Modified Gravity and Cosmology

Geophysical applications of radar interferometry to measure changes in the Earth's surface have exploded in the early 1990s. This new geodetic technique calculates the interference pattern caused by the difference in phase between two images acquired by a spaceborne synthetic aperture radar at two distinct times. The resulting interferogram is a contour map of the change in distance between the ground and the radar instrument. These maps provide an unsurpassed spatial sampling density (∼100 pixels km−2), a competitive precision (∼1 cm), and a useful observation cadence (1 pass month−1). They record movements in the crust, perturbations in the atmosphere, dielectric modifications in the soil, and relief in the topography. They are also sensitive to technical effects, such as relative variations in the radar's trajectory or variations in its frequency standard. We describe how all these phenomena contribute to an interferogram. Then a practical summary explains the techniques for calculating and manipulating interferograms from various radar instruments, including the four satellites currently in orbit: ERS-1, ERS-2, JERS-1, and RADARSAT. The next chapter suggests some guidelines for interpreting an interferogram as a geophysical measurement: respecting the limits of the technique, assessing its uncertainty, recognizing artifacts, and discriminating different types of signal. We then review the geophysical applications published to date, most of which study deformation related to earthquakes, volcanoes, and glaciers using ERS-1 data. We also show examples of monitoring natural hazards and environmental alterations related to landslides, subsidence, and agriculture. In addition, we consider subtler geophysical signals such as postseismic relaxation, tidal loading of coastal areas, and interseismic strain accumulation. We conclude with our perspectives on the future of radar interferometry. The objective of the review is for the reader to develop the physical understanding necessary to calculate an interferogram and the geophysical intuition necessary to interpret it.

/pdf/radar-interferometry-and-its-application-to-changes-in-the-2xi2itqotn.pdf

Radar interferometry and its application to changes in the Earth's surface

I review the radio to X-ray properties of gigahertz peaked-spectrum (GPS) and compact steep- spectrum (CSS) sources, the current hypotheses for their origin, and their use to constrain the evolution of powerful radio galaxies. The GPS and CSS sources are compact, powerful radio sources with well-defined peaks in their radio spectra (near 1 GHz in the GPS and near 100 MHz in the CSS). The GPS sources are entirely contained within the extent of the narrow-line region (&1 kpc), while the CSS sources are contained entirely within the host galaxy (&15 kpc). The peaks in the spectra are probably due to synchrotron self-absorption, though free-free absorption through an inhomogeneous screen may also play a role. The turnover frequency varies with linear size l as , suggesting a simple physical relationship between these parameters. The radio 20.65 n / l m morphologies are strikingly like those of the large-scale classical doubles, though some sources can have very distorted morphologies suggestive of interactions. Radio polarization tends to be low, and in some cases the Faraday rotation measures can be extremely large. The IR properties are consistent with stellar populations and active galactic nucleus (AGN) bolometric luminosity similar to that of the 3CR classical doubles. The optical host galaxy properties (absolute magnitude, Hubble diagram, evidence for interaction) are consistent with those of the 3CR classical doubles. CSS sources at all redshifts exhibit high surface brightness optical light (most likely emission-line gas) that is aligned with the radio axis. The optical emission-line properties suggest (1) interaction of the radio source with the emission-line gas and (2) the presence of dust toward the emission-line regions. X- ray observations of high-redshift GPS quasars and a couple of GPS galaxies suggest the presence of significant columns of gas toward the nuclei. Searches for cold gas in the host galaxies have revealed large amounts of molecular gas and smaller amounts of atomic gas in several sources, though probably not enough to confine the radio sources. The main competing models for the GPS and CSS sources are that (1) they are frustrated by interaction with dense gas in their environments and (2) they are young and evolving radio sources that will become large-scale sources. Combining the bright GPS and CSS samples with the 3CR results in a sample spanning a range in source size of 10 5 that can be used to study source evolution. The number density versus linear size relation is consistent with a picture in which the sources expand with constant velocity and the radio power drops with linear size l according to . This strong evolution suggests that at least some of the 20.5 P / l GPS and CSS sources evolve to become lower luminosity FR 1 radio sources. The GPS and CSS sources are important probes of their host galaxies and will provide critical clues to the origin and evolution of powerful radio sources.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1086/316162/pdf

The Compact Steep-Spectrum and Gigahertz Peaked-Spectrum Radio Sources

▪ Abstract The central half kiloparsec region of our Galaxy harbors a variety of phenomena unique to the central environment. This review discusses the observed structure and activity of the interstellar medium in this region in terms of its inevitable inflow toward the center of the Galactic gravitational potential well. A number of dissipative processes lead to a strong concentration of gas into a “Central Molecular Zone” of about 200-pc radius, in which the molecular medium is characterized by large densities, large velocity dispersions, high temperatures, and apparently strong magnetic fields. The physical state of the gas and the resultant star formation processes occurring in this environment are therefore quite unlike those occurring in the large-scale disk. Gas not consumed by star formation either enters a hot X ray–emitting halo and is lost as a thermally driven galactic wind or continues moving inward, probably discontinuously, through the domain of the few parsec-sized circumnuclear disks and ...

/pdf/the-galactic-center-environment-4dm2r36647.pdf

The galactic center environment

More than three years of high-resolution (1.5-20 m/pixel) photographic observations of the surface of Mars have dramatically changed our view of that planet. Among the most important observations and interpretations derived therefrom are that much of Mars, at least to depths of several kilometers, is layered; that substantial portions of the planet have experienced burial and subsequent exhumation; that layered and massive units, many kilometers thick, appear to reflect an ancient period of large-scale erosion and deposition within what are now the ancient heavily cratered regions of Mars; and that processes previously unsuspected, including gully-forming fluid action and burial and exhumation of large tracts of land, have operated within near-contemporary times. These and many other attributes of the planet argue for a complex geology and complicated history.

/pdf/mars-global-surveyor-mars-orbiter-camera-interplanetary-s30da0bni0.pdf

Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera: Interplanetary cruise through primary mission

The first unambiguous full-disk radar mapping of Mercury at 3.5-centimeter wavelength, with the Goldstone 70-meter antenna transmitting and 26 antennas of the Very Large Array receiving, has provided evidence for the presence of polar ice. The radar experiments, conducted on 8 and 23 August 1991, were designed to image the half of Mercury not photographed by Mariner 10. The orbital geometry allowed viewing beyond the north pole of Mercury; a highly reflective region was clearly visible on the north pole during both experiments. This polar region has areas in which the circular polarization ratio (pt) was 1.0 to 1.4; values <∼0.1 are typical for terrestrial planets. Such high values of have hitherto been observed in radar observations only from icy regions of Mars and icy outer planet satellites.

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/258/5082/635.full.pdf

Mercury Radar Imaging: Evidence for Polar Ice

A random-code technique has been used at Arecibo to obtain delay-Doppler radar images of the full disk of Mercury. Anomalously bright features were found at the north and south poles. The north polar feature is oblong (4 by 8 deg) and offset from the pole. The smaller south polar feature is mostly confined to the floor of the crater Chao Meng-Fu. The polar locations and radar properties of these features indicate that they may be produced by volume scattering in ice. The images also reveal a variety of more subdued reflectivity features ranging in size from hundreds to thousands of kilometers; some of these appear to have an impact origin.

http://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/258/5082/640.full.pdf

Radar mapping of mercury: full-disk images and polar anomalies.

The first full-disk radar images of Mercury are discussed. About 77 percent of the surface was imaged at resolutions as good as 150 km. The North Pole was visible at the time of the observations, and the feature with the highest same sense (SS) circular reflectivity in the images is near the nominal polar position. The peak SS reflectivity of this feature is 7.9 percent and the circular polarization ratio through much of it is over one. The diameter of the feature is estimated to be less than about 350 km. The signal strength and polarization characteristics suggest the presence of very clean ices deposited in a relatively short period. The reflectivity of the north polar feature is slightly depressed compared to absolute reflectivities of other ice bodies and regions in the solar system. This may be due to a layer of dust or soil covering the ice. Other prominent features in the unphotographed hemisphere correpond to positions where atmospheric sodium enhancements have been measured from earth. These sites may be large basins similar to the Caloris basin.

Mercury: full-disk radar images and the detection and stability of ice at the North Pole

GROUND-based radar observations of Mercury have revealed unusually strong, highly depolarized echoes from the north1,2 and south2 poles. These anomalous echoes have been cited as evidence of polar ice deposits1–5. Thermal studies3–5 suggest that the permanently shaded floors of large polar craters are cold enough to preserve water ice in a stable state over aeons, in spite of Mercury's proximity to the Sun. Here we present high-resolution radar maps of Mercury's polar regions, derived from delay-Doppler measurements. We have resolved the north and south polar anomalies into numerous crater-sized features, and we have been able to identify the source craters for many of these features after making small corrections to the pole positions on the Mariner-10 images. The coincidence with crater locations, together with other properties of the radar features, are consistent with the polar-ice hypothesis.

Radar mapping of Mercury's polar anomalies

Full disk images of Mars have been obtained with the use of the Very Large Array (VLA) to map the radar reflected flux density. The transmitter system was the 70-m antenna of the Deep Space Network at Goldstone, California. The surface of Mars was illuminated with continuous wave radiation at a wavelength of 3,5 cm. The reflected energy was mapped in individual 12-minute snapshots with the VLA in its largest configuration; fringe spacings as small as 67 km were obtained. The images reveal near-surface features including a region in the Tharsis volcano area, over 2000 km in east-west extent, that displayed no echo to the very low level of the radar system noise. The feature, called Stealth, is interpreted as a deposit of dust or ash with a density less than about 0.5 gram per cubic centimeter and free of rocks larger than 1 cm across. The deposit must be several meters thick and may be much deeper. The strongest reflecting geological feature was the south polar ice cap, which was reduced in size to the residual south polar ice cap at the season of observation. The cap image is interpreted as arising from nearly pure CO_2 or H_2O ice with a small amount of martian dust (less than 2 percent by volume) and a depth greater than 2 to 5 m. Only one anomalous reflecting feature was identified outside of the Tharsis region, although the Elysium region was poorly sampled in this experiment and the north pole was not visible from Earth.

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/253/5027/1508.full.pdf

Martin A. Slade

Papers

Mercury Radar Imaging: Evidence for Polar Ice

Radar mapping of mercury: full-disk images and polar anomalies.

Mercury: full-disk radar images and the detection and stability of ice at the North Pole

Radar mapping of Mercury's polar anomalies

Radar Images of Mars