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EP: Fachverband Extraterrestrische Physik

EP 9: Poster

EP 9.16: Poster

Wednesday, March 22, 2023, 17:30–19:00, HSZ OG1

Concepts for the measurement of permittivity profiles in extraterrestrial cryospheres to improve subsurface radar images — •Gianluca Boccarella, Fabian Becker, Alexander Kyriacou, and Klaus Helbing — Bergische Universität Wuppertal, Gaußstraße 20, 42119 Wuppertal

Icy moons like Europa and Enceladus may contain microbial life in their subsurface oceans. Surface and subsurface imaging with radar is a promising technique to investigate their interior and identify a target for a subsurface exploration with melting probes. The main uncertainty of radar images is the unknown permittivity (ε) of the medium through which the electromagnetic waves travel. Therefore, we developed two methods to measure the ε from the medium of interest. Both methods were successfully tested on alpine glaciers as comparable terrestrial environments and the results will be presented. The initiatives involved are the DLR-funded projects EnEx and TRIPLE.

The first method is a cross-borehole FMCW radar: by sending signals between two antennas, it is possible to use the time of flight for permittivity reconstruction. An inversion of radio propagation simulations is used to reconstruct the permittivity profile from time of flight measurements at different depths. The second approach is to use a permittivity sensor, which is placed in a melting probe with an integrated radar system. This sensor can measure in the near field of the melting probe and immediately corrects the radar image. It represents a part of the forefield reconnaissance system being developed for melting probes.