Other
Scientific paper
Dec 2009
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009agufm.p51g1200e&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2009, abstract #P51G-1200
Other
[6281] Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects / Titan
Scientific paper
Discoveries from the Cassini-Huygens mission, supported by NASA and ESA, indicate that a number of large liquid hydrocarbon lakes exist in the polar regions of Titan. These findings are significant as they present the first evidence for an “open” stable body of liquid anywhere other than earth. The largest of these, Lake Kraken Mare, covers approximately 40,000 square miles. The possible existence of an inner water ocean, which could seep into the base of the lake through cryovolcanism, and the search for life and pre-biotic materials, suggest that some of the most interesting chemistry could occur at the bottom of the lake. If the lake is not well mixed by turnover or other mechanism, then a study of these reaction products will require the acquisition of samples from the depths of the lake. A team of Scientists and Engineers, led by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), performed a study as part of an Internal Research and Development Program (IR&D) to look at how it might be possible to sample and analyze material from the bottom of the lake. ). The researchers believe a submersible explorer will help maximize the value of a Titan Saturn System Mission. The study evaluates the feasibility of a submersible explorer concept and addresses, at a high level, the primary design challenges that must be overcome for this concept to progress to a detailed design level. They include thermal, structural, buoyancy control, power, instrumentation, communication, mass distribution and risk mitigation topics. The Titan Submersible Explorer (TSE) is a simple concept that has been designed to maximize science return from a harsh environment. The mission can be viewed as comprising three phases; aeroentry, lake surface analysis and lake subsurface analysis. To minimize the effect of any possible failure, data is returned to the orbiter at each phase before commencing the next phase. Similar to the Huygens probe, the TSE will be targeted and released by a delivery spacecraft, to enter Titan’s atmosphere and descend into Kraken Mare or one of the larger lakes. The battery powered TSE is tasked with five primary objectives: 1. To study the high latitude atmosphere by mass spectrometry during the decent phase to the lake, 2. Once on the lake surface, to evaluate the surface chemistry and lake depth using sonar measurements, 3. To evaluate chemistry at the bottom of the lake, 4. To analyzed a sample of lake bottom sediment, 5. To monitor tidal changes over two Titanian days. Three instrument systems will be carried within the TSE. The Temperature, PResure and Motion (TPM) package, The Acoustics Package (AP), and the Mass Spectrometer and Inlet system (MSI) The TSE offers a low risk approach to providing significant data return for use in answering the scientific questions posed about Titan in the decadal survey. TSE provides significant data return from a location that is widely accepted to be significant to the evolution of Titan. With additional mass the TSE mission could accommodate additional science programs to study the polar atmosphere on descent and also to study the composition of the lake sediment.
Brockwell T.
Epperly M. E.
Klaus K. K.
Waite H. Jr. J..
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