Speaker
Description
Muon radiography represents a promising non-invasive technique to image the interior of large-scale geological structures on other planetary bodies such as Mars. This method provides insights into the thickness and density of geological formations, crucial for the detection of potentially habitable subsurface environments and for future mission planning. However, on Mars, the absence of a global intrinsic magnetic field and the presence of a thin CO₂-dominated atmosphere significantly modify the development of secondary particle cascades compared to Earth, potentially affecting the muon spectrum reaching the surface. Characterizing the muon flux is therefore essential to evaluate the feasibility of muographic imaging on Mars.
Recent observations have highlighted the presence of voluminous underground caves and potential lava tubes on Mars, with sizes typically reaching 50 meters and depths often exceeding 100 meters. These structures are of strong interest as natural shelters for future human exploration and represent possible targets for planetary muography.
In this work, we implemented detailed Monte Carlo simulations using CORSIKA 8 and FLUKA to model the atmospheric shower development and the subsequent transport of muons through the Martian subsurface, adopting a detailed and realistic atmospheric model. To ensure the reliability of the computational setup, preliminary results of simulated surface particle spectra were compared with in-situ measurements from the Mars Science Laboratory Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) and with simulations performed using NASA’s OLTARIS tool, showing consistent trends in particle distributions at the Martian surface.
We extracted the muon flux and characterized its energy and angular distributions under different shielding configurations, from surface conditions to subterranean caves, considering different subsurface compositions and solar activity conditions. By evaluating muon flux attenuation as a function of rock thickness and composition, we provide quantitative constraints on the physical feasibility and intrinsic limitations of muographic exploration of the Martian subsurface.