Mars - Dual-polarization radar observations with extended coverage

Abstract

Arecibo Observatory radar observations of Mars at 13 cm wavelength have yielded accurate measurements of the full backscatter spectrum in two orthogonal polarizations, and constitute the first global view of the small scale surface roughness distribution on Mars. Areas of maximum depolarization correlate well with the volcanic regions Tharsis and Elysium. Comparisons between the moon and Mars using radar data, ground truth, and simple scattering models, suggest that Mars possesses a relatively high average coverage by decimeter-scale rocks. Attention is also given to quasi-specular scattering results, of which the most unusual were obtained over the Olympus Mons aureole region.