Analysis of the shallow subsurface structure of the Utopia Planitia based on Zhurong Rover Penetrating Radar data

doi:10.7523/j.ucas.2023.030

Abstract

Abstract: Mars subsurface exploration is essential to obtain information on the historical evolution of Mars and to search for possible living environment on Mars. The Rover Penetrating Radar (RoPeR) on board Zhurong, the rover of China's first Mars exploration mission, is used to detect the subsurface structure of Utopia Planitia. In this paper, high-frequency channel data of RoPeR are selected to obtain the shallow subsurface information of Utopia Planitia. This study includes (1) subsurface structure modeling of the landing area and numerical simulation of shallow subsurface echo based on the Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) algorithm; (2) processing the high-frequency channel data of RoPeR; (3) interpreting the shallow subsurface structure of Utopia Planitia. The study results validate the ability of RoPeR to detect shallow subsurface structure. There is a 10~20 cm duricrust at the surface of the Zhurong landing area. Under the duricrust are loose weathering material and randomly distributed gravels, which gradually transition to the middle Amazonian sedimentary sequence with increasing depth. There are strong echo signals in the radar image of Sol 101, which are presumed to be related to recent meteorite activity. The results of the study initially reveal the shallow subsurface structure of Utopia Planitia, which is a good reference for the situ probing and sampling experiments of the subsequent Mars exploration missions.

Key words: Zhurong rover, Rover Penetrating Radar, Utopia Planitia, shallow subsurface structure

CLC Number:

P185.3

YANG Jiaqi, SHAO Yun, BIAN Xiaolin, ZHANG Tingting, WANG Guojun. Analysis of the shallow subsurface structure of the Utopia Planitia based on Zhurong Rover Penetrating Radar data[J]. Journal of University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, DOI: 10.7523/j.ucas.2023.030.

References

[1] 金亚秋, 法文哲, 徐丰. 火星探测的微波遥感技术[J]. 空间科学学报, 2008,28(3): 264-272.
[2] Picardi G, Plaut J J, Biccari D, et al.Radar soundings of the subsurface of Mars[J]. Science, 2005, 310(5756): 1925-1928. DOI:10.1126/science.1122165.
[3] Orosei R, Lauro S E, Pettinelli E, et al.Radar evidence of subglacial liquid water on Mars[J]. Science, 2018, 361(6401): 490-493. DOI:10.1126/science.aar7268.
[4] Watters T R, Leuschen C J, Plaut J J, et al.MARSIS radar sounder evidence of buried basins in the northern lowlands of Mars[J]. Nature, 2006, 444(7121): 905-908. DOI:10.1038/nature05356.
[5] Boisson J, Heggy E, Clifford S M, et al.Sounding the subsurface of Athabasca Valles using MARSIS radar data: Exploring the volcanic and fluvial hypotheses for the origin of the rafted plate terrain[J]. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 2009, 114(E8). DOI:10.1029/2008je003299.
[6] Hamran S E, Paige D A, Allwood A, et al. Ground penetrating radar observations of subsurface structures in the floor of Jezero crater, Mars[J]. Science Advances, 2022, 8(34): eabp8564. DOI:10.1126/sciadv.abp8564.
[7] Zhou B, Shen S X, Lu W, et al.The Mars rover subsurface penetrating radar onboard China's Mars 2020 mission[J]. Earth and Planetary Physics, 2020, 4(4): 345-354. DOI:10.26464/epp2020054.
[8] Wan W H, Yu T Y, Di K C, et al.Visual localization of the Tianwen-1 lander using orbital, descent and rover images[J]. Remote Sensing, 2021, 13(17): 3439. DOI:10.3390/rs13173439.
[9] McGill G E. Buried topography of Utopia, Mars: Persistence of a giant impact depression[J]. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 1989, 94(B3): 2753-2759. DOI:10.1029/JB094iB03p02753.
[10] Carr M H, Head J W.Geologic history of Mars[J]. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 2010, 294(3-4): 185-203. DOI:10.1016/j.epsl.2009.06.042.
[11] Tanaka K L, Skinner J A, Hare T M, et al.Resurfacing history of the northern plains of Mars based on geologic mapping of Mars global surveyor data[J]. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 2003, 108(E4). DOI:10.1029/2002je001908.
[12] Kreslavsky M A, Head J W. Fate of outflow channel effluents in the northern lowlands of Mars: The Vastitas Borealis Formation as a sublimation residue from frozen ponded bodies of water[J]. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 2002, 107(E12): 4-1-4-25. DOI:10.1029/2001je001831.
[13] Salvatore M R, Christensen P R.On the origin of the Vastitas Borealis Formation in Chryse and Acidalia Planitiae, Mars[J]. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 2014, 119(12): 2437-2456. DOI:10.1002/2014je004682.
[14] Ye B L, Qian Y Q, Xiao L, et al.Geomorphologic exploration targets at the Zhurong landing site in the southern Utopia Planitia of Mars[J]. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 2021, 576: 117199. DOI:10.1016/j.epsl.2021.117199.
[15] Wu X, Liu Y, Zhang C L, et al.Geological characteristics of China's Tianwen-1 landing site at Utopia Planitia, Mars[J]. Icarus, 2021, 370: 114657. DOI:10.1016/j.icarus.2021.114657.
[16] Zhao J N, Xiao Z J, Huang J, et al.Geological characteristics and targets of high scientific interest in the Zhurong landing region on Mars[J]. Geophysical Research Letters, 2021, 48(20). DOI:10.1029/2021gl094903.
[17] Liu J J, Li C L, Zhang R Q, et al.Geomorphic contexts and science focus of the Zhurong landing site on Mars[J]. Nature Astronomy, 2022, 6(1): 65-71. DOI:10.1038/s41550-021-01519-5.
[18] Gou S, Yue Z Y, Di K C, et al.Transverse aeolian ridges in the landing area of the Tianwen-1 Zhurong rover on Utopia Planitia, Mars[J]. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 2022, 595: 117764. DOI:10.1016/j.epsl.2022.117764.
[19] Liu Y, Wu X, Zhao Y Y S, et al. Zhurong reveals recent aqueous activities in Utopia Planitia, Mars[J]. Science Advances, 2022, 8(19): eabn8555. DOI:10.1126/sciadv.abn8555.
[20] Li C, Zheng Y K, Wang X, et al.Layered subsurface in Utopia Basin of Mars revealed by Zhurong rover radar[J]. Nature, 2022, 610(7931): 308-312. DOI:10.1038/s41586-022-05147-5.
[21] Zhang L, Zeng Z F, Li J, et al.Simulation of the lunar regolith and lunar-penetrating radar data processing[J]. IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing, 2018, 11(2): 655-663. DOI:10.1109/JSTARS.2017.2786476.
[22] Lv W M, Li C, Song H J, et al.Comparative analysis of reflection characteristics of lunar penetrating radar data using numerical simulations[J]. Icarus, 2020, 350: 113896. DOI:10.1016/j.icarus.2020.113896.
[23] Wang Y, Feng X, Zhou H Q, et al.Water ice detection research in Utopia Planitia based on simulation of Mars rover full-polarimetric subsurface penetrating radar[J]. Remote Sensing, 2021, 13(14): 2685. DOI:10.3390/rs13142685.
[24] Dong Z J, Feng X, Zhou H Q, et al.Assessing the effects of induced field rotation on water ice detection of Tianwen-1 full-polarimetric Mars Rover Penetrating Radar[J]. IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 2022, 60: 1-13. DOI: 10.1109/TGRS.2021.3138463.
[25] Mills M M, Mcewen A S, Okubo C H. A preliminary regional geomorphologic map in Utopia Planitia of the Tianwen-1 Zhurong landing region[J]. Geophysical Research Letters, 2021, 48(18): e2021GL094629. DOI:10.1029/2021GL094629.
[26] Ding L, Zhou R, Yu T, et al.Surface characteristics of the Zhurong Mars rover traverse at Utopia Planitia[J]. Nature Geoscience, 2022, 15(3): 171-176. DOI:10.1038/s41561-022-00905-6.
[27] Fa W Z, Wieczorek M A.Regolith thickness over the lunar nearside: Results from Earth-based 70-cm Arecibo radar observations[J]. Icarus, 2012, 218(2): 771-787. DOI:10.1016/j.icarus.2012.01.010.
[28] Ulaby F T, Long D G, Blackwell W J, et al.Microwave radar and radiometric remote sensing[M]. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press, 2014.
[29] Zent A P, Hecht M H, Cobos D R, et al.Initial results from the Thermal and Electrical Conductivity Probe (TECP) on Phoenix[J]. Journal of Geophysical Research, 2010, 115(E3). DOI:10.1029/2009JE003420.
[30] Castaldo L, Mège D, Gurgurewicz J, et al.Global permittivity mapping of the Martian surface from SHARAD[J]. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 2017, 462: 55-65. DOI:10.1016/j.epsl.2017.01.012.
[31] Demidov N E, Bazilevskii A T, Kuz'min R O. Martian soils: Varieties, structure, composition, physical properties, drillability, and risks for landers[J]. Solar System Research, 2015, 49(4): 209-225. DOI:10.1134/S0038094615040024.
[32] Wu B, Dong J, Wang Y R, et al.Landing site selection and characterization of Tianwen-1 (Zhurong rover) on Mars[J]. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 2022, 127(4). DOI:10.1029/2021JE007137.
[33] 李雁斌, 王凤姣, 江利中. 小行星浅表探测雷达技术[J]. 制导与引信, 2015, 36(1): 51-58. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1671-0576.2015.01.012.
[34] Chen Z Y, Wu B, Wang Y R, et al. Rock abundance and erosion rate at the Zhurong landing site in southern Utopia Planitia on Mars[J]. Earth and Space Science, 2022, 9(8): e2022EA002252. DOI:10.1029/2022ea002252.
[35] Yee K.Numerical solution of initial boundary value problems involving Maxwell's equations in isotropic media[J]. IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, 1966, 14(3): 302-307. DOI:10.1109/TAP.1966.1138693.
[36] Warren C, Giannopoulos A, Giannakis I. gprMax: Open source software to simulate electromagnetic wave propagation for Ground Penetrating Radar[J]. Computer Physics Communications, 2016, 209: 163-170. DOI:10.1016/j.cpc.2016.08.020.
[37] Wu Z H, Huang N E.Ensemble empirical mode decomposition: A noise-assisted data analysis method[J]. Advances in Adaptive Data Analysis, 2009, 1(1): 1-41. DOI:10.1142/S1793536909000047.
[38] Dong Z H, Fang G Y, Zhao D, et al. Dielectric properties of lunar subsurface materials[J]. Geophysical Research Letters, 2020, 47(22): e2020GL089264. DOI:10.1029/2020gl089264.
[39] Clark B C, Baird A K, Rose H J Jr, et al. Inorganic analyses of Martian surface samples at the Viking landing sites[J]. Science, 1976, 194(4271): 1283-1288. DOI: 10.1126/science.194.4271.1283.
[40] Warner N H, Golombek M P, Ansan V, et al.In situ and orbital stratigraphic characterization of the InSight landing site—a type example of a regolith-covered lava plain on Mars[J]. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 2022, 127(4). DOI:10.1029/2022JE007232.
[41] Thomson B J, Grosfils E B, Bussey D B J, et al. A new technique for estimating the thickness of mare basalts in Imbrium Basin[J]. Geophysical Research Letters, 2009, 36(12): L12201. DOI:10.1029/2009gl037600.