Search Publications
Map-projection-independent crater size-frequency determination in GIS environments—New software tool for ArcGIS
Neukum, G.; van Gasselt, S.; Kneissl, T.
Statistical analysis of crater size-frequency distributions (CSFDs) of impact craters on planetary surfaces is a well-established method to derive absolute ages on the basis of remotely-sensed image data. Although modelling approaches and the derivation of absolute ages from a given CSFD have been described and discussed in considerable depth sinc…
Mapping methane in Martian atmosphere with PFS-MEX data
Sindoni, G.; Geminale, A.; Formisano, V.
In this study we map the methane gas in the Martian atmosphere. The main goal of this work is to show the methane behaviour across the planet seasonally. To this aim, we analyze the strongest methane band in the short wavelength channel of the Planetary Fourier Spectrometer (PFS) on board ESA Mars Express (MeX) spacecraft. The optical line depth i…
Ionospheric photoelectrons: Comparing Venus, Earth, Mars and Titan
Coates, A. J.; Barabash, S.; Lundin, R. +6 more
The sunlit portion of planetary ionospheres is sustained by photoionization. This was first confirmed using measurements and modelling at Earth, but recently the Mars Express, Venus Express and Cassini-Huygens missions have revealed the importance of this process at Mars, Venus and Titan, respectively. The primary neutral atmospheric constituents …
Compositional interpretation of PFS/MEx and TES/MGS thermal infrared spectra of Phobos
Duxbury, T.; Geminale, A.; Formisano, V. +4 more
The origin of the Martian satellites presents a puzzle of long standing. Addressing the composition of Phobos will help constrain theories of its formation. Visible and near-infrared spectra of Phobos lack deep absorption features, making the compositional interpretation a tricky task. PFS/MEx and TES/MGS observations in the thermal infrared show …
Observations of water vapour and carbon monoxide in the Martian atmosphere with the SWC of PFS/MEX
Sindoni, G.; Geminale, A.; Formisano, V.
In the history of Mars exploration its atmosphere and planetary climatology aroused particular interest. In the study of the minor gases abundance in the Martian atmosphere, water vapour became especially important, both because it is the most variable trace gas, and because it is involved in several processes characterizing the planetary atmosphe…
Little variability of methane on Mars induced by adsorption in the regolith
Forget, F.; Lefèvre, F.; Gough, R. +1 more
The mechanisms that can induce short term variations of methane in the Martian atmosphere, and thus explain the observations currently available, are yet to be discovered. Seasonal exchange with the regolith, caused by reversible adsorption, is expected to induce both spatial and time variabilities without the need for additional sources and sinks…
Implementation of cartographic symbols for planetary mapping in geographic information systems
Jaumann, R.; van Gasselt, S.; Nass, A. +1 more
The steadily growing international interest in the exploration of planets in our Solar System and many advances in the development of space-sensor technology have led to the launch of a multitude of planetary missions to Mercury, Venus, the Earth's moon, Mars and various Outer-Solar System objects, such as the Jovian and Saturnian satellites. Came…
Methane on Mars: Current observations, interpretation, and future plans
Forget, Francois; Atreya, Sushil K.; Witasse, Olivier +5 more
Modeling the atmospheric limb emission of CO 2 at 4.3 µm in the terrestrial planets
López-Puertas, M.; López-Valverde, M. A.; Gilli, G. +5 more
The MIPAS instrument on board Envisat, in Earth orbit, the PFS and OMEGA instruments on Mars Express, and VIRTIS on board Venus Express are currently providing a dataset of limb measurements of the CO 2 atmospheric fluorescence emission at 4.3-µm from the upper atmosphere of the three planets. These measurements represent an excel…
Atmospheric chemistry on Venus, Earth, and Mars: Main features and comparison
Krasnopolsky, Vladimir A.
This paper deals with two common problems and then considers major aspects of chemistry in the atmospheres of Mars and Venus. (1) The atmospheres of the terrestrial planets have similar origins but different evolutionary pathways because of the different masses and distances to the Sun. Venus lost its water by hydrodynamic escape, Earth lost CO