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Dual Satellite Mars Chemistry & Climate Mission Concept - MACO

This mission concept aims to characterize the trace gas chemistry and climate of Mars, focusing on determining the processes involved in water, dust, and CO2 cycles. The instrument suite includes a solar occultation near-IR spectrometer, millimeter-wave limb sounder, and satellite-to-satellite occultations. The mission proposes rapidly precessing, high inclination orbits for global coverage and full diurnal coverage. It aims to provide insights into the near-surface environment of Mars, including water exchange, dust lifting, chemistry distribution, and wind patterns.

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Dual Satellite Mars Chemistry & Climate Mission Concept - MACO

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  1. NOTE ADDED BY JPL WEBMASTER: This document was prepared by the University of Arizona. The content has not been approved or adopted by, NASA, JPL, or the California Institute of Technology. This document is being made available for information purposes only, and any views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of NASA, JPL, or the California Institute of Technology. Dual Satellite Chemistry and Climate Mission Concept From Mars Astrobiology and Climate Observatory (MACO) E. R. Kursinski (U. Arizona) M. Richardson, C. Newman (Caltech) J. R. Lyons (UCLA) W. Folkner, J. T. Schofield, D. Wu (JPL) D. Ward, A. Otarola, C. Walker (U. Arizona) D. Hinson (SETI) P. Bernath (U. York, UK) K. Walker (U. Toronto) J. McConnell (U. York, Canada) Y. Moudden (U. Colorado) J. Barnes, D. Tyler (Oregon State) F. Montmessin, J.L. Bertaux, O. Korablev (CNRS Service d'Aéronomie) F. Forget (Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique) S. Lewis (Open Univ.) P. Elosegui (Institut de Ciències de l'Espai) July 30, 2009 MACO/DSMMEPAG

  2. Dual Satellite Mars Chemistry & Climate Mission Concept Mission concept to characterize • Trace gas chemistry of Mars • Water, dust, CO2 cycles and climate => Focused on determining processes Instrument Suite • Solar occultation near-IR spectrometer trace gas • Millimeter-wave limb sounder • Satellite-to-satellite occultations, solar occultations, limb emission • Thermal IR Ice & Dust sounder co-pointed w/ MMLS + IR & visible aerosol particle size & surface frost + Context imager Rapidly precessing, high inclination orbits • Global coverage forsolar occultations in ~44 sols • Full diurnal coverage for MMLS & MIDS in 44 sols Proposed as Scout in 2006. Received highest science rating but too risky with 2 satellites in Scout budget Sees thru dust MEPAG - Brown Univ. Se dust

  3. Satellite to Satellite Occultations T  • Vertical resolution 60m at 320-360 GHz (1 mm wavelength) • Profile to surface, insensitive to dust & surface emissivity • Temperature <0.5K (0-50km); Pressure 0.1% • H2O(0-50 km) concentration & mixing ratio: 1-3%;better Relative humidity: 4-6%,with HDO(0-20 km) 3%, averaging • Profile ppb: H2O25; H2CO 0.1; O3 4; SO2 1; OCS 0.3; • Winds: LOS from CO,13CO, C17O, C18O <2.5 m/s Balanced winds from pressure gradients • Turbulence via scintillations (twinkling of a star) • Coverage: Global; Fulldiurnal coverage in 44 days • 30,000 ~entry probe quality profiles/Mars year • Limb emission 200,000 profiles/yr (between sat-sat occ) • Sol. occ. provide spectroscopic calibration Cie Amplitude  LoS  , differential absorption T MEPAG - Brown Univ.

  4. Probing the near surface environment from orbit Simultaneously profile mm-wave variables and dust & ice via thermal IR Many science questions are tied to understanding near surface environment • Water: exchange between surface & atmosphere, ID subsurface reservoirs via D/H ratio, transfer between hemispheres via flux & D/H (lower-upper atmo fractionation processes) • Dust: lifting, storm trigger events & evolution • Chemistry: CH4, O3, SO2 distribution, tie plumes to sources, heterogeneous chemistry • Winds: spatial/temporal distribution of horizontal winds, tracers, lower-upper atmo coupling Answers: near-surface measurements of constituents & dynamics, global & diurnal coverage • Global field campaign: Build up profiles of regional diurnal sampling ~15 times per year to infer exchange of water vapor exchange and energy between atmosphere and surface • Orbital periods can be chosen to produce random coverage or repeating pattern such as twice per day at ~20 global locations radiosondes on Earth  day  day MEPAG - Brown Univ.

  5. Heterogeneous Chemistry Explanation for rapidly loss of methane & oxidized surface? • Dissociative electron attachment (DEA) reactions • Involves generation of electric fields via saltation and dust lifting followed by ion recombination chemistry How do we evaluate whether it is true • Probe near surface environment looking for predicted enhancement in H2O2 (~1,000) as a function of dust, winds, turbulence and H2O (as limiting source molecule) Solution • Sat-sat occultations precisely profile H2O2, H2O, winds and turbulence down to surface with ~100 m vertical resolution, independent of dust, full diurnal coverage • Co-pointed MIDS profiles dust with 2 km vert. res. • Look into the dusty areas, measure H2O2 enhancement and determine how important heterogeneous chemistry is and how it works MEPAG - Brown Univ.

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