Surface roughness of Mars

Abstract

In this thesis, I created an algorithm to compensate for the saturation of data collected by the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA). Saturation of the energy measurements had made it impossible to measure surface roughness at 100 m length scales. By calculating the returned energy, the problem of saturation can be avoided. This algorithm was applied to MOLA data across the Martian surface to create an estimate of surface roughness across the planet. The method calculates pulse spreading from returned pulse energy using the link equation. The accuracy of the method is limited by the accuracy of albedo measurements. This analysis improved the estimation of surface roughness on Mars. Further improvements could be gained by correcting for the opacity of atmospheric dust as a cause of pulse spreading.