ChemCam Passive Spectroscopy of the Martian Atmosphere
Abstract
The design priority of the Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectrometer (LIBS) portion of the ChemCam instrument (Wiens et al. 2012, Space Sci, Rev. 170) on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity rover is its active mode, which acquires spectra of a laser induced plasma using three spectrometers. However these same spectrometers have excellent sensitivity to ambient light and so are also used independent of the laser in 'passive' mode to acquire spectra of the Martian surface (Johnson et al., 2013, LPSC #1372) and, as we will describe here, the Martian sky. Using ChemCam passive sky observations, we have successfully measured the column abundance of water vapor, molecular oxygen, and carbon dioxide gas, and with further analysis will likely be able to constrain the column abundance of ozone as well as aerosol and cloud particle properties. Although data analysis is ongoing, we currently estimate a 2 sigma precision of < +/- 1 precipitable microns for water vapor, < +/- 30 ppm for molecular oxygen, and < +/- 4 % for carbon dioxide. The three ChemCam spectrometers span 240-342 nm, 382-469 nm, and 474-906 nm, respectively, with a resolution of 0.6 nm FWHM or better. Passive sky observations were obtained on sols 131, 230, and then at regular ~7 sol intervals starting on sol 278. The observation consists of acquiring spectra of light scattered by the atmosphere at two elevation angles so that the ratio of the two resulting radiance spectra yields (after removing the continuum) an extremely precise absorption spectrum with both the solar spectrum and instrument response uncertainties removed. To yield column abundances, the spectra are modeled with a discrete ordinates multiple scattering radiative transfer code that incorporates gas absorption via the correlated-k method.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2013
- Bibcode:
- 2013AGUFM.P32A..02M
- Keywords:
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- 5405 PLANETARY SCIENCES: SOLID SURFACE PLANETS Atmospheres;
- 5494 PLANETARY SCIENCES: SOLID SURFACE PLANETS Instruments and techniques