Publication Date:
2013-08-31
Description:
Evidence is presented from analysis of Viking thermal mapping results that suggests a transition to high thermal inertial material at a depth of approx. 12 cm at +75 deg latitude. This was interpreted as reflecting the transition from ice poor soil to hard frozen permafrost. It was pointed out that such a transition would be expected on the basis of theoretical models of hard frozen permafrost distribution. Although permafrost is not the only plausible martian surface material with high thermal inertia, polar thermal mapping may turn out to be a powerful tool for determining the distribution of permafrost deposits and understanding their behavior. At this point, the circumstantial case for permafrost deposits in the north pole region of Mars is very strong.
Keywords:
LUNAR AND PLANETARY EXPLORATION
Type:
Lunar and Planetary Inst., MECA Symposium on Mars: Evolution of its Climate and Atmosphere; p 93-95
Format:
application/pdf
