Presentazioni e Articoli Tecnici

In-depth understanding of the present-day thermal state of any planetary body and its thermal evolution is an important aspect and Mars is a no exception. The thermophysical properties of the planetary regolith are the most important factors controlling the planetary heat flow and thereby its thermal evolution. The surface stresses, deformations and geological processes are manifestations of internal thermodynamics of the planet. A proper knowledge of global heat budget of Mars would help providing important clues about its thermal evolution which is not only critical for understanding its internal dynamics but also helps us understand the present surface features and correlate them. This is usually accomplished by means of a long-term geo-physical network mission on Mars. But, such a mission doesn’t seem to be planned in near future. Although HP3 onboard NASA’s INSIGHT mission to mars is directed at understanding the interior structure of mars but it is a single point measurement. In this scenario, the only way through which we can improve our current understanding is through comprehensive numerical modeling. Unlike the Moon, presence of atmosphere and possible hydrosphere/cryosphere makes the surface and near-surface thermophysical behavior of Mars highly complex and dynamical in nature. Understanding this behavior is extremely important not only for deriving accurate global thermal models but also for driving current and future landing/geophysical missions to Mars.

An attempt has been made to develop a comprehensive three dimensional finite element model for Mars using COMSOL Multiphysics® to understand the surface/near-surface thermophysical behavior. The model considers heat transfer in solids and porous media by conduction, convection and radiation as the modes of heat transfer representing a situation similar to that of the Mars’ near surface-environment. The model accounts for complex surfaces, environment, different physical properties, parametric based variation in physics and boundary conditions. Representative data from literature, THEMIS/TIS observations and KRC 1D model are used as initial inputs and boundary conditions to the Model. Topographic data from MOLA (Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter) instrument onboard Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) has been used in conjunction with the model and the surface and subsurface temperatures were derived. Details of the models and initial results and their comparison with existing data will be presented.