Planetary surfaces

Abstract:

Thermal measurements provide key constraints on the physical properties of icy satellite surfaces, including grain size, porosity, and regolith structure. On the icy moon of Jupiter Europa, previous analyses [e.g., 1,2] of the Galileo Photopolarimeter–Radiometer (PPR) dataset revealed heterogeneities in thermal inertia, but the limited spatial resolution and coverage prevented a detailed characterization of the thermophysical properties of the surface. Yet, the determination of these thermophysical properties is crucial to predict the surface temperatures of Europa that can be used to search for endogenic activity as hot spots, one of the main scientific targets of the upcoming NASA’s Europa Clipper mission [3].We derived high-resolution maps of Europa’s surface albedo and thermal inertia, and inferred the microphysical properties of its icy regolith, through a reanalysis of the Galileo PPR dataset. We specifically investigated the spatial variability of these properties to discuss the processes controlling the thermophysical evolution of Europa’s surface. To do so, we used the KRC thermal model [4] to analyze the PPR brightness temperatures and retrieve the albedo and thermal inertia that best fit the observations. These values were then interpreted using theoretical conductivity models of porous ice [5] to constrain grain size and porosity and to investigate possible sintering processes affecting the surface.We will present at the conference our main results: we derived a mean Bond albedo of 0.64 ± 0.06 (standard deviation of 1σ) and a mean thermal inertia of 56 ± 17 J m−2 K−1 s−1/2 (1σ). The thermal inertia shows significant spatial variations, including a band of low thermal inertia at the equator (39 ± 7 J m−2 K−1 s−1/2, 1σ) and higher values (56 ± 11 J m−2 K−1 s−1/2, 1σ) at mid-latitudes on the leading hemisphere (0°–180° W). The equatorial region of the trailing hemisphere (180° W–360° W) also exhibits higher thermal inertia (63 ± 17 J m−2 K−1 s−1/2, 1σ) than the leading hemisphere, likely related to compositional differences. Interpreting the thermal inertia with conductivity models indicates a porous icy regolith with grain sizes ranging from a few micrometers to a few centimeters and an average porosity of 0.61 ± 0.1 (1σ).Interestingly, the thermal inertia distribution shows little correlation with geological units, the Pwyll ejecta being a notable exception, with markedly higher values than the surrounding terrain. In contrast, the good agreement between the thermal inertia distribution and modeled sputtering rates suggests that sputtering-driven sintering may play a fundamental role in controlling the thermophysical properties of Europa’s surface. The absence of a high thermal inertia equatorial band analogous to the PacMan anomaly observed on Saturn’s icy moons [e.g., 6] indicates that electron-driven sintering is inefficient on Europa, while temperature-gradient metamorphism may instead enhance grain growth at depth, potentially explaining the absence of large grains at the surface. In addition, modeled surface temperatures range from ~67 to 148 K at mid to low latitudes, with peak daytime temperatures counteracting radiolytic amorphization, while limiting the stability of volatile species. During the Europa Clipper mission (2031–2034), temperatures are expected to be slightly lower, ranging between 67.6–141.2 K. Our predictions provide a framework for interpreting future observations by the Europa Thermal Emission Imaging System (E-THEMIS) onboard Europa Clipper and the Submillimetre Wave Instrument (SWI) on JUICE. These future thermal measurements will provide key constraints to test these hypotheses and refine our understanding of the evolution of Europa’s icy regolith as well as search for active hot spots.AcknowledgementsLL’s research was supported by an appointment to the NASA Postdoctoral Program administered by Oak Ridge Associated Universities at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (80NM0018D0004). Part of this work was performed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (80NM0018D0004). Some of the computational analyses were run on Northern Arizona University’s Monsoon computing cluster, funded by Arizona’s Technology and Research Initiative Fund. © 2026. All rights reserved.References[1] Rathbun et al., 2010, Icarus, 210, 763–769[2] Rathbun & Spencer, 2020, Icarus, 338, 11350[3] Pappalardo, R. T., Buratti, B. J., Korth, H., et al. 2024, SSR, 220[4] Kieffer, H. H. 2013, JGR: Planets, 118, 451–470[5] Ferrari & Lucas, 2016, A&A, 588, A133[6] Howett et al., 2011, Icarus, 216, 221–22

Abstract:

The Lunar Vulkan Imaging and Spectroscopy Explorer (Lunar-VISE) was selected for a Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) delivery to the Gruithuisen domes region of the Moon as part of NASA’s Payloads and Research Investigation on the Surface of the Moon program. The Lunar-VISE instrument payload is designed to investigate the compositional and thermophysical properties of dome materials in order to understand how late-stage silicic volcanism occurred on the Moon. Selection of a landing site required balancing science and exploration goals with the safety requirements for landing and rover trafficability. Science required access to boulders, potential exposures of bedrock, and if possible, rover access to the dome edge to enable observations of the surrounding maria. Safety considerations included landing hazards, maintenance of line-of-sight communications between the lander and rover, and any early morning or late afternoon shadows that would limit the mission duration. After consideration of several candidate landing sites, a 100-meter diameter landing ellipse centered on 36.45715°N, 319.20398°E, was selected near the edge of a topographic step and blocky ejecta crater (recently named Mareta) near the summit of Mons Gruithuisen Gamma. This location enables access to a field of boulders excavated by a relatively fresh impact providing a diversity of boulders for investigations, as well as views to the surrounding mare and Mons Gruithuisen Delta dome off of the dome edge via only a short rover traverse outside the landing ellipse (traverse <100 m) while meeting safety requirements in accord with the CLPS risk posture.

Abstract:

We present a systematic detection and characterization of mesoscale atmospheric gravity waves in Martian clouds using High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) imagery from Mars Express during Martian Years 34–37. Gravity wave packets were identified in the HRSC Cloud Atlas data set, and their morphology (horizontal wavelength, packet width/length, orientation) was measured on map-projected products. Cloud top altitudes were derived from blue-green parallax using HRSC's multi-channel imaging geometry. For a subset of stereo–temporal “brooming” pairs separated by (Formula presented.) min, horizontal winds were derived by manual feature tracking, enabling direct estimates of observed and intrinsic phase speeds and implied vertical wavelengths at the packet scale. We cataloged 146 packets, of which 114 were morphologically characterized, measured 100 cloud top heights, and 11 had full dynamical characterization. Horizontal wavelengths span 2–117 km with an average of 29 km. Cloud tops show a dominant concentration between ≈15 and 40 km, and a less frequent extension to 60–100 km, with uncertainty ∼3–10 km, and clear spatial and seasonal variability. For the dynamical subset, observed phase speeds are 2.0–8.6 m/s, intrinsic phase speeds are 0.4–6.2 m/s, and implied vertical wavelengths are 0.2–3.4 km. These results demonstrate that HRSC repeat-track imaging enables packet-scale constraints on intrinsic gravity wave drag and mesoscale dynamics in Martian circulation models.

Abstract:

Radio occultation (RO) is a very powerful technique as it offers great opportunities to study planetary atmospheres, providing information about their ionosphere and neutral atmosphere. Standard methods use a radio link at S and/or X bands between a spacecraft orbiting a planet and a ground station on the Earth. At Mars, such measurements have been conducted since the 60s. Three most recent data sets are from Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Express and the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution satellites. Furthermore, the possibility to obtain information about the Martian atmosphere with mutual RO events, using data from NASA Mars Odyssey and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiters, has been demonstrated by NASA scientists in 2015. Taking advantage of two European spacecraft in orbit around Mars, the ESA is currently performing an experiment that consists of mutual radio occultations between Mars Express (MEX) and ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO). In preparation for MEX and TGO data inversion and analysis, a simulation-based strategy has been adopted and an algorithm, including the associated software, able to retrieve vertical electron density profiles from Doppler shift measurements has been implemented and validated. Subsequently, to test the mentioned algorithm with experimental data, the same three mutual RO events considered by NASA scientists have been re-processed. In this work, the research activities carried out through the simulation studies and the results obtained by the application of the mentioned inversion algorithm to experimental data are presented.