Publication Date:
2005-04-25
Description:
There are a number of obstacles to radar sounding of the deep Martian subsurface from orbit, including signal losses from the medium conductivity, layer reflective losses, and ground clutter. Another adverse process is signal loss as radio waves propagate through the ionospheric plasma medium. The ionosphere is a plasma consisting of free electrons, ions and neutrals that can effectively damp/attenuate radar signals via electrodneutral collisions. The effect is most severe for transmissions at lower frequencies, which, unfortunately, are also favorable transmissions for deep penetration into the subsurface.
Keywords:
Communications and Radar
Type:
Workshop on Radar Investigations of Planetary and Terrestrial Environments; 32; LPI-Contrib-1231
Format:
text
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