Yes, lidar (light detection and ranging) technology has been used on Mars for scientific research and exploration purposes. Lidar instruments have been employed on various Mars missions to gather valuable data about the planet's surface, atmosphere, and topography. Here are a few examples:
Mars Global Surveyor (MGS): The Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) aboard NASA's Mars Global Surveyor mission, which operated from 1996 to 2006, utilized lidar technology. MOLA provided precise topographic measurements of Mars' surface, creating a detailed global elevation map of the planet.
Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN): MAVEN, a NASA mission launched in 2013, included the Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph (IUVS), which incorporated a lidar-based capability. IUVS employed a remote sensing technique called "laser-induced fluorescence" to study the composition and behavior of the Martian upper atmosphere.
Mars Science Laboratory (MSL): The Curiosity rover, part of the MSL mission, carries a lidar instrument called the ChemCam. The ChemCam employs a laser to vaporize small areas of Martian rocks or soil, and a spectrometer analyzes the emitted light to determine the composition of the samples.
Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover: The Perseverance rover, which landed on Mars in February 2021, includes the SuperCam instrument. SuperCam combines a laser, spectrometers, and a camera to study the planet's geology and search for signs of past microbial life.
Lidar technology on Mars allows scientists to gather information about the surface morphology, atmospheric properties, and chemical composition of the Martian environment. It aids in understanding the planet's geology, climate, and potential habitability, contributing to our knowledge of Mars and potential future human exploration.