A Case for Using Ground-Based Thermal Inertia Measurements to Detect Martian Caves

• DOI: 10.1089/ast.2013.1063
• Publication Date: 2014-05-13T15:41:08Z
• Authors: Gernot Groemer; Luca Foresta; Thomas Turetschek; Claudia Bothe; Andrea Boyd; Aline Dinkelaker; Markus Dissertori; David Fasching; Monika Fischer; Daniel Föger; Norbert Frischauf; Lukas Fritsch; Harald Fuchs; Christoph Gautsch; Stephan Gerard; Linda Goetzloff; Izabella Gołębiowska; Paavan Gorur; Gerhard Groemer; Petra Groll; Christian Haider; Olivia Haider; Eva Hauth; Stefan Hauth; Sebastian Hettrich; Wolfgang Jais; Natalie Jones; Kamal Taj-Eddine; Alexander Karl; Tilo Kauerhoff; Muhammad Shadab Khan; Andreas Kjeldsen; Jan Klauck; Anna Losiak; Markus Luger; Thomas Luger; Ulrich Luger; Jane McArthur; Linda Moser; Julia Neuner; Csilla Orgel; Gian Gabriele Ori; Roberta Paternesi; Jarno Peschier; Isabella Pfeil; Silvia Prock; Josef Radinger; Christoph Ragonig; Barbara Ramirez; Wissam Ramo; Mike Rampey; Arnold Sams; Elisabeth Sams; Sebastian Sams; Oana Sandu; Alejandra Sans; Petra Sansone; Daniela Scheer; Daniel Schildhammer; Quentin Scornet; Nina Sejkora; Alexander Soucek; Andrea Stadler; Florian Stummer; Willibald Stumptner; Michael Taraba; Reinhard Tlustos; Ernst Toferer; Egon Winter; Katja Zanella-Kux
• Keywords: Sunrise; Thermal inertia; Mars landing; Sunset; Spaceflight

Martian caves are regarded as one of the most interesting locations in which to search for life on planet. Data obtained during MARS2013 expedition at Hamar Laghdad Ridge Tafilalt region Morocco indicate that even small cavities can display thermal behavior is characteristic caves. For example, temperature a cavity equaled 14°C±0.1°C before sunrise, was higher than ambient air (10°C±0.1°C) and proximate rocks (9°C±0.1°C) same time. Within 30 min after when surrounding corresponded 15°C, this relationship reversed. Measurements were conducted under simulated spaceflight conditions, including near-real-time interpretation data acquired complex flight planning environment. We conclude using ground-based contrast measurements, 7-14 μm band sunset, an effective method Mars astronauts identify caves, possibly superior usage space-based or ground-penetrating data.