupling between laboratory experiments and tidal heating theory, and advances in Earth-based telescopic observations of solar system and extrasolar planets and moons. All of these avenues would benefit from technological developments. An Io mission should: characterize volcanic processes (Q1); test interior models via a set of geophysical measurements coupled with laboratory experiments and theory (Q2 and Q3); measure the rate of Io’s orbital migration (to complement similar measurements expected at Europa and Ganymede) to determine if the Laplace resonance is in equilibrium (Q4); and determine neutral compositions and measure stable isotopes in Io’s atmosphere and plumes (Q5). No new technologies are required for such an Io mission following advances in radiation design and solar power realized for Europa Clipper and JUICE. Seismology is a promising avenue for future exploration, either from landers or remote laser reflectometry, and interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) could be revolutionary on these active worlds, but advanced power systems plus lower mass and power-active instruments are needed for operation in the outer solar system

Subsurface Mapping of Deserts and Polar Regions Using Radar Data on Earth and Mars

There are abundant resources buried underground that are difficult to be investigated remotely. This thesis is concerned with the development and utility of various novel processing methods for different radar instruments in the field of subsurface mapping on Earth and Mars. Firstly, advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging and Interferometric SAR (InSAR) techniques are applied to assess their potential for revealing subsurface features in the eastern Sahara Desert. The radar penetration depth at L-band (1.25 GHz) is estimated to be 1-2 m over paleochannels in the Sahara Desert, given an initial assumption that radar penetration occurs in the sand accumulation areas. The L-band frequency of previous and existing spaceborne SAR mission is shown to limit the penetration depth to a few metres below the surface. However, over the terrestrial ice-sheets, a radar instrument, the Multi-Coherent Radar Depth Sounder (MCoRDS) from the NASA Operation Ice Bridge (OIB) mission, can penetrate the ice sheet down to 3 km, revealing extensive englacial layers. An automated layer tracing method based on the Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT) and Hough Transform (HT) is proposed to detect and digitise these englacial layers in Greenland. The results show that this proposed method can restore at least 72% of the isochrones when compared with previous results. Given the research interests of the department and inspired by the similarity of the layering phenomenon between the Earth and Martian polar regions, the layer tracing method is adjusted and applied to SHAllow RADar (SHARAD) radargrams from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. This method is demonstrated on the SHARAD data in Promethei Lingula as this 6 is the only region with coherent subsurface echo returns near the south pole, resulting in the extraction of six distinct subsurface interfaces, which record past depositional and erosional history and may be associated with past climate change on Mars

Italian Report to the 43rd COSPAR Scientific Assembly

This document summarizes the last two years of space science activity in Italy and is the Italian Report to the 43rd COSPAR General Assembly. It is edited by INAF, the formal Italian national body that by the law supports the COSPAR activities, with the collaboration of ASI and the other stakeholders playing a major role in the Italian scientific space programs (INFN, CNR, INGV, etc.). In view of the appreciation received for the former editions, this year the Report has been formulated in a similar condensed form to give the relevant information in a snapshot, though providing a fully updated overview of the Italian research programs carried out from space. We apologize for any omission or misunderstanding. The Report is organized with the description of the scientific goals, technical requirements and actual realization of the space missions, enumerated following the COSPAR Scientific Commissions scheme: https://cosparhq.cnes.fr/scientific-structure/scientific-commissions/ Italy is today deeply involved in space science with a multifaceted activity. A remarkable sequence of scientific results over the past years and a considerable number of projects driven by Italian scientists, engineers and technologists position Italy as a frontrunner in space astrophysicsand space physics

3rd International Workshop on Instrumentation for Planetary Missions : October 24–27, 2016, Pasadena, California

The purpose of this workshop is to provide a forum for collaboration, exchange of ideas and information, and discussions in the area of the instruments, subsystems, and other payload-related technologies needed to address planetary science questions. The agenda will compose a broad survey of the current state-of-the-art and emerging capabilities in instrumentation available for future planetary missions.Universities Space Research Association (USRA); Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI); Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)Conveners: Sabrina Feldman, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, David Beaty, Jet Propulsion Laboratory ; Science Organizing Committee: Carlton Allen, Johnson Space Center (retired) [and 12 others