Modelling the performances of the WISDOM radar on the Oxia Planum potential landing site for ExoMars

Abstract : The search for evidence of past or present life is the main objective of the ESA-Roscosmos ExoMars rover mission [1]. The rover will be equipped with a suite of instruments dedicated to the investigation and characterization of the surface and shallow subsurface of Mars. In particular, a drill will provide, for the first time, ground samples from a depth of approximately 2 meters and a Ground Penetrating Radar named WISDOM (Water Ice Subsurface Deposit Observations on Mars) will map the shallow subsurface down to a depth of a few meters revealing its stratigraphy and structure, and thus providing invaluable insights into its origin and geological history. A review of the candidate sites for the ExoMars rover mission has been conducted and four landing sites have been preselected [2] among which the Oxia Planum site (Fig. 1).