Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Methane Sensor for Mars


Affiliations
1 Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad 380 058, India

Methane Sensor for Mars (MSM), on-board Mars Orbiter Mission is a differential radiometer based on Fabry–Perot Etalon (FPE) filters which measures column density of methane in the Martian atmosphere. It is the first FPE sensor ever flown to space. Spectral, spatial and radiometric performances of the sensor were characterized thoroughly during the pre-launch calibration. Geophysical calibration of the sensor was carried out using the data acquired over Sahara desert during Earth Parking Orbit phase. Retrieval algorithm for MSM, which is based on the linearization of radiative transfer equations, gets simultaneous solutions for CH4 and CO2 concentrations in the Martian atmosphere.

Keywords

Differential radiometer, Fabry–Perot Etalon, geophysical calibration, methane sensor, retrieval algorithm.
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • Miller, J. D., Case, M. J., Straat, P. A. and Levin, G. V., Likelihood ofmethane-producing microbes on Mars. Proc. SPIE, 2010,7819, 781,901–781,906.
  • Krasnopolsky, V. A., Some problems related to the origin of methaneon Mars. Icarus, 2006, 180, 359–367.
  • Atreya, S. K., The mystery of methane on Mars and Titan. Sci.Am., 2007, 256, 43–51.
  • Giuseppe, E., Bethany, L. E. and Martin, S., Low temperature production andexhalation of methane from serpentinized rocks on Earth: a potential analog for methane production on Mars. Icarus,2013, 224, 276–285.
  • Mumma, M. J. et al., Strong release of methane on Mars in northern summer2003. Science, 2009, 323, 1041–1045.
  • Formisano, V., Atreya, S. K., Encrenaz, T., Ignatiev, N. and Giuranna, M., Detection of methane in the atmosphere of Mars. Science, 2004, 306, 1758–1761.
  • Krasnopolsky, V. A., Maillard, J. P. and Owen, T. C., Detection of methanein the Martian atmosphere: evidence for life? Icarus,2004, 172, 537–547.
  • Krasnopolsky, V. A., Long-term spectroscopic observations of Marsusing IRTF/CSHELL: mapping of O2 day-glow, CO and searchfor CH4. Icarus, 2007, 190, 93–102.
  • Chizek, M. R., Murphy, J. R., Fonti, S., Marzo, G. A., Kahre, M. A. and Roush, T. L., Mapping the methane on Mars: seasonal comparison. In The Fourth International Workshop on the Mars Atmosphere: Modelling and Observation, in Paris, 8–11 February 2011; http://www-mars.lmd.jussieu.fr/paris2011/ program.html
  • Zahnle, K., Freedman, R. and Catling, D., Is there methane on Mars? Icarus, 2011, 212, 493–503.
  • Zahnle, K., Freedman, R. and Catling, D., Is there methane on Mars? Part II. In 42nd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, TheWoodlands, Texas, 2011, p. 2427.
  • Heaps, W. S., Kawa, S. R., Georgieva, E. and Wilson, E., Fabry– Perotinterferometer for column CO2; www.esto.nasa.gov/conferences/estc2003/papers/B4P1(Heaps).pdf
  • Georgieva, E. M., Heaps, W. S. and Wilson, E. L., Differential radiometersusing Fabry–Perot interferometric technique for remotesensing of greenhouse gases. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sensing, 2008, 46(10), 3115–3122.
  • Cunningham, I. A. and Fenster, A., A method for modulation transferfunction determination from edge profiles with correction forfinite element differentiation. Med. Phys., 1987, 14(4), 533–537.

Abstract Views: 356




  • Methane Sensor for Mars

Abstract Views: 356  | 

Authors

Kurian Mathew
Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad 380 058, India
S. S. Sarkar
Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad 380 058, India
A. R. Srinivas
Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad 380 058, India
Moumita Dutta
Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad 380 058, India
Minal x Minal Rohit
Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad 380 058, India
Harish Seth
Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad 380 058, India
Rajiv Kumaran
Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad 380 058, India
Kshitij Pandya
Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad 380 058, India
Ankush Kumar
Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad 380 058, India
Jitendra Sharma
Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad 380 058, India
Jalshri Desai
Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad 380 058, India
Amul Patel
Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad 380 058, India
Vishnu Patel
Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad 380 058, India
Piyush Shukla
Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad 380 058, India
S. Manthira Moorthi
Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad 380 058, India
Aravind K. Singh
Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad 380 058, India
Ashutosh Gupta
Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad 380 058, India
Jaya Rathi
Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad 380 058, India
P. Narayana Babu
Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad 380 058, India
Saji A. Kuriakose
Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad 380 058, India
D. R. M. Samudraiah
Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad 380 058, India
A. S. Kiran Kumar
Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad 380 058, India

Abstract


Methane Sensor for Mars (MSM), on-board Mars Orbiter Mission is a differential radiometer based on Fabry–Perot Etalon (FPE) filters which measures column density of methane in the Martian atmosphere. It is the first FPE sensor ever flown to space. Spectral, spatial and radiometric performances of the sensor were characterized thoroughly during the pre-launch calibration. Geophysical calibration of the sensor was carried out using the data acquired over Sahara desert during Earth Parking Orbit phase. Retrieval algorithm for MSM, which is based on the linearization of radiative transfer equations, gets simultaneous solutions for CH4 and CO2 concentrations in the Martian atmosphere.

Keywords


Differential radiometer, Fabry–Perot Etalon, geophysical calibration, methane sensor, retrieval algorithm.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv109%2Fi6%2F1087-1096