Radar Analysis and Theoretical Modeling of the Presence and Preservation of Ice on Mars

Abstract

The distribution and nature of water ice on Mars has important implications for understanding the Martian climate system, as well as evaluating the resources available for future human explorers and the astrobiological potential of our solar system. This dissertation presents a multi-faceted study of ice on Mars, combining spacecraft remote sensing datasets from imaging and radar systems with theoretical models of ice stability. In Chapter 1, I summarize the state of knowledge of ice on Mars and its relation to the planet’s climate. In Chapter 2, I present the discovery of an ice sheet in the mid-latitude region of Arcadia Planitia and constrain its properties using remote sensing observations from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. In Chapter 3, I model the thermal stability and retreat from ice sheets in the mid-latitudes to understand their evolution and continued preservation to the present day. Ice in the mid-latitudes exchanges with polar ice over geologic time so to understand the other half of the Martian system, I investigate the stability of polar deposits of ice. In Chapter 4, I quantify the role of ice sublimation in the migration of troughs in the polar caps. Chapter 5 presents the conclusions of this dissertation work and puts the results in the context of outstanding questions in Mars’ climate and ice-cycle evolution.