Hardness and Yield Strength of CO Ice Under Martian Temperature Conditions
E. Kaufmann, Nicholas Attree, Tom Bradwell, A. Hagermann
Abstract
Abstract Although ice fracturing and deformation is key to understanding some of the landforms encountered in the high‐latitude regions on Mars and on other icy bodies in the solar system, little is known about the mechanical characteristics of CO ice. We have measured the hardness of solid CO ice directly in the laboratory with a Leeb hardness tester and calculated the corresponding yield strength. We have also measured the hardness of water ice by the same method, confirming previous work. Our results indicate that CO ice is slightly weaker, ranging between Leeb 200 and 400 ( 10 and 30 MPa yield strength, assuming only plastic deformation and no strain hardening during the experiment), for typical Martian temperatures. Our results can be used for models of CO ice rupture (depending on the deformation timescales) explaining surface processes on Mars and solar system icy bodies.