ARGUS Stereo-Spectral Imaging System
Study of the Martian surface and atmosphere
Cartographic support of other experiments and next missions
ARGUS consists of three main scientific instruments:
HRSC, a multifunctional high-resolution stereoscopic TV-camera for
0.1-1.0 µ m range;
WAOSS a wide-angle stereoscopic TV-camera for 0.,1-0.7 µ m
range;
OMEGA, a mapping spectrometer for 0.35-5.2 µ m range.
All these instruments are arranged on a three-axis two-loop platform
intended for pointing and stabilizing optical instruments with an
accuracy of 4 sec of arc. The ARGUS independence is provided by its
own multiprocessor control system and navigation TV camera (NC). its
data acquisition system built around a 1 Gbit mass memory, its own
thermal control system and in-flight calibration system.
Main Scientific Objectives
Detailed topographic survey
Multiband imaging and photometric studies of the surface with
3D reconstruction of its relief
Atmospheric studies: cloud structures, limb brightness, terminator
features
Instrument Description
Multifunctional high-resolution stereoscopic TV camera built around 9
CCD arrays.
Main Performance Characteristics
Focal length (mm) 175
Angular resolution (sec of arc/pxl) 8
Spatial resolution (m) from H=300 km 12
Radiometric resolution (bit) 8
Spectral range (µ m) 0.1-1.0
Number of pixels per scanline 5184
Angle of view (degrees) 11.5
Swath width (km) from H=300 km 62
Convergence angle (degrees) 20
Mass (kg) 24
Main Scientific Objectives
Synoptic survey of Mars
Global monitoring of time variations of the
surface and atmosphere, in particular, cloud movements, changes due
to dust storms, etc.
Instrument Description
Synoptical wide-angle stereoscopic TV-camera built around 3 CCD arrays
Main Performance Characteristics
Focal length (mm) 21.7
Angular resolution (sec of arc/pxl) 64
Spatial resolution (m) from H=300 km 96
Radiometric resolution (bit) 8
Spectral range (µ m) 0.4-0.7
Number of pixels per scanline 5184
Angle of view (degrees) 80
Swath width (km) from H=300 km 496
Convergence angle (degrees) 20
Mass (kg) 7.1
Main Scientific Objectives
Mapping of the Martian surface composition:
igneous and sedimentary rocks and soils, frosts and ices
Mapping of major gaseous and solid atmospheric components
Spectral Channels
IR-I (a range of 2.7-5.2 µ m)
IR-2 (a range of 1.05-2.7 µ m)
VNIR (a range of 0.35-1.05 µ m)
Spectral resolution 50 to 100
Angular resolution 4 min. of arc
Spatial resolution 0.4 to 4 km
Swath width 8.8°
Mass 29.1 kg
Main Atmospheric Science Objectives
Monitoring of 3D temperature and pressure fields
Global mapping of winds
Studies of variations of H2O and CO in space and time
Aerosols: optical depth, phase function, size distribution and
chemical composition
Main Surface Science Objectives
Temperature and thermophysical properties of soils
Mineralogical composition of the surface
Surface condensates
Altimetry
Instrument
A two-channel Fourier-spectrometer
Main Performance Characteristics
Channels LW SW
Spectral range (µ m) 6-45 1.25-4.5
Spectral resolution (cm-2) 2.3 2.3
Angular resolution (degree) 4 2.6
Spatial resolution (km) from H=300 km 20 15
Mass 35.5 kg
Main Scientific Objectives
Thermal inertia of the Martian soil;
Diurnal and seasonal dynamics of the temperature regime;
Searching for anomalous heat sources;
Thermal studies of the atmosphere.
Main Characteristics
Spectral ranges 0.5-1.0 µ m, 8.0-13 µ m
Instantaneous field of view: 1'
Scanning angle 6°
Scan rate 1 line/sec
Surface spatial resolution 0.1-1 km/pixe
Temperature sensitivity 0.5° K at T = 240° K
Mass 28 kg
Main Scientific Objectives
Spectrophotometry of the planet in absorption bands of some
rocks that may exist on the Martian surface in order to determine the
surface composition;
Study of the nature of aerosols by measuring spectral and
angular distributions of brightness both above the planetary limb and
of certain cloud-covered areas;
TERMOSCAN-2 data conversion into digital form compatible with
that of the MORION system.
INSTRUMENT
15 spectral subbands within 260-900 nm (a detector: two As-Ga
arrays) and 5 subbands in the near-infrared
Maps the surface in 32 lines with the mean resolution (about 1
km at the pericenter) in 8 high-resolution lines (300 m) and 1
low-resolution IR line (3 km)
Pointing mirror permits observations of different areas of the
planet
Tracks pass over the planet surface in approximately meridional
direction
Main Characteristics
spectral range 260-900 nm and 1.05-27 µ m
main detector array As-Ga. 32 and 8 pixels
main field of view 32 X (10' X 10')
viewing range -X -10° , +65°
mass 10 kg
power consumption 9 W
Main Scientific Objectives
Vertical concentration profiles of ozone, water vapor, carbon monoxide,
oxygen, dust, and temperature in the middle and lower atmosphere;
Airglow spectroscopy to study the structure of the upper atmosphere;
Global distribution of water vapor.
Method
Measurements of spectra of solar or stellar radiation, passing through the Martian atmosphere;
Measurements of airglow spectra.
Instrument
SPICAM-S
Solar part of the instrument is a two-channel solar spectrometer installed on the orbiter body:
UV and visible channel, lambda = 200 to 800 nm, lambda/delta-lambda = 1000
IR channel, lambda = 1.8 to 5 µ m, lambda/delta-lambda = 1000
SPICAM-E
Stellar part of the instrument installed on the PAIS platform
a stellar spectrometer, lambda = 110 to 400 nm, lambda/delta-lambda = 300
H2O band spectrometer, lambda = 936 nm, lambda/delta-lambda = 10,000
Mass = 48.1 kg
Main Scientific Objectives
Measure hydrogen, helium and oxygen distributions in the upper atmosphere of Mars
Determine deuterium abundance in the Martian atmosphere
Observe high-altitude temperature profile of the atmosphere
Observe the neutral component of the interstellar-interplanetary medium.
Instrument
Photometer measures the intensity in lines:
HI 1215.7 Å (neutral atomic hydrogen)
DI 1215,3 Å (neutral atomic deuterium)
Hel 584 Å (neutral atomic helium)
0I 1304 Å (neutral atomic oxygen)
0II 834 Å (singly-ionized atomic oxygen)
Main Characteristics
power consumption 10 W
data rate 137 bit/s
mass 9.5 kg
Main Scientific Objectives
GRUNT
Study of the underlying surface structure of the Martian cryolithospheres, the determination of the depth of occurrence of ice-bearing rocks and their
geographic distribution, the estimation of dielectric parameters of soil.
PLASMA
Measure global distribution of height profiles of electron
number-density in the Martian upper ionosphere to study the dynamics
of the solar wind interaction with the Martian upper atmosphere.
Method of Measurements
Based on generating pulsed (with a linear modulation
frequency) radio signals, measuring the power of signals reflected
from the Surface at the night side of the planet, to determine the
reflection coefficient within a wide spectral range. This method also
uses measurements of time delay for signals reflected from the
ionosphere at different heights in order to obtain electron
number-density profiles.
Main Characteristics
Frequency range 0.17-5 MHz
Number of discrete frequencies 56
Frequency modulation period 0.27 s, 1.08 s
Frequency deviation 15 kHz
Range measurement error 3.5 km
Sounding range
during soil Sounding 150-3000 km
during ionogram recording 150-5000 km
Total mass 30.5 kg
Main Scientific Objectives
Geochemical mapping of the elemental composition of Martian
surface rocks with high spatial resolution and high accuracy;
Determination of the abundance of natural radioactive elements
(K,U,Th), basic rock-forming elements and minor elements (H, C, Mg,
Al, Si, S, Cl, Ca, Ti, Fe)
Method of Measurements
Based on recording gamma-rays from natural radionuclides in
rocks and gamma rays generated by nuclear interactions of cosmic rays
with elements of Martian surface rocks.
Instrument
Detection unit (BD-1) using a CsI crystal, with a bismuth
germanate co!limator, installed on PAIS platform. The collimator
provides high spatial resolution measurements of element abundance
Omnidirectional detection unit (BD-2) with a large CsI crystal
(785 cm3). It is placed on a solar panel. The use of a
large volume crystal permits the abundance of rock-forming elements to
be determined with a high accuracy; amplitude analyzer of counts with
4096 channels. It records gamma spectra from BD-1 and BD-2 units as
well as spectra from the PGS detection unit with a superpure
germanlure crystal.
Main Characteristics:
parameter to be measured energy spectrum of gamma-rays
energy range 0.2 to 10 MeV
energy resolution at
Ev 0.661 MeV: 7.5%
data capacity 3 Mbit/revolution
mass 20 kg
Main Scientific Objectives:
Determine water content in the surface layer of Martian soils.
Instrument
Measures the flux intensity of neutrons generated in nuclear
reactions caused by the interaction of galactic and solar cosmic rays
with surface regolith.
The instrument consists of two units of detectors with six
neutron counters, and an electronics unit. Neutron counters are built
around 3He, the reaction 3He (n,p) 3H
+ 0.768 MeV is used. The working pressure in the counters is about 7
atm.
Main Characteristics
Energy range 0.01 < E < 0.4 eV
1 < E < 2 keV
0.01 < E < 3 MeV
Measurement time 102-103 s
Angle of view 45°
Minimum detectable water content 0.5 weight %
Mass 10 kg
It is possible to detect hydrogen in the rock covered by a dry regolith layer
up to 100 g/cm2 thick and to measure the ice thickness up to 250
g/cm2 in the polar cap.
Main Scientific Objectives
Composition of the Martian upper atmosphere and ionosphere
Measurement of height profiles of the atmospheric ion and neutral
composition
Measurement of H+ D+ He+ abundances and the H+/D+ isotope ratio
Measurement and updating of the isotope ratios O17/O18, Ne20/Ne22, Ne20/Ne21,
Ar36/Ar38
Measurement of seasonal and diurnal variations of the Martian upper
atmosphere and ionosphere
Instrument
Quadrupole mass-spectrometer which operates in ion and neutral
atom recording modes.
Main Characteristics
mode 1 mode 2
atomic mass range 1-6 a.m.u. 1-60 a.m.u.
dynamic range
sensitivity nmin (cm3)
for ions 10-3 10-5
for neutrals 104
for neutrals H2 and H 106
time needed to measure one spectrum 10 s
mass 12 kg
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