Initial results from the Canadian MET weather station on the Phoenix Mars Lander mission
- Paper number
IAC-08.A3.3.A4
- Author
Dr. Victoria Hipkin, Canadian Space Agency, Canada
- Coauthor
Dr. James Whiteway, York University, Canada
- Coauthor
Dr. Peter Taylor, York University, Canada
- Coauthor
Dr. Allan Carswell, Optech Ltd, Canada
- Coauthor
Dr. Jeff Davis, University of Alberta, Canada
- Coauthor
Dr. Clive Cook, York University, Canada
- Coauthor
Mr. Pierre Allard , Canada
- Coauthor
Dr. David Fisher, Geological Services Canada, Canada
- Coauthor
Mr. Claude Brunet, Canadian Space Agency, Canada
- Coauthor
Dr. Thomas Duck, Dalhousie University, Canada
- Coauthor
Dr. Carlos Lange, University of Alberta, Canada
- Coauthor
Dr. Leonce Komguem, York University, Canada
- Coauthor
Mr. Lucas Clark, MacDonald Dettwiler & Associates, Canada
- Coauthor
Mr. Darren Hill, MacDonald Dettwiler & Associates, Canada
- Coauthor
Dr. Nilton Renno, University of Michigan, United States
- Coauthor
Dr. Leslie Tamppari, NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory, United States
- Coauthor
Mr. Ari-Matti Harri, FMI - Finnish Meteorological Institute, Finland
- Coauthor
Dr. Cameron Dickinson, York University, Canada
- Year
2008
- Abstract
The Phoenix mission, selected by NASA under the 2007 Mars Scout competition, and led by the University of Arizona, landed in Vastitas Borealis in late Martian Spring this year. Scientific objectives of the mission focus on investigation of ice, climate and habitability of the Martian polar environment using a digging arm to access the ice, and an instrument suite mounted on the payload deck. By specifically targetting the northern polar region in spring, Phoenix is contributing to NASA's Follow the Water theme: as well as sampling ice, weather and climate investigations are designed to study the seasonal change associated with the sublimation of the water ice in the northern polar cap and its transport to lower latitudes. The MET weather station, provided by the Canadian Space Agency, will provide key measurements in meeting Phoenix science objectives, through measurements of cloud, dust and boundary layer height; and fast temperature and pressure measurements. The MET instrument suite contains the first lidar to operate from the surface of another planet, built by MDA with design support from Optech Ltd. Aside from the 2 wavelength vertically pointing lidar, MET sensors include thermocouples mounted on a mast provided by JPL, and a pressure sensor provided in collaboration with the Finnish Meteorological Institute. Initial results from MET measurements will be presented and discussed.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-08.A3.3.A4.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.