A case for using ground-based thermal inertia measurements to detect Martian caves.
Martian caves are regarded as one of the most interesting locations in which to search for life on the planet. Data obtained during the MARS2013 expedition at Hamar Laghdad Ridge in the Tafilalt region of Morocco indicate that even small cavities can display thermal behavior that is characteristic for caves. For example, temperature in a cavity equaled 14°C±0.1°C before sunrise, which was higher than the temperature of the ambient air (10°C±0.1°C) and proximate rocks (9°C±0.1°C) at the same time. Within 30 min after sunrise, when the temperature of surrounding rocks corresponded to 15°C, this thermal relationship reversed. Measurements were conducted under simulated spaceflight conditions, including near-real-time interpretation of data that were acquired in a complex flight planning environment. We conclude that using ground-based thermal contrast measurements, in 7-14 μm band before and after sunset, is an effective method for Mars astronauts to identify caves, possibly superior to usage of space-based or ground-penetrating data.
1 Austrian Space Forum, Innsbruck Office , Innsbruck, Austria .
Gernot
G
Groemer
Luca
L
Foresta
Thomas
T
Turetschek
Claudia
C
Bothe
Andrea
A
Boyd
Aline
A
Dinkelaker
Markus
M
Dissertori
David
D
Fasching
Monika
M
Fischer
Daniel
D
Föger
Norbert
N
Frischauf
Lukas
L
Fritsch
Harald
H
Fuchs
Christoph
C
Gautsch
Stephan
S
Gerard
Linda
L
Goetzloff
Izabella
I
Gołebiowska
Paavan
P
Gorur
Gerhard
G
Groemer
Petra
P
Groll
Christian
C
Haider
Olivia
O
Haider
Eva
E
Hauth
Stefan
S
Hauth
Sebastian
S
Hettrich
Wolfgang
W
Jais
Natalie
N
Jones
Kamal
K
Taj-Eddine
Alexander
A
Karl
Tilo
T
Kauerhoff
Muhammad Shadab
MS
Khan
Andreas
A
Kjeldsen
Jan
J
Klauck
Anna
A
Losiak
Markus
M
Luger
Thomas
T
Luger
Ulrich
U
Luger
Jane
J
McArthur
Linda
L
Moser
Julia
J
Neuner
Csilla
C
Orgel
Gian Gabriele
GG
Ori
Roberta
R
Paternesi
Jarno
J
Peschier
Isabella
I
Pfeil
Silvia
S
Prock
Josef
J
Radinger
Christoph
C
Ragonig
Barbara
B
Ramirez
Wissam
W
Ramo
Mike
M
Rampey
Arnold
A
Sams
Elisabeth
E
Sams
Sebastian
S
Sams
Oana
O
Sandu
Alejandra
A
Sans
Petra
P
Sansone
Daniela
D
Scheer
Daniel
D
Schildhammer
Quentin
Q
Scornet
Nina
N
Sejkora
Alexander
A
Soucek
Andrea
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Stadler
Florian
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Stummer
Willibald
W
Stumptner
Michael
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Reinhard
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Tlustos
Ernst
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Egon
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Zanella-Kux
D059552:Caves; D018535:Mars; D018561:Space Simulation; D013696:Temperature