SHARAD detection and characterization of subsurface water ice deposits in Utopia Planitia, Mars

Abstract

Abstract Morphological analyses of Utopia Planitia, Mars, have led to the hypothesis that the region contains a substantial amount of near‐surface ice. This paper tests this hypothesis using ground‐penetrating radar techniques. We have identified an expansive radar reflective region spanning approximately 375,000 km 2 in SHAllow RADar (SHARAD) data over western Utopia Planitia. The SHARAD reflective regions coincides with high densities of scalloped depressions and polygonal terrain. The reflectors are associated with layered mesas ∼80–170 m thick. We find a value of 2.8 ± 0.8 for the dielectric constant of the material overlying the reflectors. This work finds that the dielectric constant is consistent with a mixture of ice, air, and dust, containing a water ice volume up to 14,300 km 3 in this unit.