The influence of the ionosphere in subsurface Martian soil sounding experiments and a method of its correction

Abstract

The problem of radar sounding of the Martian soil from an orbiting spacecraft is analyzed. The influence of the ionosphere on the results of remote sounding is revealed through the results of numerical modeling and actual subsurface soil sounding experiments carried out using the MARSIS radar sounder aboard the Mars-Express spacecraft. A method of correction of the dispersion distortion is proposed and tested through radiolocation of the polar cap on Mars.