Fine Resolution Epithermal Neutron Detector (FREND) Onboard the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter

Митрофанов, И. Г.; Malakhov, A.; Bakhtin, B. N.; Golovin, D. V.; Kozyrev, A. S.; Litvak, M. L.; Мокроусов, М. И.; Санин, А. Б.; Tretyakov, V. I.; Vostrukhin, A.; Anikin, A. A.; Zelenyǐ, L. M.; Semkova, Jordanka; Malchev, St.; Tomov, B.; Matviichuk, Yu.; Dimitrov, P.; Koleva, R.; Dachev, Tsvetan; Krastev, Krasimir; Швецов, В. Н.; Тимошенко, Г. Н.; Bobrovnitsky, Yu. I.; Tomilina, T. M.; Benghin, Victor; Shurshakov, Vyacheslav

doi:10.1007/s11214-018-0522-5

Cited by 46 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…The Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System (CASSIS) obtains high-resolution colour and stereo images of selected targets on the surface [Thomas, 2018]. Finally the Fine Resolution Epithermal Neutron Detector (FREND) [Mitrofanov, 2018] maps the subsurface hydrogen to a depth of one meter, to reveal any deposits of water-ice hidden just below the surface which, along with locations identified as sources of the trace gases, and stereo colour imaging, could influence the choice of landing sites of future missions.…”

Section: The Exomars 2016 Trace Gas Orbiter Missionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The science planning is coordinated by the TGO Science Operations Centre (SOC) at ESAC near Madrid, to implement all of the science observations and fulfil the scientific goals of the mission: atmospheric trace gases, climatology, surface geology and shallow subsurface water detection. [Metcalfe, 2018] Mars science has a long history of collaboration between different international teams and missions. In the frame of the Mars Express mission we have seen how the European community has grown exceptionally over the years, reaching a prime role within the international community and establishing long lasting synergies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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First year of coordinated science observations by Mars Express and ExoMars 2016 Trace Gas Orbiter

Cardesín‐Moinelo

Geiger

Lacombe

et al. 2021

Icarus

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Two spacecraft launched and operated by the European Space Agency are currently performing observations in Mars orbit. For more than 15 years Mars Express has been conducting global surveys of the surface, the atmosphere and the plasma environment of the Red Planet. The Trace Gas Orbiter, the first element of the ExoMars programme, began its science phase in 2018 focusing on investigations of the atmospheric composition with unprecedented sensitivity as well as surface and subsurface studies. The coordination of observation programmes of both spacecraft aims at cross calibration of the instruments and exploitation of new opportunities provided by the presence of two spacecraft whose science operations are performed by two closely collaborating teams at the European Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC).In this paper we describe the first combined observations executed by the Mars Express and Trace Gas Orbiter missions since the start of the TGO operational phase in April 2018 until June 2019. Also included is the science opportunity analysis that has been performed by the Science Operation Centres and instrument teams to identify the observation opportunities until the end of 2020. These results provide a valuable contribution to the scientific community by enabling collaborations within the instrument teams and enhance the scientific outcome of both missions. This information is also valuable to other Mars missions (MAVEN, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Curiosity, …), which may be interested in observing these locations for wider scientific collaboration.In this work we have analysed the simultaneous and quasi-simultaneous opportunities for cross-calibrations and combined observations by both missions, in particular for the vertical atmospheric profiles with solar occultation and the global atmospheric monitoring with nadir observations. As a result of this work we have identified simultaneous solar occultations that can be combined to compare vertical atmospheric profiles of the same region observed by different instruments within less than 2 minute difference, and many other quasi-simultaneous occultation observations within 15 minutes difference at various latitudes and local times. We have also analysed and identified the simultaneous nadir observations that have been planned regularly at different distances and illumination conditions, and studied the seasonal evolution of the orbital crossing points and the alignment of the ground tracks driven by seasonal orbital variations.Lastly we provide an analysis of future opportunities to improve the global coverage of the atmosphere until the end of 2020. This study includes combined opportunities for nadir, solar occultations and a preliminary study of the coverage for limbs and radio occultations between both spacecraft. The resulting observations strongly increase the robustness of both Mars Express and Trace Gas Orbiter investigations due to cross-calibration of the instruments. They significantly increase spatial and temporal coverage, open new opportunities for scien...

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Section: The Exomars 2016 Trace Gas Orbiter Missionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

First year of coordinated science observations by Mars Express and ExoMars 2016 Trace Gas Orbiter

Cardesín‐Moinelo

Geiger

Lacombe

et al. 2021

Icarus

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“…In planetary sciences, the directional measurement of neutrons helped to map water distribution on Moon (Feldman et al, 1999) and Mars (Mitrofanov et al, 2018). These spaceborne directional neutron detector use a directional shielding (collimator) made of PE, allowing only neutrons from the "collimation field of view (FOV)" to enter the detector.…”

Section: Cosmic Ray Neutron Sensing In Environmental Sciencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the feasibility of a directional CRNS-sensor for estimating soil moisture

Francke

Heistermann

Köhli

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Abstract. Cosmic Ray Neutron Sensing (CRNS) is a non-invasive tool for measuring hydrogen pools like soil moisture, snow, or vegetation. The intrinsic integration over a radial hectare-scale footprint is a clear advantage for averaging out small-scale heterogeneity, but on the other hand the data may become hard to interpret in complex terrain with patchy land use. This study presents a directional shielding approach to block neutrons from certain directions and explores its potential to gain a sharper view on the surrounding soil moisture distribution. Using the Mont-Carlo code URANOS, we modelled the effect of additional polyethylene shields on the horizontal field of view and assessed its impact on the epithermal count rate, propagated uncertainties, and aggregation time. The results demonstrate that directional CRNS measurements are strongly dominated by isotropic neutron transport, which dilutes the signal of the targeted direction especially from the far field. For typical count rates of customary CRNS stations, directional shielding of halfspaces could not lead to acceptable precision at a daily time resolution. However, the mere statistical distinction of two rates should be feasible.

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“…The dosimetric telescope Liulin-MO for measuring the radiation environment onboard the ExoMars TGO is a module of the Fine Resolution Epithermal Neutron Detector (FREND), (Mitrofanov et al 2018). The parameters that Liulin-MO measures are energy deposition spectra, particle flux and dose rate in 2 perpendicular direction.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“Obstanovka” experiment on determining spacecraft surface charging aboard the International Space Station

2021

Тhirteenth Workshop Solar Influences on the Magnetosphere, Ionosphere and Atmosphere

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Aiming at earthquake precursors apportionment the earthquake preparation displays of VARDENIS (Armenia, 29.04.2008, M=3.7) BORISAKHO (Georgia, 09.06.08, M =4.1), NAKHITCEVAN (Azerbaijan, 02.09.2008, M=5.1), earthquakes in time-series have been studied using the geomagnetic and ionosphere tools. Aiming at earthquake forecasting the anomaly in the ionosphere plasma is investigated by a radio-astronomical method. There were received some results, allowing to make out the difference of seismogenic anomalies of ionosphere between the longer anomalies connected to magnetic activity of ionosphere by the method of vertical reconnaissance of ionosphere.

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Fine Resolution Epithermal Neutron Detector (FREND) Onboard the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter

Cited by 46 publications

References 57 publications

First year of coordinated science observations by Mars Express and ExoMars 2016 Trace Gas Orbiter

First year of coordinated science observations by Mars Express and ExoMars 2016 Trace Gas Orbiter

Assessing the feasibility of a directional CRNS-sensor for estimating soil moisture

“Obstanovka” experiment on determining spacecraft surface charging aboard the International Space Station

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