Rock Physics of Martian Rocks using Terrestrial Analogues

The proposed project is the first ever effort to quantify and theoretically generalize the rock properties of Martian crust. This quest not only has a scientific curiosity value, but also a practical value related to interpreting seismic profiling on Mars from the seismic experiments planned in the future missions. This task will be accomplished using Terrestrial analogues of Martian rocks. Such analogues have been identified by geologists based on the understanding of compositional and mineralogical constraints obtained from recent orbital and landed exploration missions, as of the mineral composition of the surface of Mars and published in relevant journals and reports. The proposed effort will include laboratory measurements of these terrestrial analogues, as well as digital and theoretical rock physics.