Science goals for a Mars polar-cap subsurface mission: Optical approaches for investigations of inclusions in ice

Frank Carsey, Claus T. Mogensen, Alberto Behar, Hermann Engelhardt, Arthur L. Lane

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Mars polar caps are highly interesting features of Mars and have received much recent attention, with new and exciting data on morphology, basal units and layered outcroppings. We have examined the climatological, glaciological and geological issues associated with a subsurface exploration of the Mars North Polar Cap and have determined that a fine-scale optical examination of ice in a borehole, to study the stratigraphy, geochemistry and geochronology of the ice, is feasible. This information will enable reconstruction of the development of the cap as well as understanding the properties of its ice. We present visible imagery taken of dust inclusions in archived Greenland ice cores as well as in situ images of accreted lithologic inclusions in West Antarctica, and we argue for use of this kind of data for Mars climate reconstruction as has been successful with Greenland and Antarctic ice-core analysis.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)357-362
Number of pages6
JournalAnnals of Glaciology
Volume37
DOIs
StatePublished - 2003
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Earth-Surface Processes

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