Strategic exploration of Elysium Mons Cave Zone on Mars: implications for AI-driven robotic dogs

Abstract The present study investigates possible evidence for an underground cavity on the western flank of Elysium Mons, initially identified in the Mars Cave Catalog, which is interpreted as a potential subsurface lava tube skylight. Using a multi-sensing approach, we analyze a Potential Cave Candidate (PCC) that emerges as a promising target for future missions, offering insights into Martian subsurface processes, resource potential, and astrobiological prospects. In particular, CTX and HiRISE imagery from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, captured under varying solar illumination angles, reveal an elliptical morphology with persistent shadowed regions and roof collapse features, indicating depth and potential subterranean connectivity. HiRISE imagery further identifies a possible cave entrance suitable for future robotic exploration. Thermal data from the Mars Odyssey's THEMIS instrument indicate nocturnal thermal anomalies, supporting subsurface continuity. Topographic profiles derived from the Mars Global Surveyor’s MOLA data provide precise elevation measurements, reinforcing the hypothesis of an underground cavity.Additionally, TES mineralogical analysis identifies K-feldspar, plagioclase, amphibole, sulfates, carbonates, sheet silicates, high-silicon glass, and surface dust, indicative of volcanic processes and past water activity. These findings inform the proposed location of a landing site and an optimized robotic exploration path, emphasizing the potential use of AI-driven robotic dogs. These advanced systems combine AI-driven mobility, LiDAR-based mapping, and autonomous decision-making to navigate challenging terrains, including crater walls and potential cave entrances. Integrating such technology into planetary in situ exploration could overcome the limitations of traditional rovers, enhancing in situ analysis and advancing the search for habitable environments and biosignatures on Mars. This research has critical implications for the first extraterrestrial cave exploration, China's first Mars cave mission, and the broader quest for liquid water and potential extraterrestrial life, representing a transformative milestone in planetary exploration.