Using MARSIS signal attenuation to assess the presence of South Polar Layered Deposit subglacial brines

Sebastian E. Lauro, Elena Pettinelli (), Graziella Caprarelli, Jamaledin Baniamerian, Elisabetta Mattei, Barbara Cosciotti, David E. Stillman, Katherine M. Primm, Francesco Soldovieri and Roberto Orosei
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Sebastian E. Lauro: Università degli studi Roma Tre
Elena Pettinelli: Università degli studi Roma Tre
Graziella Caprarelli: University of Southern Queensland
Jamaledin Baniamerian: Università degli studi Roma Tre
Elisabetta Mattei: Università degli studi Roma Tre
Barbara Cosciotti: Università degli studi Roma Tre
David E. Stillman: Southwest Research Institute
Katherine M. Primm: Planetary Science Institute
Francesco Soldovieri: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
Roberto Orosei: Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF)

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Knowledge of the physical and thermal properties of the South Polar Layer Deposits (SPLD) is key to constrain the source of bright basal reflections at Ultimi Scopuli detected by the MARSIS (Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding) radar sounder. Here we present a detailed analysis of attenuation, based on data acquired by MARSIS at 3, 4, and 5 MHz. We show that attenuation is frequency dependent, and that its behavior is consistent throughout the entire region. This suggests that the SPLD are compositionally homogeneous at Ultimi Scopuli, and our results are consistent with dust contents of 5 to 12%. Using these values as input, and plausible estimates of surface temperature and heat flux, we inferred basal temperatures around 200 K: these are consistent with perchlorate brines within liquid vein networks as the source of the reflections. Furthermore, extrapolation of the attenuation to higher frequencies explains why SHARAD (Shallow Radar) has thus far not detected basal reflections within the SPLD at Ultimi Scopuli.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33389-4

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