mars: sources of data from the robotic missions iv

C.M. Rodrigue, 2007Geography, CSULB

Mars: Sources of Data from the Robotic Missions IV

Geography 494-01

S/07

Dr. Christine M. Rodrigue


Mars: Data from Robotic Missions

ESA Mars Express Orbiter (2003-present) Main objective is to search for sub-surface water from orbit

and deploy a lander onto the Martian surface Beagle 2 lander crashed in late 2003: It was to look for life signs



ESA Mars Express Orbiter (2003-present) Orbiter instrumentation:

Analyser of Space Plasmas and Energetic Atoms (ASPERA-3) High/Super Resolution Stereo Colour Imager (HSRS) Radio Science Experiment (MaRS) Subsurface Sounding Radar/Altimeter (MARSIS) IR Mineralogical Mapping Spectrometer (OMEGA) Planetary Fourier Spectrometer (PFS) UV and IR Atmospheric Spectrometer (SPICAM)




Analyser of Space Plasmas and Energetic Atoms (ASPERA-3) High/Super Resolution Stereo Colour Imager (HSRS)

Originally developed for the Mars 96 mission: The duplicate, since upgraded

9 CCD line sensors in pushbroom swaths Each of these arrays has 5184 7 micron pixels (10 m on ground) Super Resolution Channel telescope with 1024 x 1032 CCD array that

results in 2.3 m pixels on the ground Multispectral visible light to near infrared imaging plus panchromatic

imaging by the forward and aft line sensors Radio Science Experiment (MaRS) Subsurface Sounding Radar/Altimeter (MARSIS) IR Mineralogical Mapping Spectrometer (OMEGA) Planetary Fourier Spectrometer (PFS) UV and IR Atmospheric Spectrometer (SPICAM)


Mars: Data from Robotic Missions ESA High Resolution Stereo Colour imager

New topographic maps Contour lines: “first ‘hikers’ maps’ of Mars”! Here’s 1:200,000



New topographic maps Contour lines: “first ‘hikers’ maps’ of Mars”! Here’s 1:100,000



New topographic maps Contour lines: “first ‘hikers’ maps’ of Mars”! And 1:50,000




Analyser of Space Plasmas and Energetic Atoms (ASPERA-3) High/Super Resolution Stereo Colour Imager (HSRS) Radio Science Experiment (MaRS) Subsurface Sounding Radar/Altimeter (MARSIS)

Ground-penetrating radar (1.3-5.5 MHz) Deployed from end of 40 m antenna to generate long wl Radio waves reflect back upward from any surface

discontinuity: surface itself, liquid layers underground IR Mineralogical Mapping Spectrometer (OMEGA) Planetary Fourier Spectrometer (PFS) UV and IR Atmospheric Spectrometer (SPICAM)


Mars: Data from Robotic Missions ESA MARSIS

The idea behind ground-penetrating radar



Has found crater basin structures buried in Chryse Planitia



Has found crater basin structures buried in Chryse – dark ovals




Analyser of Space Plasmas and Energetic Atoms (ASPERA-3) High/Super Resolution Stereo Colour Imager (HSRS) Radio Science Experiment (MaRS) Subsurface Sounding Radar/Altimeter (MARSIS) IR Mineralogical Mapping Spectrometer (OMEGA)

Building map of surface composition in 100 m squares Determines mineral composition through reflected VL & IR (0.5-

5.2 microns) Because reflected surface light must pass through atmosphere,

OMEGA can also infer atmospheric composition Planetary Fourier Spectrometer (PFS) UV and IR Atmospheric Spectrometer (SPICAM)



ESA IR Mineralogical Mapping Spectrometer (OMEGA) Building map of surface composition in 100 m squares

One focus is water-related/water-affected minerals Water content of the rocks and clay minerals Abundance of non-silicate materials (carbonates, nitrates,

hydrated sufates), which imply standing water or water alteration



ESA IR Mineralogical Mapping Spectrometer (OMEGA) Building map of surface composition in 100 m squares

Another focus is the carbon dioxide/water composition of the caps Water does not absorb ~2 microns, and carbon dioxide does South polar cap shows absorption at 2, implying CO2 (A & B)

Spectrum C shows absorption where A & B don’t ~1.5 microns, indicating more water ice in the mix there




Analyser of Space Plasmas and Energetic Atoms (ASPERA-3) High/Super Resolution Stereo Colour Imager (HSRS) Radio Science Experiment (MaRS) Subsurface Sounding Radar/Altimeter (MARSIS) IR Mineralogical Mapping Spectrometer (OMEGA) Planetary Fourier Spectrometer (PFS)

Another spectrometer, overlapping part of OMEGA’s spectrum but also including spectra far deeper into the infrared: 1.2-5 microns and then 5-45 microns

This spectrometer focusses more on the atmosphere’s temperature and composition, rather than the surface

UV and IR Atmospheric Spectrometer (SPICAM)


Mars: Data from Robotic Missions ESA Planetary Fourier Spectrometer (PFS)

Vertical temperature structure of Martian atmosphere



Optical thickness of Martian atmospheric dust (with surface elevation below the reading also shown)



Water vapor abundance Concentrated in Arabia Terra, Elysium Planum, Arcadia Memnonia



ESA Planetary Fourier Spectrometer (PFS) Detection of methane (CH4): the little down blips ~3018 wn/cm

There are also 3 water lines at 3003.5, 3022, and 3026 There are 2 solar lines at 3012 and 3014 Methane (and formaldehyde or CH2O) may indicate either life or

recent vulcanism, either of which would be really interesting news




Analyser of Space Plasmas and Energetic Atoms (ASPERA-3) High/Super Resolution Stereo Colour Imager (HSRS) Radio Science Experiment (MaRS) Subsurface Sounding Radar/Altimeter (MARSIS) IR Mineralogical Mapping Spectrometer (OMEGA) Planetary Fourier Spectrometer (PFS) UV and IR Atmospheric Spectrometer (SPICAM)

Yet another spectrometer, this one collecting spectra in the UV as well as the IR tp study atmosphere and ionosphere

0.118 - 0.32 in the ultraviolet 1.1 - 1.7 in the serial infrared (what wireless devices use)



ESA Mars Express Orbiter (2003-present) UV and IR Atmospheric Spectrometer (SPICAM):

Has detected an aurora on Mars for the first time, in the Terra Cimmeria region of Mars' southern hemisphere

This is one of thelocalized and intense magnetic anomalies, what’s left of Mars’ global magnetic field




Has detected ozone, especially above the higher latitudes




Has confirmed what was long suspected: There is water ice on the south polar cap

Could be a thin veneer of water ice above the CO2 ice Could be a large slab under the CO2 ice visible through “Swiss

cheese” holes in the CO2 ice



ESA Rosetta Mission To orbit Comet 67 P/Churyumov- Gerasimenko as it comes into

the inner solar system and put a lander on its surface Did a gravity-assist swing-by Mars on 25 February Carries the OSIRIS camera system (wide angle and narrow angle)

mars: sources of data from the robotic missions iv

Documents

robotic missionsesa

sources of data

hikers maps of mars

robotic missions ivgeography

energetic atoms aspera

presentorbiter instrumentation

analyser of space plasmas

surface discontinuity