Application of m- <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="TeX">$\chi$</tex-math></inline-formula> Decomposition Technique on Mini-SAR Data to Understand Crater and Ejecta Morphology

Abstract

Miniature Synthetic Aperture Radar (Mini-SAR) data conveniently reveals the unique morphological characteristics associated with crater ejecta blankets. Various surface and subsurface features in and around shadowed polar regions can be inferred using this data to explain the newly formed topography after impact events. A group of three craters lying north of Cabeus. A crater have unique ejecta morphology when m-χ decomposition technique is applied on mini-SAR data. The volume scattering observed for the region describes the relative slope of the terrain around and within crater walls. Alternately, Wapowski crater, which lies at the southern rim of Scott crater, has a different ejecta morphology indicative of it being relatively young. The high circular polarization ratio (CPR) calculated inside and outside Wapowski crater rim suggests that the presence of water ice within the shadowed portion of the crater is highly unlikely. The high CPR therefore is obtained due to the fresh blocky proximal ejecta blanket formed post impact. Volume scattering in m-χ decomposition image also corresponds to the region having high CPR. m-χ decomposition technique also shows that the proximal ejecta blanket is asymmetrically distributed around the crater rim. This technique therefore helps to study the process of impact cratering and the features generated thereafter.