From Antarctic to Mars: Studying Mars from the field to remote sensing data

Miguel Angel de Pablo

The exploration of other planetary surfaces represents an exciting and challenging field of research across various branches of science, presenting a significant challenge for engineers tasked with developing probes and instruments to collect the necessary data for analysis. Understanding the geomorphological, geological, climatic, and geophysical characteristics of other planetary bodies can be approached from multiple perspectives, all relying on the analysis of data obtained by instruments aboard exploration probes sent either into their orbit or to their surface. In addition to the technical challenges associated with obtaining, manipulating, and processing planetary data, there is the ongoing issue of limited data availability, which complicates the interpretation of past processes on other planetary bodies. Therefore, studying Earth analogs is essential to fill these knowledge gaps. The objective of this session is to illustrate how studying specific locations on our planet can provide valuable insights into the characteristics of other planetary bodies, such as Mars. We will provide a brief overview of the techniques used to study planetary surfaces, along with an exploration of the complexities and challenges associated with this endeavor.