WE PROPOSE TO INITIATE A RESEARCH PROGRAM THAT WOULD ENABLE IMAGING OF BURIED WATER ICE FROM THE SURFACE OF MARS USING ACTIVESOURCE SEISMIC METHODS. OUR GOAL IS TO DESIGN BUILD AND TEST AN AUTONOMOUS ROVING EXPLORATION SYSTEM (ARES) BEGINNING HERE WITH FUNDS FROM THE ECF PROGRAM CONTINUING UNDER THE PICASSO AND MATISSE PROGRAMS AND CULMINATING IN A FUTURE LANDED MISSION TO MARS. FOR THIS ECF PROPOSAL OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO ESTABLISH A SET OF VIABLE DESIGNS FOR ARES WHICH WILL NOMINALLY CONSIST OF A SOURCE STATION AND ONE OR MORE MOBILE RECEIVING STATIONS. WHILE ARES MAY CARRY AN ARRAY OF OTHER COMPLEMENTARY INSTRUMENTS (E.G. WEATHER STATIONS SAMPLE COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS TOOLS AND RADAR ANTENNAS) OUR STUDY WILL FOCUS ON DESIGNING AN ACTIVE-SOURCE SEISMIC DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEM. OUR ECF RESULTS WILL SERVE AS THE BASIS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF AN ARES PROTOTYPE THROUGH A SUBSEQUENT FUNDING PROGRAM. TO ACHIEVE OUR GOALS WE WILL INVESTIGATE PLAUSIBLE SCENARIOS FOR AN ARES MISSION PRODUCE CONCEPTUAL DESIGNS FOR SOURCE AND RECEIVER STATIONS AND CONDUCT FORWARD MODELING OF 2-D AND 3-D ACTIVE-SOURCE SEISMIC SURVEYS.