Dielectric Map of the Martian Surface

International audienceWe have undertaken laboratory electromagnetic characterization of the total set of minerals identified by TES [1] on the Martian surface in order to investigate experimentally the dielectric properties of the sediments covering it in the frequency range from 1 to 1000 MHz. Volcanic rocks with a well defined mineralogy and petrology from potential terrestrial analogues sites have also been included in the study. Our primary objective is to evaluate the range of electrical and magnetic losses that may be encountered by the various Radar sounding and imaging experiments dedicated to map the Martian subsurface searching for underground water. The electromagnetic properties of these Mars-like materials will be presented as a function of various geophysical parameters, such as porosity, bulk density and temperature. Using the mineral and soil density distribution provided by TES and THEMIS data we integrated those measurements to form a primary dielectric map of the Martian surface. The secondary objective, is to locate regions were surface dielectric conditions are suitable for subsurface sounding