MOSAICMission-Oriented Search for Analog Environments on Earth
A visual platform for exploring and comparing terrestrial locations that serve as analogs for future permanent bases on the Moon and missions to Mars.
Case 1: Makgadikgadi Basin, Botswana
Paleolake stratigraphy, continuous GPR reflectors, and subsurface hypersaline brine
Median Topographic Slope (SRTM) Calculated from 465 field GPS points cross-referenced with SRTM S21E024/025 tiles. | 0.78 degrees |
Median Subsurface Electrical Resistivity (ERT) Median log10 ρ: -0.17 to -0.02. Confirms deep confined hypersaline brine layer. | 0.67 - 0.95 Ω·m |
Vegetation & Aridity Index (NDVI) Sentinel-2 L2A over GPR06 profile: desiccated mineral ground without active vegetation. | 0.110 dimensionless |
GPR Antenna Frequencies & Resolution Profiles DELTA_GPR1-5 and GPR1-6 (RTA 30/50 MHz antennas, v ≈ 0.085 m/ns) across lacustrine basin. | 30 & 50 MHz (res. 0.67 & 0.40 m) |
Planetary Analog Compatibility Assessment
Prototype comparisons using open-data references. The displayed scores are illustrative placeholders, not calculated or validated scientific results.
"How can ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) observations from the Makgadikgadi Basin guide the stratigraphic interpretation of subsurface radar reflections detected by RIMFAX at Jezero Crater?"
Case 1: Makgadikgadi Basin, Botswana
Vast Kalahari evaporitic basin evaluated with SRTM (0.78° slope), Sentinel-2 L2A multispectral data, 10 SEG-Y GPR profiles (30/50 MHz antennas), and 36,987 ERT resistivity soundings.
- •Subsurface Ground-Penetrating Radar observations (profiles DELTA_GPR1-5 and GPR1-6, RTA 30 MHz & 50 MHz antennas, Zenodo DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.22256874)
- •Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT Lines A & B, 10 m electrode spacing, confined hypersaline aquifer < 1 Ω·m)
- •SRTM 30m Digital Elevation Models (SRTMGL1 S21E024 and S21E025)
- •Sentinel-2 L2A multispectral surface reflectance (Nov 12, 2026, bands B02-B12, NDVI=0.11)
- •Geological mapping of fossil paleolakes and evaporitic calcrete horizons
Compatibility Assessment — Case 1
ILLUSTRATIVE · NOT SCIENTIFICALLY SCOREDMulti-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) Compatibility Score: S = 90.2/100 (vs Mars)
MCDA evaluation framework based on available open datasets: SRTMGL1 S21E024/025, Sentinel-2 L2A, MOLA megt90n000eb, HiRISE DTM DTEEC_045994_1985, and RIMFAX Sol 400 calibrated data.
Methodological GPR vs RIMFAX Comparison: Terrestrial GPR at Makgadikgadi operated with low-frequency rough-terrain antennas at 30 MHz (vertical resolution ~0.67 m) and 50 MHz (~0.40 m), with an estimated radar velocity v ≈ 0.085 m/ns. On Mars, RIMFAX (FMCW 150–1200 MHz) recorded subsurface reflectors at ~15 m depth in the delta front (Sols 134–204) and at ~20 m with a ~12° structural dip and dielectric permittivity transition (ε_r ≈ 9 → 7) in the Séítah formation (Sols 400–566). A structural and dielectric contrast analogy is established (saline/clay-rich versus volcanic strata), ruling out direct metric depth matches.
Jezero Crater: River Delta & Sedimentary Fan
Mars 2020 Perseverance landing site evaluated with regional MOLA altimetry (0.85° slope), HiRISE DTM (1.01 m/px), CRISM spectrometry, and RIMFAX Sol 400 radar.
- •RIMFAX Ground-Penetrating Radar on Mars 2020 Perseverance (PDS urn:nasa:pds:mars2020_rimfax:data_calibrated_csv, Sol 400)
- •Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA MEGDR megt90n000eb) and stereo HiRISE DTM DTEEC_045994_1985
- •High-resolution HiRISE (0.25 m/px) and CTX imaging from Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
- •Corrected CRISM MTRDR orbital spectrometry (FRT000047A3, Fe/Mg-smectites and carbonates)
- •Characterization of GPR reflectors in saline sedimentary media with rough-terrain 30 and 50 MHz antennas
- •Stratigraphic architectural interpretation compared against calibrated RIMFAX profiles at Jezero (Sol 400)
- •Close slope match between terrestrial SRTM (0.78°) and MOLA on the Jezero floor (0.85°)
- •Differences in dielectric permittivity and attenuation from active groundwater brines on Earth
- •Disparate radar frequency bands between terrestrial GPR (30/50 MHz) and Martian RIMFAX (150–1200 MHz)
- •Surface biogenic and chemical weathering on Earth absent under contemporary Martian hyperaridity
Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) Methodological Framework
To evaluate which locations on Earth are viable analogs for permanent lunar bases and Mars missions, MOSAIC employs a transparent and explainable multi-criteria analysis model, avoiding unverifiable "black box" approaches.
Multi-Criteria Similarity Function (MCDA)
Weighted & Explainable Mathematical Model
Final analog correlation index. 100 indicates perfect correspondence; 0 total disparity.
Weight of each variable. Allows irrelevant variables to be zeroed out (w_j = 0) without penalizing the analog.
Difference between Earth (x_E) and Planet (x_P), bounded by the physical range R_j.
Demonstration only. The source data have not yet been normalized and validated for a scientific comparison:
Not all dimensions are applicable to every planetary profile. For instance, a basaltic lava tube should not be penalized for failing to reproduce the Martian atmosphere, since its purpose is to test shielding and structural integrity in subsurface cavities. Similarly, a polar Antarctic base (Amundsen-Scott) is an operational analog for life support and heavy logistics, so its mineralogical similarity receives a minimal weight (w_geology = 0.2) to reflect its true operational value.
Multidimensional Feature Matrix (3.2)
8 Key Dimensions| Dimension | Measurable Variables | Mission Relevance | Sensors / Data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geology | Lithology, mineral classes, surface materials | Fundamental geological and mineralogical similarity | CRISM (MRO) / OMEGA / USGS Maps |
| Topography | Elevation, slopes, surface roughness (Hurst exponent) | Safe landing, trafficability, and rover mobility | MOLA / LOLA / SRTM / ASTER DEM |
| Thermal | Day/night temperature, extreme seasonal oscillations | Extreme environmental conditions and thermal shock | LRO Diviner / MODIS LST / JAXA G-Portal |
| Hydrology | Water ice, permafrost, brines, soil moisture | Past aqueous processes and in-situ resources (ISRU) | LEND / CRISM / Copernicus Sentinel-2 |
| Aeolian | Wind, suspended dust, abrasion and dune indicators | Surface processes and panel/sensor wear | HiRISE / CTX / Perseverance Cameras |
| Spectral | Reflectance, albedo, diagnostic absorption bands | Mineral characterization without destructive sampling | CRISM / Sentinel-2 / Landsat |
| Subsurface | Cavities, lava tubes, regolith thickness, strata | Habitat exploration and radiation shielding | RIMFAX (Perseverance) / GPR / ERT |
| Operations | Accessibility, terrain hazards, logistics, light cycles | Feasibility and sustainability of long-duration missions | LROC (illumination) / Amundsen-Scott Records |
Official Space Agency Portals & Resources
Data from NASA, CSA (Canada), ESA (Europe), and JAXA (Japan) for the three case studies.
NASA Earthdata Search
NASA's primary search portal to discover, filter, and access multi-mission Earth science data across diverse spectral wavelengths.
NASA Worldview
Interactive map interface for exploring full-resolution, near-real-time satellite imagery and global geophysical observations.
NASA Planetary Data System (PDS)
The official primary archive for all NASA planetary science mission observations, lander records, rover telemetry, and orbital remote sensing.
NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO)
Master repository for LRO instruments including LROC imaging, LOLA laser altimetry, Diviner radiometry, LEND neutron spectrometry, and Mini-RF radar.
NASA LRO Diviner Lunar Data
Multichannel infrared radiometer mapping lunar surface temperatures, diurnal thermal inertia, and permanently shadowed cold traps.
RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM)
Three-satellite synthetic aperture radar (SAR) constellation providing day-and-night C-band radar imaging through all atmospheric conditions.
RADARSAT-1 Open Data Archive
Historical open microwave SAR repository capturing global radar imagery through cloud cover, smoke, and polar winter nights.
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Python Tutorial
Official open-source guide for processing, speckle filtering, and geocoding SAR imagery using open scientific Python and QGIS pipelines.
Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem
Open access to Sentinel satellite constellations (Sentinel-1 SAR, Sentinel-2 optical, Sentinel-3 thermal) with cloud-native processing APIs.
ESA Open Science Catalog
Public catalog of peer-reviewed geoscientific datasets, cross-agency experiments, and reproducible open-science analysis workflows.
JAXA G-Portal
Earth observation portal providing access to Japanese satellite missions (GCOM-C, GCOM-W, ALOS, GPM) classified by geophysical variables.
MOSAIC is a software platform developed for the NASA Space Apps Challenge 2026. MOSAIC is a prototype for the NASA Space Apps Challenge 2026. It links real source datasets and selected processed observations from NASA PDS, ESA Copernicus, Zenodo, Frontiers, and AMRDC. Compatibility values and several comparison dimensions currently shown in the interface are illustrative placeholders; no validated cross-instrument MCDA scores have been calculated. They must not be interpreted as scientific findings.