| 1. |
- Abdellaoui, G., et al.
(författare)
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Meteor studies in the framework of the JEM-EUSO program
- 2017
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Ingår i: Planetary and Space Science. - : Elsevier. - 0032-0633 .- 1873-5088. ; 143, s. 245-255
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We summarize the state of the art of a program of UV observations from space of meteor phenomena, a secondary objective of the JEM-EUSO international collaboration. Our preliminary analysis indicates that JEM-EUSO, taking advantage of its large FOV and good sensitivity, should be able to detect meteors down to absolute magnitude close to 7. This means that JEM-EUSO should be able to record a statistically significant flux of meteors, including both sporadic ones, and events produced by different meteor streams. Being unaffected by adverse weather conditions, JEM-EUSO can also be a very important facility for the detection of bright meteors and fireballs, as these events can be detected even in conditions of very high sky background. In the case of bright events, moreover, exhibiting some persistence of the meteor train, preliminary simulations show that it should be possible to exploit the motion of the ISS itself and derive at least a rough 3D reconstruction of the meteor trajectory. Moreover, the observing strategy developed to detect meteors may also be applied to the detection of nuclearites, exotic particles whose existence has been suggested by some theoretical investigations. Nuclearites are expected to move at higher velocities than meteoroids, and to exhibit a wider range of possible trajectories, including particles moving upward after crossing the Earth. Some pilot studies, including the approved Mini-EUSO mission, a precursor of JEM-EUSO, are currently operational or in preparation. We are doing simulations to assess the performance of Mini-EUSO for meteor studies, while a few meteor events have been already detected using the ground-based facility EUSO-TA.
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| 2. |
- Alday, Juan, et al.
(författare)
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New constraints on Ganymede's hydrogen corona : Analysis of Lyman-alpha emissions observed by HST/STIS between 1998 and 2014
- 2017
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Ingår i: Planetary and Space Science. - : Elsevier. - 0032-0633 .- 1873-5088. ; 148, s. 35-44
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Far-ultraviolet observations of Ganymede's atmospheric emissions were obtained with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) onboard of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) on several occasions between 1998 and 2014. We analyze the Lyman-alpha emission from four HST campaigns in order to constrain the abundance and variation of atomic hydrogen in Ganymede's atmosphere. We apply a forward model that estimates surface reflection and resonant scattering in an escaping corona of the solar Lyman-alpha flux, taking into account the effects of the hydrogen in the interplanetary medium. The atmospheric emissions around Ganymede's disk derived for the observations taken between 1998 and 2011 are consistent with a hydrogen corona in the density range of (5-8) x 10(3) cm(-3) at the surface. The hydrogen density appears to be generally stable in that period. In 2014, Ganymede's corona brightness is approximately 3 times lower during two observations of Ganymede's trailing hemisphere and hardly detectable at all during two observations of the leading hemisphere. We also investigate extinction of Ganymede's coronal emissions in the Earth's upper atmosphere or geocorona. For small Doppler shifts, resonant scattering in the geocorona of the moon corona emissions can effectively reduce the brightness observed by HST. In the case of the 2014 leading hemisphere observations, an estimated extinction of 80% might explain the non-detection of Ganymede's hydrogen corona. Geocoronal extinction might also explain a previously detected hemispheric difference from Callisto's hydrogen corona.
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| 3. |
- Amador, Elena S., et al.
(författare)
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Synchronous in-field application of life-detection techniques in planetary analog missions
- 2015
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Ingår i: Planetary and Space Science. - : PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD. - 0032-0633 .- 1873-5088. ; 106, s. 1-10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Field expeditions that simulate the operations of robotic planetary exploration missions at analog sites on Earth can help establish best practices and are therefore a positive contribution to the planetary exploration community. There are many sites in Iceland that possess heritage as planetary exploration analog locations and whose environmental extremes make them suitable for simulating scientific sampling and robotic operations. We conducted a planetary exploration analog mission at two recent lava fields in Iceland, Fimmvorouhals (2010) and Eldfell (1973), using a specially developed field laboratory. We tested the utility of in-field site sampling down selection and tiered analysis operational capabilities with three life detection and characterization techniques: fluorescence microscopy (FM), adenine-triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence assay, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay. The study made use of multiple cycles of sample collection at multiple distance scales and field laboratory analysis using the synchronous fife-detection techniques to heuristically develop the continuing sampling and analysis strategy during the expedition. Here we report the operational lessons learned and provide brief summaries of scientific data. The full scientific data report will follow separately. We found that rapid in-field analysis to determine subsequent sampling decisions is operationally feasible, and that the chosen life detection and characterization techniques are suitable for a terrestrial life-detection field mission. In-field analysis enables the rapid obtainment of scientific data and thus facilitates the collection of the most scientifically relevant samples within a single field expedition, without the need for sample relocation to external laboratories. The operational lessons learned in this study could be applied to future terrestrial field expeditions employing other analytical techniques and to future robotic planetary exploration missions.
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| 4. |
- Drolshagen, E., et al.
(författare)
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Distance determination method of dust particles using Rosetta OSIRIS NAC and WAC data
- 2017
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Ingår i: Planetary and Space Science. - : PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD. - 0032-0633 .- 1873-5088. ; 143, s. 256-264
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The ESA Rosetta spacecraft has been tracking its target, the Jupiter-family comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, in close vicinity for over two years. It hosts the OSIRIS instruments: the Optical, Spectroscopic, and Infrared Remote Imaging System composed of two cameras, see e.g. Keller et al. (2007). In some imaging sequences dedicated to observe dust particles in the comet's coma, the two cameras took images at the same time. The aim of this work is to use these simultaneous double camera observations to calculate the dust particles' distance to the spacecraft. As the two cameras are mounted on the spacecraft with an offset of 70 cm, the distance of particles observed by both cameras can be determined by a shift of the particles' apparent trails on the images. This paper presents first results of the ongoing work, introducing the distance determination method for the OSIRIS instrument and the analysis of an example particle. We note that this method works for particles in the range of about 500-6000 m from the spacecraft.
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| 5. |
- Dubinin, E., et al.
(författare)
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Martian ionosphere observed by Mars Express. 1. Influence of the crustal magnetic fields
- 2016
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Ingår i: Planetary and Space Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 0032-0633 .- 1873-5088. ; 124, s. 62-75
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present multi-instrument observations of the effects of the crustal magnetic field on the Martian ionosphere at different altitudes and solar zenith angles by Mars Express. Total electron content (TEC) at solar zenith angles 55 degrees >= SZA >= 105 degrees over the ionosphere with crustal sources increases with the strength of the magnetic field. A similar trend is observed in a dependence of the local electron density in the upper ionosphere on the crustal magnetic field. On the nightside, at SZA >= 110 degrees, the opposite trend of TEC increase with decrease in the magnetic field value is observed. A dependence on the magnetic field inclination also varies between the day and night sides. TEC decreases for vertical field inclination at 90 degrees >= SZA >= 70 degrees and increases at SZA >= 110 degrees. This effect becomes stronger for larger magnetic field values. A different dependence of the local electron densities in the upper ionosphere at small and high SZA is observed too. An ionospheric exhaust for vertical field inclination in the regions with strong crustal sources is probably caused by escape to space along open field lines which arise due to reconnection that is confirmed by the case studies. The existence of such localized ionospheric depressions is also observed by the in-situ plasma observations. In contrast, on the nightside downward plasma transport and electron precipitation along the field lines produce patches of enhanced ionization.
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| 6. |
- Dubinin, E., et al.
(författare)
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Martian ionosphere observed by Mars Express. 2. Influence of solar irradiance on upper ionosphere and escape fluxes
- 2017
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Ingår i: Planetary and Space Science. - : PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD. - 0032-0633 .- 1873-5088. ; 145, s. 1-8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present multi-instrument observations of the effects of solar irradiance on the upper Martian ionosphere and escape fluxes based on Mars Express measurements obtained over almost 12 years. It is shown that the variations in the upper ionosphere caused by solar irradiance lead to significant changes in the trans-terminator fluxes of low-energy ions and total ion losses through the tail. The observed dependence of the electron number density in the upper ionosphere at altitudes above 300 km on solar irradiance implies that the ionosphere at such altitudes was denser by a factor of ten during the periods of solar maxima in solar cycles 22-23. Correspondingly, the trans terminator fluxes of cold ions and escape fluxes through the tail were also significantly higher. We estimate an increase of total ion losses through the tail during these solar maxima by a factor of 5-6.
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| 7. |
- Engelhardt, Ilka. A. D., et al.
(författare)
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Plasma regions, charged dust and field-aligned currents near Enceladus
- 2015
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Ingår i: Planetary and Space Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 0032-0633 .- 1873-5088. ; 117, s. 453-469
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We use data from several instruments on board Cassini to determine the characteristics of the plasma and dust regions around Saturn's moon Enceladus. For this we utilize the Langmuir probe and the electric antenna connected to the wideband receiver of the radio and plasma wave science (RPWS) instrument package as well as the magnetometer (MAG). We show that there are several distinct plasma and dust regions around Enceladus. Specifically they are the plume filled with neutral gas, plasma, and charged dust, with a distinct edge boundary region. Here we present observations of a new distinct plasma region, being a dust trail on the downstream side. This is seen both as a difference in ion and electron densities, indicating the presence of charged dust, and directly from the signals created on RPWS antennas by the dust impacts on the spacecraft. Furthermore, we show a very good scaling of these two independent dust density measurement methods over four orders of magnitude in dust density, thereby for the first time cross-validating them. To establish equilibrium with the surrounding plasma the dust becomes negatively charged by attracting free electrons. The dust distribution follows a simple power law and the smallest dust particles in the dust trail region are found to be 10 nm in size as well as in the edge region around the plume. Inside the plume the presence of even smaller particles of about 1 nm is inferred. From the magnetic field measurements we infer strong field-aligned currents at the geometrical edge of Enceladus.
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| 8. |
- Escamilla-Roa, Elizabeth, et al.
(författare)
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Adsorption of methane and CO2 onto olivine surfaces in Martian dust conditions
- 2018
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Ingår i: Planetary and Space Science. - : Elsevier. - 0032-0633 .- 1873-5088. ; 153, s. 163-171
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Methane has been detected on all planets of our Solar System, and most of the larger moons, as well as in dwarf-planets like Pluto and Eric. The presence of this molecule in rocky planets is very interesting because its presence in the Earth's atmosphere is mainly related to biotic processes. Space instrumentation in orbiters around Mars has detected olivine on the Martian soil and dust. On the other hand the measurements of methane from the Curiosity rover report detection of background levels of atmospheric methane with abundance that is lower than model estimates of ultraviolet degradation of accreted interplanetary dust particles or carbonaceous chondrite material. Additionally, elevated levels of methane about this background have been observed implying that Mars is episodically producing methane from an additional unknown source, making the reasons of these temporal fluctuations of methane a hot topic in planetary research. The goal of this study is to investigate at atomic level the interactions during the adsorption processes of methane and other Mars atmospheric species (CO2, H2O) on forsterite surfaces, through electronic structure calculations based on the Density Functional Theory (DFT). We propose two models to simulate the interaction of adsorbates with the surface of dust mineral, such as binary mixtures (5CH4+5H2O/5CH4+5CO2) and as a semi-clathrate adsorption. We have obtained interesting results of the adsorption process in the mixture 5CH4+5CO2. Associative and dissociative adsorptions were observed for water and CO2 molecules. The methane molecules were only trapped and held by water or CO2 molecules. In the dipolar surface, the adsorption of CO2 molecules produced new species: one CO from a CO2 dissociation, and, two CO2 molecules chemisorbed to mineral surface forming a carbonate group. Our results suggest that CO2 has a strong interaction with the mineral surface when methane is present. These results could be confirmed after the analysis of the data from the upcoming remote and in-situ observations on Mars, as those to be performed by instruments on the ESA's ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter and ExoMars rover.
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| 9. |
- Fränz, M., et al.
(författare)
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Cold ion escape from the Martian ionosphere
- 2015
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Ingår i: Planetary and Space Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 0032-0633 .- 1873-5088. ; 119, s. 92-102
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We here report on new measurements of the escape flux of oxygen ions from Mars by combining the observations of the ASPERA-3 and MARSIS experiments on board the European Mars Express spacecraft. We show that in previous estimates of the total heavy ion escape flow the contribution of the cold ionospheric outflow with energies below 10 eV has been underestimated. Both case studies and the derived flow pattern indicate that the cold plasma observed by MARSIS and the superthermal plasma observed by ASPERA-3 move with the same bulk speed in most regions of the Martian tail. We determine maps of the tailside heavy ion flux distribution derived from mean ion velocity distributions sampled over 7 years. If we assume that the superthermal bulk speed derived from these long time averages of the ion distribution function represent the total plasma bulk speed we derive the total tailside plasma flux. Assuming cylindrical symmetry we determine the mean total escape rate for the years 2007-2014 at 2.8 +/- 0.4 x 10(25) atoms/s which is in good agreement with model estimates. A possible mechanism to generate this flux can be the ionospheric pressure gradient between dayside and nightside.
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| 10. |
- Futaana, Yoshifumi, et al.
(författare)
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SELMA mission : How do airless bodies interact with space environment? The Moon as an accessible laboratory
- 2018
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Ingår i: Planetary and Space Science. - : PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD. - 0032-0633 .- 1873-5088. ; 156, s. 23-40
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Moon is an archetypal atmosphere-less celestial body in the Solar System. For such bodies, the environments are characterized by complex interaction among the space plasma, tenuous neutral gas, dust and the outermost layer of the surface. Here we propose the SELMA mission (Surface, Environment, and Lunar Magnetic Anomalies) to study how airless bodies interact with space environment. SELMA uses a unique combination of remote sensing via ultraviolet and infrared wavelengths, and energetic neutral atom imaging, as well as in situ measurements of exospheric gas, plasma, and dust at the Moon. After observations in a lunar orbit for one year, SELMA will conduct an impact experiment to investigate volatile content in the soil of the permanently shadowed area of the Shackleton crater. SELMA also carries an impact probe to sound the Reiner-Gamma mini-magnetosphere and its interaction with the lunar regolith from the SELMA orbit down to the surface. SELMA was proposed to the European Space Agency as a medium-class mission (M5) in October 2016. Research on the SELMA scientific themes is of importance for fundamental planetary sciences and for our general understanding of how the Solar System works. In addition, SELMA outcomes will contribute to future lunar explorations through qualitative characterization of the lunar environment and, in particular, investigation of the presence of water in the lunar soil, as a valuable resource to harvest from the lunar regolith.
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