Liquid water on Mars

J. C. James

July, 2003

Abstract

Excellent photographs of the surface of Mars have been available on the Internet in recent years. These have helped interpret radar data taken at 7.8 meters wavelength in 1963 and again in 1965. Radar data taken at the same time at 0.125 meters wavelength have also helped with the 7.8-meter interpretation. Theoretically, for a uniform and homogeneous surface material, the 7.8-meter wavelength penetrated the surface 62 times as deep as the 0.125-meter wavelength. Furthermore, if a layer of conductive material at some depth in the Mars surface were present, the longer wavelength would have been reflected much stronger than the shorter wavelength. These two effects are believed to be responsible for the observed much larger radar cross section at some places on Mars for the longer wavelength. Significant conductivity over large areas of the earth’s surface is due to liquid moisture.

Another interesting aspect of the 7.8-meter radar data became apparent when the sub radar points of three large narrow-band echoes were plotted on the photographs of Mars. These 2-Hz narrow band echoes imply a smooth level reflecting surface. Conducting irregularities distributed over the surface would have imparted Doppler shifts because of the rotation rate of Mars. These three sub radar points fell on two slightly darkened bands. This is evidence that the two bands contain liquid moisture somewhere near the surface.

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