Abstract
This paper describes a prototype feasibility demonstration system of a multipurpose Raman-fluorescence spectrograph and compact lidar system suitable for planetary sciences missions. The key measurement features of this instrument are its abilities to: i) detect minerals and organics at low levels in the dust constituents of surface, subsurface material and rocks on Mars, ii) determine the distribution of trace fluorescent ions with time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy to learn about the geological conditions under which these minerals formed, iii) inspect material toxicity from a mobile robotic platform during local site characterization, iv) measure dust aerosol and cloud distributions, v) measure near-field atmospheric carbon dioxide, and vi) identify surface -ice, surface water ice, and surface or subsurface methane hydrate. This prototype instrument and an improved follow-on design are described and have the capability for scientific investigations discussed above, to remotely investigate geological processes from a robotic platform at more than a 20-m radial distance with potential to go beyond 100 m. It also provides single wavelength (532 nm) aerosol/cloud profiling over very long ranges ( with potential to 20 km). Measurement results obtained with this prototype unit from a robotic platform and calculated potential performance are presented in this paper.
© 2013 Optical Society of America
Full Article | PDF ArticleMore Like This
M. Nurul Abedin, Arthur T. Bradley, Shiv K. Sharma, Anupam K. Misra, Paul G. Lucey, Christopher P. McKay, Syed Ismail, and Stephen P. Sandford
Appl. Opt. 54(25) 7598-7611 (2015)
Genesis Berlanga, Tayro E. Acosta-Maeda, Shiv K. Sharma, John N. Porter, Przemyslaw Dera, Hannah Shelton, G. Jeffrey Taylor, and Anupam K. Misra
Appl. Opt. 58(32) 8971-8980 (2019)
C. S. Edwards and P. R. Christensen
Appl. Opt. 52(11) 2200-2217 (2013)