P. Lognonné

Constraints on the Martian lithosphere from gravity and topography data

Localized spectral admittances of the large Martian volcanoes are modeled by assuming that surface and subsurface loads are elastically supported by the lithosphere. In order to model the case where the load density differs from that of the crust, a new method for calculating gravity anomalies and lithospheric deflections is developed. The modeled gravity anomalies depend upon the elastic thickness, crustal thickness, load density, and crustal density, and these parameters were exhaustively sampled in order to determine their effect on the misfit between the observed and modeled admittance function. We find that the densities of the Martian volcanoes are generally well constrained with values of 3200 ± 100 kg m −3 , which is considerably greater than those reported previously. These higher densities are consistent with those of the Martian basaltic meteorites, which are believed to originate from the Tharsis and Elysium volcanic provinces. The crustal density is constrained only beneath the Elysium rise to be 3270 ± 150 kg m −3 . If this value is representative of the northern lowlands, then Pratt compensation is likely responsible for the approximately 6-km elevation difference between the northern and southern hemispheres. The elastic thicknesses of the major Martian volcanoes (when subsurface loads are ignored) are found to be the following: Elysium rise (56 ± 20 km), Olympus Mons (93 ± 40 km), Alba Patera (66 ± 20 km), and Ascraeus Mons (105 ± 40 km). We have also investigated the effects of subsurface loads, allowing the bottom load to be located either in the crust as dense intrusive material or in the mantle as less dense material. We found that all volcanoes except Pavonis are better modeled with the presence of less dense material in the upper mantle, which is indicative of either a mantle plume or a depleted mantle composition. An active plume beneath the major volcanoes is consistent with recent analyses of cratering statistics on Olympus Mons and the Elysium rise, which indicate that some lava flows are as young as 10–30 Myr, as well as with the crystallization ages of the Shergottites, of which some are as young as 180 Myr.

Does the Moon possess a molten core? Probing the deep lunar interior using results from LLR and Lunar Prospector

[1]xa0It is the main purpose of this study to examine the deeper structure of the Moon in the light of four numbers. These are lunar mass M, mean moment of inertia I, second degree tidal Love number k2, and the quality factor Q, accounting for tidal dissipation within the solid body of the Moon. The former two have been measured by Lunar Prospector to high precision, and more than 30 years of lunar laser ranging (LLR) data have led to an estimate of the second degree tidal Love number and quality factor. The inverse problem dealt with here of obtaining information on the lunar density and S wave velocity profile from the four numbers follows our earlier investigations by employing an inverse Monte Carlo sampling method. We present a novel way of analyzing the outcome using the Bayes factor. The advantage lies in the fact that rather than just looking at a subset of sampled models, we investigate all the information sampled in different runs, i.e., take into account all samples, in order to estimate their relative plausibility. The most likely outcome of our study, based on the data, their uncertainties, and prior information, is a central core with a most probable S wave velocity close to 0 km/s, density of ∼7.2 g/cm3 and radius of about 350 km. This is interpreted as implying the presence of a molten or partially molten Fe core, in line with evidence presented earlier using LLR regarding the dissipation within the Moon.

Interior structure of terrestrial planets: Modeling Mars' mantle and its electromagnetic, geodetic, and seismic properties

[1]xa0We present a new procedure to describe the one-dimensional thermodynamical state and mineralogy of any Earth-like planetary mantle, with Mars as an example. The model parameters are directly related to expected results from a geophysical network mission, in this case electromagnetic, geodetic, and seismological processed observations supplemented with laboratory measurements. We describe the internal structure of the planet in terms of a one-dimensional model depending on a set of eight parameters: for the crust, the thickness and the mean density, for the mantle, the bulk volume fraction of iron, the olivine volume fraction, the pressure gradient, and the temperature profile, and for the core, its mass and radius. Currently, available geophysical and geochemical knowledge constrains the range of the parameter values. In the present paper, we develop the forward problem and present the governing equations from which synthetic data are computed using a set of parameter values. Among all Martian models fitting the currently available knowledge, we select eight candidate models for which we compute synthetic network science data sets. The synergy between the three geophysical experiments of electromagnetic sounding, geodesy, and seismology is emphasized. The stochastic inversion of the synthetic data sets will be presented in a companion paper.

Network science landers for Mars

Abstract The NetLander Mission will deploy four landers to the Martian surface. Each lander includes a network science payload with instrumentation for studying the interior of Mars, the atmosphere and the subsurface, as well as the ionospheric structure and geodesy. The NetLander Mission is the first planetary mission focusing on investigations of the interior of the planet and the large-scale circulation of the atmosphere. A broad consortium of national space agencies and research laboratories will implement the mission. It is managed by CNES (the French Space Agency), with other major players being FMI (the Finnish Meteorological Institute), DLR (the German Space Agency), and other research institutes. According to current plans, the NetLander Mission will be launched in 2005 by means of an Ariane V launch, together with the Mars Sample Return mission. The landers will be separated from the spacecraft and targeted to their locations on the Martian surface several days prior to the spacecrafts arrival at Mars. The landing system employs parachutes and airbags. During the baseline mission of one Martian year, the network payloads will conduct simultaneous seismological, atmospheric, magnetic, ionospheric, geodetic measurements and ground penetrating radar mapping supported by panoramic images. The payloads also include entry phase measurements of the atmospheric vertical structure. The scientific data could be combined with simultaneous observations of the atmosphere and surface of Mars by the Mars Express Orbiter that is expected to be functional during the NetLander Missions operational phase. Communication between the landers and the Earth would take place via a data relay onboard the Mars Express Orbiter.

Tidally induced surface displacements, external potential variations, and gravity variations on Mars

Abstract We have used and extended Roosbeek’s tidal potential for Mars to calculate tidal displacements, gravity variations, and external gravitational potential variations. The tides on Mars are caused by the Sun, and to a lesser degree by the natural satellites Phobos (8%, relative to the Sun) and Deimos (0.08%, relative to the Sun). To determine the reaction of Mars to the tidal forcing, the Love numbers h, l, and k and the gravimetric factor δ were calculated for interior models of Mars with different state, density, and radius of the core and for models which include mantle anelasticity. The latitude dependence and frequency dependence of the Love numbers have been taken explicitly into account. The Love numbers are about three times smaller than those for the Earth and are very sensitive to core changes; e.g., a difference of about 30% is found between a model with a liquid core and an otherwise similar model with a solid core. Tidal displacements on Mars are much smaller than on Earth due to the smaller tidal potential, but also due to the smaller reaction of Mars (smaller Love numbers). For both the tidal diplacement and the tidal external potential perturbations, the tidal signal is at the limit of detection and is too small to permit properties of Mars’s interior to be inferred. On the other hand, the Phobos tidally induced gravity changes, which are subdiurnal with typical periods shorter than 12 h, can be measured very precisely by the very broad band seismometer with thermal control of the seismological experiment SEIS of the upcoming NetLander mission. It is shown that the Phobos-induced gravity tides could be used to study the Martian core.