Computer Science – Sound
Scientific paper
May 2004
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2004agusm.p33d..14d&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Spring Meeting 2004, abstract #P33D-14
Computer Science
Sound
3694 Instruments And Techniques, 5464 Remote Sensing, 6218 Jovian Satellites, 6297 Instruments And Techniques
Scientific paper
Geosciences at the Galilean Moons With the Multiple Instrument Distributed Aperture Sensor (MIDAS) The Voyager and Galileo missions have revealed the Galilean Icy Moons and Io to be dynamic worlds, possessing possible subsurface oceans, magnetism, spectacular volcanic activity, and potentially extinct or extant life. While our knowledge of the Galilean moons has indeed been revolutionized by the missions conducted to date, modest spectral and spatial resolution data sets achieved on Galileo due to high gain antenna problems, difficulties in coordinated instrument operations, and inherent instrument design limits leave many unanswered questions: What is the state and distribution of ice and liquid water on Europa? What processes control the distribution and composition of the non-icy material on the surface? What is the extent of tectonic and volcanic activity? These and other questions have an important bearing not only on our knowledge of the geology and origin of these moons, but are also highly relevant to an assessment of their past or present habitability. A limited number of flybys have yielded km-scale and some m-scale images that provide some context for these and other questions, but it is unlikely we will be able to apply all of these lessons learned to the numerous features that are almost certain to exist at or below the current detection limits. To advance our understanding of these moons to the next step, global coverage at spatial scales ranging from ~cm to m combined with simultaneous spectral measurements with ~nm precision over long timescales are required. Here we describe how these science objectives can be fulfilled on the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (JIMO) mission by the Multiple Instrument Distributed Aperture Sensor (MIDAS). MIDAS is a unique distributed aperture imaging spectrometer capable of high spectral and spatial resolutions using less mass, volume, and power than systems with similar capabilities, and is compatible with the Prometheus-class mission design intended for JIMO. With spectral resolution of ~1 nm, MIDAS combines high resolution imagery with detailed classification of minerals, volatiles, and organics in the same field of view. Science observations from low orbit (100km) can measure features down to ~cm scales, such as crack movements on Europa from possible tectonic activity as well as future potential landing sites. At higher orbits and during transfer trajectories the wide field of regard of MIDAS enables global imaging of icy moon surfaces; in the case of Europa, this could be done with sufficient resolution to measure the tidal bulge. Additional science objectives can be met for Io as well, the entire surface of which could be imaged at ~50m/pixel by MIDAS from the orbit of Europa. MIDAS also supports active sounding techniques using laser altimetry, vibrometry, or ablative spectroscopy. Combined with radar, active sounding, and gravity measurements, MIDAS will round out a complete remote sensing package and enable many of the science objectives for JIMO to be accomplished within the current mission timeline.
Bierhaus Edward B.
Dalton James Bradley
de Pater Imke
Delory Gregory T.
Duncan Alan
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