Earth-based Radar Observations of Mercury: Imaging Results with the Upgraded Arecibo Radar
Abstract
With the completion of the Arecibo upgrade in 1998 came the opportunity to do Mercury radar imaging of unprecedented quality. Among the early results with the upgraded S-band radar was the delay-Doppler imaging of the north polar ice features at 1.5-km resolution (Harmon et al., 2001). These images provided accurate mapping of the putative ice deposits within shaded crater floors as well as a precise determination of the pole position. They also produced the surprising discovery of ice features in small craters and at relatively low latitudes, which places important constraints on thermal models. We are also planning imaging observations of the south pole as it returns to view in 2004 and subsequent years. Besides polar studies, an important component of the Arecibo program is full-disk radar imaging around the entire planet, with a special emphasis on the hemisphere left unimaged by Mariner 10. For this purpose we are conducting a program of delay-Doppler observations using the long-code method (Harmon, 2002), which produces cleaner images than conventional delay-Doppler. Most striking are the depolarized images, which are found to be dominated by bright features associated with fresh crater ejecta. These images show some spectacular rayed craters in the Tycho class, as well as numerous bright, rayless features from smaller impacts. Also visible are some diffuse albedo features with no obvious impact association. Some of these high-albedo patches are found in smooth plains regions such as Tolstoy basin and Tir Planitia, which is the reverse of the mare-highland contrast seen in radar images of the Moon. In addition to the imaging results, we will briefly review the major findings from the pre-upgrade radar altimetry measurements.
- Publication:
-
35th COSPAR Scientific Assembly
- Pub Date:
- 2004
- Bibcode:
- 2004cosp...35..853H