Emirates mars mission: Science instrument overview

Mariam Alshamsi, Fatma Lootah, Khalid Badri, Christopher S. Edwards, Mike Wolff, Greg Holsclaw, Eman Altunaiji, Andrew Jones, Justin Deighan, Mike D. Smith, Chris Jeppesen, Mike Chaffin, Phil R. Christensen, Mikki Osterloo, Kush Tyagi, Ralph Shuping, Rob Lillis, Charles Fisher, Hessa Almatroushi, Mohammed KhooryMatt Fillingim, David Summers, Ahmed Alshehhi, Justin Knavel, Scott England, Ginger Drake, Suhail Almheiri, Heather Reed

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

The Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) launched in July 2020 and has successfully entered Mars Orbit on 9th of February 2021 to explore the diurnal and seasonal dynamics of the Martian atmosphere on a global scale. The Observatory has three scientific instruments on board; the Emirates Exploration Imager (EXI) and Emirates Mars Infrared Spectrometer (EMIRS), will investigate the lower atmospheric constituents: dust, ice clouds, water vapor, ozone, and the three-dimensional global thermal structure of both the lower atmosphere and the surface. The Emirates Mars Ultraviolet Spectrometer (EMUS) will observe the upper atmosphere, enabling important links between the lower atmospheric dynamics and the thermosphere and exosphere of the planet to be explored. This presentation will include an overview of the EMIRS Instrument characteristics and its scientific importance for the The Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) launched in July 2020 and successfully entered Mars Orbit on 9th of February 2021 to explore the diurnal and seasonal dynamics of the Martian atmosphere on a global scale. The Observatory has three scientific instruments on board: The Emirates eXploration Imager (EXI), Emirates Mars Infrared Spectrometer (EMIRS), and the Emirates Mars Ultraviolet Spectrometer (EMUS). EXI and EMIRS will investigate the lower atmospheric constituents of dust, ice clouds, water vapor, and ozone as well as the three-dimensional global thermal structure of both the lower atmosphere and the surface. EMUS will observe the upper atmosphere, enabling important links between the lower atmospheric dynamics and the thermosphere and exosphere. The EMIRS instrument is a collaboration between MBRSC and ASU. It collects spectral data from 6 40+ m at 5 and 10 cm-1 spectral sampling, which is enabled by a Chemical Vapor-Deposited (CVD) diamond beam splitter and digital interferometer control electronics. This instrument utilizes Deuterated Lanthanum Alanine doped TriGlycine Sulphate (DLaTGS) pyroelectric detectors and a scan 2 mirror that enables it to make high-precision infrared radiance measurements over a Martian hemisphere in 30 minutes at a spatial resolution of 100 300 km/pixel. The EXI instrument is a collaboration between MBRSC and LASP. It is a multi-band, camera capable of taking 12 megapixel images with a spatial resolution of better than 8 km and well-calibrated radiometric performance. EXI uses a selector wheel mechanism consisting of 6 discrete bandpass filters to sample the optical spectral region: 3 UV bands and 3 visible (RGB) bands. Atmospheric characterization will involve the retrieval of the ice optical depth using the 300 340 nm band and the column abundance of ozone with a band covering 245 275 nm. The EMUS instrument is a collaboration between MBRSC and LASP. It is a far-ultraviolet imaging spectrometer that measures emissions in the spectral range 100 170 nm. Using a combination of one-dimensional imaging and spacecraft motion, EMUS will build up two-dimensional far-ultraviolet images of the Martian disk and near-space environment at several important wavelengths: The Lyman beta atomic hydrogen emission (102.6 nm), the Lyman alpha atomic hydrogen emission (121.6 nm), two atomic oxygen emissions (130.4 nm and 135.6 nm), and the carbon monoxide fourth positive group band emission (140-170 nm). This presentation will include an overview of the Instruments characteristics and scientific importance for the Emirates Mars Mission. In addition to observational strategies and instrument status.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationIAF Space Exploration Symposium 2021 - Held at the 72nd International Astronautical Congress, IAC 2021
PublisherInternational Astronautical Federation, IAF
ISBN (Electronic)9781713842965
StatePublished - 2021
EventIAF Space Exploration Symposium 2021 at the 72nd International Astronautical Congress, IAC 2021 - Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Duration: Oct 25 2021Oct 29 2021

Publication series

NameProceedings of the International Astronautical Congress, IAC
VolumeA3
ISSN (Print)0074-1795

Conference

ConferenceIAF Space Exploration Symposium 2021 at the 72nd International Astronautical Congress, IAC 2021
Country/TerritoryUnited Arab Emirates
CityDubai
Period10/25/2110/29/21

Keywords

  • Atmosphere
  • EMM
  • Emirates
  • Hope
  • MBRSC
  • Mars

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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