ANALYSIS OF MARTIAN TOPOGRAPHY VIA A PARAMETERIZED SPECTRAL APPROACH

Abstract

The surface topography of Mars is well-determined, and elevations have been measured with high accuracy using the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter. However, our true interest lies not in the topography itself but in the combination of geological processes that resulted in the topography. I analyze whether a maximum-likelihood procedure solving for the Matérn spectral form provides a good model for parameterizing the statistics of Martian planetary topography. The goal is to draw meaningful conclusions about the evolution of the geology of the Martian landscape from the resulting model parameterization. Results support Martian planetary topography being a Matérn process, and that Matérn parameters can be used to successfully simulate randomized Martian terrain.