Search Publications
Derivation of elemental abundance maps at intermediate resolution from optical interpolation of lunar prospector gamma-ray spectrometer data
Pinet, Patrick C.; Kaydash, Vadim G.; Shkuratov, Yuriy G. +4 more
We propose a technique that interpolates available lunar prospector gamma-ray spectrometer (GRS) data using Clementine UVVIS spectral reflectance images. The main idea is to use low resolution GRS data as a "ground truth" to establish relationships linking optical data and geochemical information maximizing the respective correlation coefficients.…
A solar spectrum for PFS data analysis
Formisano, Vittorio; Fiorenza, Carlo
A measured calibrated solar radiance in the range 1.2- 5µm, with the spectral sampling of 1cm-1 does not exist. When studying the measured Planetary Fourier Spectrometer (PFS) spectra of the Earth's or Mars's atmosphere we discover that the most used solar spectrum contains several important errors. Here we present a "calibrated" …
Calibration of the Planetary Fourier Spectrometer short wavelength channel
Piccioni, G.; Grassi, D.; Moshkin, B. E. +18 more
The Planetary Fourier Spectrometer (PFS) experiment on board the Mars Express mission has two channels covering the 1.2-5.5 µm short wavelength channel (SWC) and the 5.5-45 µm (LWC). The SWC measures part of the thermal emission spectrum and the solar reflected spectrum of Mars between 1700 and 8200 cm -1 with a spectral res…
Titan's surface before Cassini
Lorenz, Ralph D.; Lunine, Jonathan I.
We review current understanding of Titan's surface, synthesizing a paradigm from Earth-based radar observations and near-infrared surface maps, together with reanalysis of Voyager data and results from published theoretical models. Based on these we suggest that Titan has a varied landscape with a variety of tectonic and erosive features indicativ…
Analysis of CO2 non-LTE emissions at 4.3µm in the Martian atmosphere as observed by PFS/Mars Express and SWS/ISO
López-Puertas, M.; López-Moreno, J. J.; Lellouch, E. +5 more
Daytime nadir spectra of the Martian atmosphere taken by the planetary Fourier spectrometer/Mars Express (PFS) and by the infrared space observatory (ISO) in the 4.3µm region are analyzed using a theoretical non-LTE model of the CO2 infrared emissions in that atmosphere. Averaged spectra from these instruments show a double peak s…
Water clouds and dust aerosols observations with PFS MEX at Mars
Grigoriev, A.; Lellouch, E.; Piccioni, G. +18 more
Observations of water ice clouds and dust are among the main scientific goals of the Planetary Fourier Spectrometer (PFS), a payload instrument of the European Mars Express mission. We report some results, obtained in three orbits: 37, 41 and 68. The temperature profile, and dust and water ice cloud opacities are retrieved from the thermal infrare…
Outgassing-induced effects in the rotational state of comet 67P/Churyumov—Gerasimenko during the Rosetta mission
Samarasinha, Nalin H.; Lamy, Philippe; Jorda, Laurent +1 more
The new target of the Rosetta mission is comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (hereafter 67P/C-G). In order to support the planning of the mission, in particular the strategy during the mapping and landing phases, we have performed numerical simulations of the rotational evolution of a comet in the orbit of 67P/C-G. In these simulations, the currently …
Bifurcated current sheet: model and Cluster observations
Sauvaud, J. -A.; Balogh, A.; Génot, V. +3 more
Cluster observations have recently confirmed previous ISEE and Geotail observations showing that the magnetotail current sheet can present a bifurcated structure with two off-centre current peaks. We show in this paper that such a structure can be described by a kinetic tangential equilibrium which is an exact solution of the Vlasov-Maxwell equati…
The advanced Moon micro-imager experiment (AMIE) on SMART-1: Scientific goals and expected results
Langevin, Y.; Koschny, D.; Barucci, M. A. +16 more
The advanced Moon micro-imager experiment (AMIE) is the imaging system on board ESA mission to the Moon SMART-1; it makes use of a miniaturised detector and micro-processor electronics developed by SPACE X in the frame of the ESA technical programme. The AMIE micro-imager will provide high resolution CCD images of selected lunar areas and it will …
The Martian atmosphere above great volcanoes: Early planetary Fourier spectrometer observations
Grassi, D.; Ignatiev, N. I.; Zasova, L. V. +4 more
This work reports the first observations of the Martian atmosphere returned by the planetary Fourier spectrometer (PFS) on board of Mars express (MEX) satellite in the vicinity of the greatest volcanic domes of the planet. Two of the early MEX orbits have already covered the region of Olympus Mons and Ascraeus Mons. These measurements are very sim…