Shallow Radar (SHARAD) investigations over Sinus Meridiani

Mars equatorial region Sinus Meridiani has been investigated by the Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) onboard the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) revealing the presence of gray hematite. Laboratory measurements on magnetic minerals including gray hematite have been performed afterwards suggesting that the Shallow Radar (SHARAD) instrument onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) should be capable to reveal the reflectivity contrast, the influence on the penetration depth and the temperature dependence effect on the received echoes. The proposed wok suggests a possible study aimed to evaluate such considerations including both theoretical models as well as experimental data analysis.