Thermal Inertia and Surface Properties of Mars
Master Degree in Geophysics — Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Portugal
(from October 2004 to January 2006)
Advisors: Eduardo Ivo Alves Centro de Geofísica da Universidade de Coimbra), Helena Sant´Ovaia (GIMEF, Dep Geologia FCUP, Centro de Geologia UP), Teresa Seixas (Departamento de Física da FCUP)
Abstract
Thermal inertia is the key property controlling the diurnal surface temperature variations and is dependent on the physical character of the top surface. It represents a complex combination of particle size, rock abundance, bedrock outcropping and the degree of induration. Deriving and understanding the thermal inertia of the Martian surface can help to recognize small-scale features of that surface. In conjunction with other data, thermal inertia can help to characterize surface materials and the geologic processes responsible for forming these materials. A software routine was developed to derive the thermal inertia from some regions of the surface of Mars using data from Planetary Fourier Spectrometer instrument in combination with a computer model of the Martian atmosphere, developed by NASA: Mars Gram: Mars Global Reference Atmospheric Model.
Publications
Inércia Térmica do Planeta Marte
Encontro Nacional de Astronomia e Astrofísica
Espinho, Portugal — Julho 2006
Inércia Térmica do Planeta Marte — Poster
VII Congresso Nacional de Geologia
Julho 2006
Inércia Térmica do Planeta Marte
VII Congresso Nacional de Geologia
Julho 2006
Inércia Térmica do Planeta Marte
Master Thesis
FCUP, Porto, Portugal — January 2006
Talks
Inércia Térmica do Planeta Marte
Master Degree Defense
FCUP, Porto, Portugal — April 2006
Thermal Inertia of Terra Sirenum — Terra Cimmeria
International Conference of Physics Students
Coimbra, Portugal — August 2005
Inércia Térmica da Região Terra Sirenum — Terra Cimmeria
Encontro Nacional de Estudantes de Física
Coimbra, Portugal — March 2005
