Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding
Quick Summary
The Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding (MARSIS) is an instrument on the European Space Agency's Mars Express spacecraft. Launched in 2003, Mars Express is designed to map the surface of Mars and study its atmosphere. MARSIS specifically uses microwave pulses to search for evidence of subsurface water by detecting radar signatures. It has provided indications of liquid water, including a potential underground lake beneath the Martian south polar cap.1
The U.S. satellite Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, launched in 2005, also carries a subsurface radar designed to probe Mars's surface to a depth of 1 km, looking for variations that could indicate water. These radar instruments are crucial for understanding Mars's geological history and the potential for past or present water on the planet.2
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