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Ground-based astrometric observations of latitude for improved reference frame
Damljanović, Goran
The Commission 19 (Earth Rotation) of the International Astronomical Union - IAU established the Working Group on Earth Rotation in the Hipparcos Reference Frame - WG ERHRF at 1995 to collect the optical observations of latitude and universal time variations, made during 1899.7-1992.0 in line with Earth orientation programmes (to derive Earth Orie…
Energetic electron asymmetries at Mars: ASPERA-3 observations
Barabash, S.; Lundin, R.; Winningham, J. D. +7 more
Energetic electron fluxes from more than two years of ASPERA-3 observations are organized in different coordinate systems for the investigation of asymmetries in the global dynamics of the Martian magnetosphere. A clear asymmetry is found in the distribution of high-flux events with respect to the solar wind convective electric field ( Esw
The magnetic field near Mars: A comparison between a hybrid model, Mars Global Surveyor and Mars Express observations
Kallio, E.; Fedorov, A.; Janhunen, P. +5 more
Mars Express (MEX) does not carry its own magnetometer which complicates interpretation of ASPERA-3/MEX ion measurements. The direction of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) is especially important because it, among other things, determines the direction of the convective electric field and orientation of the cross tail current sheet and tail…
Analysis of the H + ring velocity distribution function near the Martian and Venusian bow shocks by an analytical model
Kallio, E.; Yamauchi, M.; Frilund, H.
We have studied the H + velocity distribution function at Mars and Venus near the bow shock both in the solar wind and in the magnetosheath by a simple analytical one-dimensional model. We found that over half of the ions in the ring velocity distribution which moved towards the magnetosheath were scattered back into the bow shock. The …
The high-resolution stereo camera (HRSC) experiment on Mars Express: Instrument aspects and experiment conduct from interplanetary cruise through the nominal mission
Jaumann, R.; Stephan, K.; Oberst, J. +24 more
ESA's Mars Express has successfully completed its nominal mission of one Martian year covering about 25% of the surface in stereo and color with resolutions up to 10 m/pixel by its high-resolution stereo camera (HRSC). Mars Express is now in its extended mission phase, during which much of the remaining part of the Martian surface is envisaged to …
The Analyser of Space Plasmas and Energetic Atoms (ASPERA-4) for the Venus Express mission
Coates, A. J.; Kallio, E.; Fedorov, A. +43 more
The general scientific objective of the ASPERA-4 (Analyser of Space Plasmas and Energetic Atoms) experiment is to study the solar wind-atmosphere interaction and characterise the plasma and neutral gas environment in the near-Venus space through energetic neutral atom (ENA) imaging and local charged particle measurements. The studies to be perform…
Venus Express—The first European mission to Venus
Barabash, S.; Pätzold, M.; Zhang, T. L. +24 more
Venus Express is the first European mission to planet Venus. The mission aims at a comprehensive investigation of Venus atmosphere and plasma environment and will address some important aspects of the surface physics from orbit. In particular, Venus Express will focus on the structure, composition, and dynamics of the Venus atmosphere, escape proc…
Correlations between Cassini VIMS spectra and RADAR SAR images: Implications for Titan's surface composition and the character of the Huygens Probe Landing Site
Nicholson, Philip D.; Sotin, Christophe; Barnes, Jason W. +24 more
Titan's vast equatorial fields of RADAR-dark longitudinal dunes seen in Cassini RADAR synthetic aperture images correlate with one of two dark surface units discriminated as "brown" and "blue" in Visible and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) color composites of short-wavelength infrared spectral cubes (RGB as 2.0, 1.6, 1.3 µm). In such co…
SPICAV on Venus Express: Three spectrometers to study the global structure and composition of the Venus atmosphere
Bertaux, Jean-Loup; Dimarellis, E.; Reberac, A. +33 more
Spectroscopy for the investigation of the characteristics of the atmosphere of Venus (SPICAV) is a suite of three spectrometers in the UV and IR range with a total mass of 13.9 kg flying on the Venus Express (VEX) orbiter, dedicated to the study of the atmosphere of Venus from ground level to the outermost hydrogen corona at more than 40,000 km. I…
Scientific goals for the observation of Venus by VIRTIS on ESA/Venus express mission
Baines, K. H.; Bibring, J. -P.; Langevin, Y. +41 more
The Visible and Infrared Thermal Imaging Spectrometer (VIRTIS) on board the ESA/Venus Express mission has technical specifications well suited for many science objectives of Venus exploration. VIRTIS will both comprehensively explore a plethora of atmospheric properties and processes and map optical properties of the surface through its three chan…