iPMS - Impacts Probing Martian Subsurface

Characterizing the shallow subsurface of Mars remains a challenge due to the existence of a sensing gap at the depths of meters. iPMS will close this gap by utilizing the fact that the surface of Mars is continuously bombarded by meteoroids which excavate material from those depths. The theoretical foundations of impact cratering indicate that the spatial distributions of ejecta are sensitive to the material properties. As over 1000 fresh impact craters and ejecta formed in the period of spacecraft observation were imaged with the highest resolution camera orbiting Mars (NASA MRO HiRISE), I propose to study these sites in theory and in reality in order to i) establish how ejecta spatial distributions vary with latitude, elevation and terrain types, ii) describe the theoretical dependency of these distributions on subsurface rheology and impact conditions, iii) constrain the subsurface rheology near selected impact sites, including human-made ones formed via controlled release of ballasts by spacecraft. This will be achieved by performing 1) analysis of ejecta in HiRISE images, 2) numerical impact experiments into a variety of layered subsurface targets with shock physics code iSALE. By combining the two approaches, I will tackle some key unanswered scientific questions in planetary science outlined by Decadal Survey 2023-2032. This project contributes to the bigger challenges of mapping water ice on Mars, is relevant for planetary protection, and will reinforce Europe's leadership and autonomy in space sciences.