Implications for Seismic Impact Detectability on Mars I
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Oxygen Exosphere of Mars: Evidence from Pickup Ions Measured By
Oxygen Exosphere of Mars: Evidence from Pickup Ions Measured by MAVEN By Ali Rahmati Submitted to the graduate degree program in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, and the Graduate Faculty of the University of Kansas in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. ________________________________ Professor Thomas E. Cravens, Chair ________________________________ Professor Philip S. Baringer ________________________________ Professor David Braaten ________________________________ Professor Mikhail V. Medvedev ________________________________ Professor Stephen J. Sanders Date Defended: 22 January 2016 The Dissertation Committee for Ali Rahmati certifies that this is the approved version of the following dissertation: Oxygen Exosphere of Mars: Evidence from Pickup Ions Measured by MAVEN ________________________________ Professor Thomas E. Cravens, Chair Date approved: 22 January 2016 ii Abstract Mars possesses a hot oxygen exosphere that extends out to several Martian radii. The main source for populating this extended exosphere is the dissociative recombination of molecular oxygen ions with electrons in the Mars ionosphere. The dissociative recombination reaction creates two hot oxygen atoms that can gain energies above the escape energy at Mars and escape from the planet. Oxygen loss through this photochemical reaction is thought to be one of the main mechanisms of atmosphere escape at Mars, leading to the disappearance of water on the surface. In this work the hot oxygen exosphere of Mars is modeled using a two-stream/Liouville approach as well as a Monte-Carlo simulation. The modeled exosphere is used in a pickup ion simulation to predict the flux of energetic oxygen pickup ions at Mars. The pickup ions are created via ionization of neutral exospheric oxygen atoms through photo-ionization, charge exchange with solar wind protons, and electron impact ionization. -
Elliptical Instability in Terrestrial Planets and Moons
A&A 539, A78 (2012) Astronomy DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201117741 & c ESO 2012 Astrophysics Elliptical instability in terrestrial planets and moons D. Cebron1,M.LeBars1, C. Moutou2,andP.LeGal1 1 Institut de Recherche sur les Phénomènes Hors Equilibre, UMR 6594, CNRS and Aix-Marseille Université, 49 rue F. Joliot-Curie, BP 146, 13384 Marseille Cedex 13, France e-mail: [email protected] 2 Observatoire Astronomique de Marseille-Provence, Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de Marseille, 38 rue F. Joliot-Curie, 13388 Marseille Cedex 13, France Received 21 July 2011 / Accepted 16 January 2012 ABSTRACT Context. The presence of celestial companions means that any planet may be subject to three kinds of harmonic mechanical forcing: tides, precession/nutation, and libration. These forcings can generate flows in internal fluid layers, such as fluid cores and subsurface oceans, whose dynamics then significantly differ from solid body rotation. In particular, tides in non-synchronized bodies and libration in synchronized ones are known to be capable of exciting the so-called elliptical instability, i.e. a generic instability corresponding to the destabilization of two-dimensional flows with elliptical streamlines, leading to three-dimensional turbulence. Aims. We aim here at confirming the relevance of such an elliptical instability in terrestrial bodies by determining its growth rate, as well as its consequences on energy dissipation, on magnetic field induction, and on heat flux fluctuations on planetary scales. Methods. Previous studies and theoretical results for the elliptical instability are re-evaluated and extended to cope with an astro- physical context. In particular, generic analytical expressions of the elliptical instability growth rate are obtained using a local WKB approach, simultaneously considering for the first time (i) a local temperature gradient due to an imposed temperature contrast across the considered layer or to the presence of a volumic heat source and (ii) an imposed magnetic field along the rotation axis, coming from an external source. -
An Advanced Scattered Moonlight Model for Cerro Paranal? A
Astronomy & Astrophysics manuscript no. moon c ESO 2018 October 15, 2018 An advanced scattered moonlight model for Cerro Paranal? A. Jones1, S. Noll1, W. Kausch1, C. Szyszka1, and S. Kimeswenger2; 1 1 Institute for Astro and Particle Physics, Leopold Franzens Universität Innsbruck, Technikerstrasse 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria e-mail: [email protected] 2 Instituto de Astronomía, Universidad Católica del Norte, Avenida Angamos 0610, Antofagasta, Chile Accepted for publication in A&A October 2013 ABSTRACT The largest natural source of light at night is the Moon, and it is the major contributor to the astronomical sky background. Being able to accurately predict the sky background, including scattered moonlight is important for scheduling astronomical observations. We have developed an improved scattered moonlight model, in which the components are computed with a better physical understanding as opposed to the simple empirical fit in the frequently used photometric model of Krisciunas & Schaefer (1991). Our spectroscopic model can better trace the spectral trends of scattered moonlight for any position of the Moon and target observation. This is the first scattered moonlight model that we know of which is this physical and versatile. We have incorporated an observed solar spectrum, accurate lunar albedo fit, and elaborate scattering and absorption calculations that include scattering off of molecules and aerosols. It was designed for Cerro Paranal, but can be modified for any location with known atmospheric properties. Throughout the optical range, the uncertainty is less than 20%. This advanced scattered moonlight model can predict the amount of scattered moonlight for any given geometry of the Moon and target, and lunar phase for the entire optical spectrum. -
Mars Exploration - a Story Fifty Years Long Giuseppe Pezzella and Antonio Viviani
Chapter Introductory Chapter: Mars Exploration - A Story Fifty Years Long Giuseppe Pezzella and Antonio Viviani 1. Introduction Mars has been a goal of exploration programs of the most important space agencies all over the world for decades. It is, in fact, the most investigated celestial body of the Solar System. Mars robotic exploration began in the 1960s of the twentieth century by means of several space probes sent by the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR). In the recent past, also European, Japanese, and Indian spacecrafts reached Mars; while other countries, such as China and the United Arab Emirates, aim to send spacecraft toward the red planet in the next future. 1.1 Exploration aims The high number of mission explorations to Mars clearly points out the impor- tance of Mars within the Solar System. Thus, the question is: “Why this great interest in Mars exploration?” The interest in Mars is due to several practical, scientific, and strategic reasons. In the practical sense, Mars is the most accessible planet in the Solar System [1]. It is the second closest planet to Earth, besides Venus, averaging about 360 million kilometers apart between the furthest and closest points in its orbit. Earth and Mars feature great similarities. For instance, both planets rotate on an axis with quite the same rotation velocity and tilt angle. The length of a day on Earth is 24 h, while slightly longer on Mars at 24 h and 37 min. The tilt of Earth axis is 23.5 deg, and Mars tilts slightly more at 25.2 deg [2]. -
Human Exploration of Mars Design Reference Architecture 5.0
July 2009 “We are all . children of this universe. Not just Earth, or Mars, or this System, but the whole grand fireworks. And if we are interested in Mars at all, it is only because we wonder over our past and worry terribly about our possible future.” — Ray Bradbury, 'Mars and the Mind of Man,' 1973 Cover Art: An artist’s concept depicting one of many potential Mars exploration strategies. In this approach, the strengths of combining a central habitat with small pressurized rovers that could extend the exploration range of the crew from the outpost are assessed. Rawlings 2007. NASA/SP–2009–566 Human Exploration of Mars Design Reference Architecture 5.0 Mars Architecture Steering Group NASA Headquarters Bret G. Drake, editor NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas July 2009 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The individuals listed in the appendix assisted in the generation of the concepts as well as the descriptions, images, and data described in this report. Specific contributions to this document were provided by Dave Beaty, Stan Borowski, Bob Cataldo, John Charles, Cassie Conley, Doug Craig, Bret Drake, John Elliot, Chad Edwards, Walt Engelund, Dean Eppler, Stewart Feldman, Jim Garvin, Steve Hoffman, Jeff Jones, Frank Jordan, Sheri Klug, Joel Levine, Jack Mulqueen, Gary Noreen, Hoppy Price, Shawn Quinn, Jerry Sanders, Jim Schier, Lisa Simonsen, George Tahu, and Abhi Tripathi. Available from: NASA Center for AeroSpace Information National Technical Information Service 7115 Standard Drive 5285 Port Royal Road Hanover, MD 21076-1320 Springfield, VA 22161 Phone: 301-621-0390 or 703-605-6000 Fax: 301-621-0134 This report is also available in electronic form at http://ston.jsc.nasa.gov/collections/TRS/ CONTENTS 1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... -
Managing Software Development – the Hidden Risk * Dr
Managing Software Development – The Hidden Risk * Dr. Steve Jolly Sensing & Exploration Systems Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company *Based largely on the work: “Is Software Broken?” by Steve Jolly, NASA ASK Magazine, Spring 2009; and the IEEE Fourth International Conference of System of Systems Engineering as “System of Systems in Space 1 Exploration: Is Software Broken?”, Steve Jolly, Albuquerque, New Mexico June 1, 2009 Brief history of spacecraft development • Example of the Mars Exploration Program – Danger – Real-time embedded systems challenge – Fault protection 2 Robotic Mars Exploration 2011 Mars Exploration Program Search: Search: Search: Determine: Characterize: Determine: Aqueous Subsurface Evidence for water Global Extent Subsurface Bio Potential Minerals Ice Found Found of Habitable Ice of Site 3 Found Environments Found In Work Image Credits: NASA/JPL Mars: Easy to Become Infamous … 1. [Unnamed], USSR, 10/10/60, Mars flyby, did not reach Earth orbit 2. [Unnamed], USSR, 10/14/60, Mars flyby, did not reach Earth orbit 3. [Unnamed], USSR, 10/24/62, Mars flyby, achieved Earth orbit only 4. Mars 1, USSR, 11/1/62, Mars flyby, radio failed 5. [Unnamed], USSR, 11/4/62, Mars flyby, achieved Earth orbit only 6. Mariner 3, U.S., 11/5/64, Mars flyby, shroud failed to jettison 7. Mariner 4, U.S. 11/28/64, first successful Mars flyby 7/14/65 8. Zond 2, USSR, 11/30/64, Mars flyby, passed Mars radio failed, no data 9. Mariner 6, U.S., 2/24/69, Mars flyby 7/31/69, returned 75 photos 10. Mariner 7, U.S., 3/27/69, Mars flyby 8/5/69, returned 126 photos 11. -
Getting to Mars How Close Is Mars?
Getting to Mars How close is Mars? Exploring Mars 1960-2004 Of 42 probes launched: 9 crashed on launch or failed to leave Earth orbit 4 failed en route to Mars 4 failed to stop at Mars 1 failed on entering Mars orbit 1 orbiter crashed on Mars 6 landers crashed on Mars 3 flyby missions succeeded 9 orbiters succeeded 4 landers succeeded 1 lander en route Score so far: Earthlings 16, Martians 25, 1 in play Mars Express Mars Exploration Rover Mars Exploration Rover Mars Exploration Rover 1: Meridiani (Opportunity) 2: Gusev (Spirit) 3: Isidis (Beagle-2) 4: Mars Polar Lander Launch Window 21: Jun-Jul 2003 Mars Express 2003 Jun 2 In Mars orbit Dec 25 Beagle 2 Lander 2003 Jun 2 Crashed at Isidis Dec 25 Spirit/ Rover A 2003 Jun 10 Landed at Gusev Jan 4 Opportunity/ Rover B 2003 Jul 8 Heading to Meridiani on Sunday Launch Window 1: Oct 1960 1M No. 1 1960 Oct 10 Rocket crashed in Siberia 1M No. 2 1960 Oct 14 Rocket crashed in Kazakhstan Launch Window 2: October-November 1962 2MV-4 No. 1 1962 Oct 24 Rocket blew up in parking orbit during Cuban Missile Crisis 2MV-4 No. 2 "Mars-1" 1962 Nov 1 Lost attitude control - Missed Mars by 200000 km 2MV-3 No. 1 1962 Nov 4 Rocket failed to restart in parking orbit The Mars-1 probe Launch Window 3: November 1964 Mariner 3 1964 Nov 5 Failed after launch, nose cone failed to separate Mariner 4 1964 Nov 28 SUCCESS, flyby in Jul 1965 3MV-4 No. -
Mars Insight Launch Press Kit
Introduction National Aeronautics and Space Administration Mars InSight Launch Press Kit MAY 2018 www.nasa.gov 1 2 Table of Contents Table of Contents Introduction 4 Media Services 8 Quick Facts: Launch Facts 12 Quick Facts: Mars at a Glance 16 Mission: Overview 18 Mission: Spacecraft 30 Mission: Science 40 Mission: Landing Site 53 Program & Project Management 55 Appendix: Mars Cube One Tech Demo 56 Appendix: Gallery 60 Appendix: Science Objectives, Quantified 62 Appendix: Historical Mars Missions 63 Appendix: NASA’s Discovery Program 65 3 Introduction Mars InSight Launch Press Kit Introduction NASA’s next mission to Mars -- InSight -- will launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California as early as May 5, 2018. It is expected to land on the Red Planet on Nov. 26, 2018. InSight is a mission to Mars, but it is more than a Mars mission. It will help scientists understand the formation and early evolution of all rocky planets, including Earth. A technology demonstration called Mars Cube One (MarCO) will share the launch with InSight and fly separately to Mars. Six Ways InSight Is Different NASA has a long and successful track record at Mars. Since 1965, it has flown by, orbited, landed and roved across the surface of the Red Planet. None of that has been easy. Only about 40 percent of the missions ever sent to Mars by any space agency have been successful. The planet’s thin atmosphere makes landing a challenge; its extreme temperature swings make it difficult to operate on the surface. But if a spacecraft survives the trip, there’s a bounty of science to be collected. -
Lunar Cold Spots and Crater Production on the Moon 10.1029/2018JE005652 J.-P
Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets RESEARCH ARTICLE Lunar Cold Spots and Crater Production on the Moon 10.1029/2018JE005652 J.-P. Williams1 , J. L. Bandfield2 , D. A. Paige1, T. M. Powell1, B. T. Greenhagen3, S. Taylor1, 4 5 6 7,8 Key Points: P. O. Hayne , E. J. Speyerer , R. R. Ghent , and E. S. Costello • We measure diameters of craters 1 2 associated with cold spots. Their Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA, Space Science Institute, Boulder, CO, USA, size-frequency distribution indicates 3Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, MD, USA, 4Department of Astrophysical & Planetary Sciences, cold spots survive a few hundred kyr University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA, 5School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, • fl The distribution of cold spots re ects USA, 6Earth Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada, 7Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of ’ the Moon s synchronous rotation ’ ā 8 with cold spots focused on the apex Hawai iatM noa, Honolulu, HI, USA, Hawaii Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, Honolulu, HI, USA of motion • The largest cold spots with source craters larger than 800 m are Abstract Mapping of lunar nighttime surface temperatures has revealed anomalously low nighttime concentrated on the trailing side of temperatures around recently formed impact craters on the Moon. The thermophysically distinct “cold the moon spots” provide a way of identifying the most recently formed impact craters. Over 2,000 cold spot source craters were measured with diameters ranging from 43 m to 2.3 km. -
Mer Landing.Qxd
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION Mars Exploration Rover Landings Press Kit January 2004 Media Contacts Donald Savage Policy/Program Management 202/358-1547 Headquarters [email protected] Washington, D.C. Guy Webster Mars Exploration Rover Mission 818/354-5011 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, [email protected] Pasadena, Calif. David Brand Science Payload 607/255-3651 Cornell University, [email protected] Ithaca, N.Y. Contents General Release …………………………………………………………..................................…… 3 Media Services Information ……………………………………….........................................…..... 5 Quick Facts ………………………………………………………................................……………… 6 Mars at a Glance ……………………………………………………….................................………. 7 Historical Mars Missions ………………………………………………….....................................… 8 Mars: The Water Trail ………………………………………………………………….................…… 9 Where We've Been and Where We're Going …………………………………................ 14 Science Investigations .............................................................................................................. 17 Landing Sites ............................................................................................................................. 23 Mission Overview ……………...………………………………………..............................………. 28 Spacecraft ................................................................................................................................. 38 Program/Project Management …………………………………………….................................… -
Mars Science Laboratory Landing
PRESS KIT/JULY 2012 Mars Science Laboratory Landing Media Contacts Dwayne Brown NASA’s Mars 202-358-1726 Steve Cole Program 202-358-0918 Headquarters [email protected] Washington [email protected] Guy Webster Mars Science Laboratory 818-354-5011 D.C. Agle Mission 818-393-9011 Jet Propulsion Laboratory [email protected] Pasadena, Calif. [email protected] Science Payload Investigations Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer: Ruth Ann Chicoine, Canadian Space Agency, Saint-Hubert, Québec, Canada; 450-926-4451; [email protected] Chemistry and Camera: James Rickman, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, N.M.; 505-665-9203; [email protected] Chemistry and Mineralogy: Rachel Hoover, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.; 650-604-0643; [email protected] Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons: Igor Mitrofanov, Space Research Institute, Moscow, Russia; 011-7-495-333-3489; [email protected] Mars Descent Imager, Mars Hand Lens Imager, Mast Camera: Michael Ravine, Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego; 858-552-2650 extension 591; [email protected] Radiation Assessment Detector: Donald Hassler, Southwest Research Institute; Boulder, Colo.; 303-546-0683; [email protected] Rover Environmental Monitoring Station: Luis Cuesta, Centro de Astrobiología, Madrid, Spain; 011-34-620-265557; [email protected] Sample Analysis at Mars: Nancy Neal Jones, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.; 301-286-0039; [email protected] Engineering Investigation MSL Entry, Descent and Landing Instrument Suite: Kathy Barnstorff, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va.; 757-864-9886; [email protected] Contents Media Services Information. -
The Primordial Nucleus of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko B
A&A 592, A63 (2016) Astronomy DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201526968 & c ESO 2016 Astrophysics The primordial nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko B. J. R. Davidsson1; 2, H. Sierks3, C. Güttler3, F. Marzari4, M. Pajola5, H. Rickman1; 6, M. F. A’Hearn7; 8, A.-T. Auger9, M. R. El-Maarry10, S. Fornasier11, P. J. Gutiérrez12, H. U. Keller13, M. Massironi5; 14, C. Snodgrass15, J.-B. Vincent3, C. Barbieri16, P. L. Lamy17, R. Rodrigo18; 19, D. Koschny20, M. A. Barucci11, J.-L. Bertaux21, I. Bertini5, G. Cremonese22, V. Da Deppo23, S. Debei24, M. De Cecco25, C. Feller11; 26, M. Fulle27, O. Groussin9, S. F. Hviid28, S. Höfner3, W.-H. Ip29, L. Jorda17, J. Knollenberg28, G. Kovacs3, J.-R. Kramm3, E. Kührt28, M. Küppers30, F. La Forgia16, L. M. Lara12, M. Lazzarin16, J. J. Lopez Moreno12, R. Moissl-Fraund30, S. Mottola28, G. Naletto31, N. Oklay3, N. Thomas10, and C. Tubiana3 (Affiliations can be found after the references) Received 15 July 2015 / Accepted 15 March 2016 ABSTRACT Context. We investigate the formation and evolution of comet nuclei and other trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) in the solar nebula and primordial disk prior to the giant planet orbit instability foreseen by the Nice model. Aims. Our goal is to determine whether most observed comet nuclei are primordial rubble-pile survivors that formed in the solar nebula and young primordial disk or collisional rubble piles formed later in the aftermath of catastrophic disruptions of larger parent bodies. We also propose a concurrent comet and TNO formation scenario that is consistent with observations. Methods. We used observations of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko by the ESA Rosetta spacecraft, particularly by the OSIRIS camera system, combined with data from the NASA Stardust sample-return mission to comet 81P/Wild 2 and from meteoritics; we also used existing observations from ground or from spacecraft of irregular satellites of the giant planets, Centaurs, and TNOs.