Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES)

Objectives:

  1. Determine and Map the Composition of Surface Minerals, Rocks and Ices
  2. Study the Composition, Particle Size and Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Atmospheric Dust
  3. Locate Water-Ice and Carbon Dioxide Condensate Clouds and Determine Their Temperature, Height and Condensate Abundance
  4. Study the Growth, Retreat and Total Energy Balance of the Polar Cap Deposits
  5. Measure the Thermophysical Properties of the Martian Surface (Thermal Inertia, Albedo) Used to Derive Surface Particle Size and Rock Abundance
  6. Determine Atmospheric Temperature, Pressure, Water Vapor and Ozone Profiles, and Seasonal Pressure Variations


Instrumentation:

Michelson Interferometer covering the spectral range 6.25 microns to 50 microns with 5 cm-1 and 10 cm-1 spectral resolution

Separate solar reflectance (0.2 microns to 3.9 microns) and broad band radiance (0.3 microns to 100 microns) channels.

Measurements:


Science Team

P. Christensen, ASU - Principal Investigator

Co-Investigators:

D. Anderson - ASU

S. Chase - Consultant

R. Clark - USGS

H. Kieffer - USGS

M. Malin - MSSS

J. Pearl - NASA/GSFC