Analytical modeling of Schumann resonance and ELF propagation parameters on Mars with a multi-layered ground

Abstract

Two electrically conductive planetary spheres, the ionosphere and the ground, form a spherical waveguide. Within such a planetary cavity a phenomenon called Schumann resonance (SR) can occur. It is a resonance of extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic waves. The resonance parameters are strongly related to the electromagnetic properties of the cavity. On Mars, as there is no liquid water at the planetary surface, the ground has a low conductivity. In such a situation, ELF waves penetrate into the planetary subsurface up to many kilometers depth. To examine the influence of low-conductivity grounds on ELF propagation, we have introduced a recently developed analytical method, which enables to estimate the propagation parameters and explicate their dependence of the ground properties. Since the presented model is fully analytical, it is computationally efficient and can be very useful in finding inverse solutions. To demonstrate the potential of the method, we present the relationship between individual ground properties and the parameters of Schumann resonance. The obtained results indicate that Martian exploration performed by one ELF station located at the planetary surface can reveal, along with the properties of the ionosphere, the existence of liquid water under the Martian surface.