Goldstone Mars Radar Altimetry: Martian Elevations from 1971-1982 Oppositions

Martian radii and elevations relative to the 6 millibar reference surface, measured against the JPL DE_118 ephemeris. The data were obtained by the Goldstone Solar System Radar during the oppositions spanning 1971 to 1982. The table's present form was generated by R. Mehlman at UCLA/IGPP.

Use Cases

• Modeling Martian topography and geoid based on radar-derived elevation measurements.
• Analyzing long-term changes in Martian surface features using data from the 1971-1982 observation period.
• Validating modern orbital altimetry data against historical ground-based radar measurements.
• Studying the relationship between Martian radii and the 6 millibar reference surface.

Strengths

• Data sourced from the authoritative Goldstone Solar System Radar.
• Covers a specific 11-year observation period from 1971 to 1982.
• Reference frame is defined against the JPL DE_118 ephemeris and a 6 millibar surface.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment for large-scale modeling.
• Data may reflect temporal bias inherent to the specific opposition events of 1971-1982.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Obtained by the Goldstone Solar System Radar during Martian oppositions.

Time Range

1971-1982

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 19:58:32.767915; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Mars