Morphology and Subsurface Structure of Sorted Stone Circles in Svalbard, Norway - An Analog Study for Mars

Kurzfassung

In this study, we investigate networks of sorted stone circles (SSCs) on the Western Spitsbergen Peninsula in Svalbard, similar in shape to those observed on the margin of an erosional channel known as "Lethe Vallis" in Elysium Planitia on Mars [1,2]. We use airborne imagery and ground observations to assess surface morphology and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) to characterize subsurface structure. GPR systems have been widely used to investigate Mars-analog permafrost environments [e.g., 3], and have been in use on Mars with NASA’s Perseverance rover (RIMFAX) and recently China’s Zhurong rover. Identifying and characterizing the locations of shallow (0–10 m) subsurface ice on Mars is important for addressing high-priority science and human exploration objectives [4]. Our main objective is using SSCs as an analog to understand similar periglacial landforms and structure on Mars. Through investigating the relationship between SSC morphometric measurements and radar by correlating the surface with the subsurface, we develop a potential method for investigating Martian subsurface ice.