Magnetospheric studies using the UKS data

The magnetic field data from the UKS spacecraft were analyzed to learn more about the solar wind interaction with the Earth's magnetosphere and about the magnetosphere itself. The data was reduced from raw experimenter data records to engineering units. The evolution of the waves in the foreshock, the varying structure of the bow shock along the boundary, simultaneous behavior of the magnetopause in the north and south hemisphere and MHD waves in the magnetosphere and magnetosheath were examined

An Overview of the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) Mission

A critical goal to both science and exploration is to understand the form and location of lunar polar volatiles. The lateral and vertical distributions of these volatiles inform us of the processes that control the emplacement and retention of these volatiles, as well as helping to formulate in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) architectures. While significant progress has been made from orbital observations, measurements at a range of scales from centimeters to kilometers across the lunar surface are needed to generate adequate "volatile mineral models" for use in evaluating the resource potential of volatiles at the Moon. VIPER is a solar and battery powered rover mission designed to operate over multiple lunar days, traversing several kilometers as it continuously monitors for subsurface hydrogen and other surface volatiles. In specific thermal terrain types, including permanently shadowed terrain and locales that permit near-surface ice stability, subsurface samples will be examined for volatile content using a one-meter drill. This talk will provide an overview of the VIPER mission which is scheduled for flight to the Lunar South Pole in December 2022

Resource Prospector, the Decadal Survey and the Scientific Context for the Exploration of the Moon

The Inner Planets Panel of the Planetary Exploration Decadal Survey defined several science questions related to the origins, emplacement, and sequestration of lunar polar volatiles: 1. What is the lateral and vertical distribution of the volatile deposits? 2. What is the chemical composition and variability of polar volatiles? 3. What is the isotopic composition of the volatiles? 4. What is the physical form of the volatiles? 5. What is the rate of the current volatile deposition? A mission concept study, the Lunar Polar Volatiles Explorer (LPVE), defined a approximately $1B New Frontiers mission to address these questions. The NAS/NRC report, 'Scientific Context for the Exploration of the Moon' identified he lunar poles as special environments with important implications. It put forth the following goals: Science Goal 4a-Determine the compositional state (elemental, isotopic, mineralogic) and compositional distribution (lateral and depth) of the volatile component in lunar polar regions. Science Goal 4b-Determine the source(s) for lunar polar volatiles. Science Goal 4c-Understand the transport, retention, alteration, and loss processes that operate on volatile materials at permanently shaded lunar regions. Science Goal 4d-Understand the physical properties of the extremely cold (and possibly volatile rich) polar regolith. Science Goal 4e-Determine what the cold polar regolith reveals about the ancient solar environment

Flux transfer events at the magnetopause and in the ionosphere

On December 1, 1986 the ISEE 1 and 2 spacecraft pair passed through the dayside magnetopause at a location which mapped approximately to ionospheric field-line foot-points near the fields of view of the EISCAT radar and photometers and an all-sky camera on Svalbard. The magnetosheath magnetic field was southward and duskward at the time, and flux transfer events (FTEs) were observed at the ISEE location. At the same time, the EISCAT radar observed ionospheric flow bursts of up to 1 km s−1. The peak of each burst followed an FTE observation at ISEE by a few minutes. The bursts, each lasting ten or fifteen minutes, were comprised of first a westward then a poleward flow. An all-sky camera at Ny Ålesund observed dayside auroral breakup forms during or shortly after the flow bursts, moving westward then poleward. While these flow bursts and associated dayside auroral forms have been previously reported in association with southward IMF orientations, this is the first observation of a direct link to FTEs at the magnetopause. On this occasion, the lower limit on the inferred potential associated with the FTEs is roughly 10 kV. Their inferred east-west extent in the ionosphere ranges between 700 and 1000 km, corresponding to a 3 – 5 RE local time extent at the average magnetopause

Characterizing Lunar Polar Volatiles at the Working Scale: Going from Exploration Goals to Mission Requirements

The economic evaluation of natural resources depends on the accuracy of resource distribution estimates. On Earth such estimates are necessary in making decisions about opening new mines or in planning future investment for operating mines or industrial deposits. A frequently discussed lunar resource is water ice, however, we are only at the first stages of understanding its potential as a resource. In particular, we currently do not have a sufficient understanding of the distribution of water or its form at the scales it would be extracted and processed, that is, the working scale. Here the working scale is defined to be the scales at which sufficient material can be processed to meet some basic demand (for example, 100s of square meters), and the anticipated heterogeneity in the water distribution across those scales (scales <5 - 10s of meters). Several mission concepts have been developed to better understand lunar water, motivated by both scientific and exploration goals. This paper provides an analysis of the number and distribution of observations needed to provide the necessary next steps in lunar water ISRU. We use a combination of Monte Carlo studies and classic geostatistical approaches to go from the exploration goal of understand the distribution of water to quantification of specific mission sampling requirements

Lunar and Asteroid Composition Using a Remote Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer

Laboratory experiments simulating solar wind sputtering of lunar surface materials have shown that solar wind protons sputter secondary ions in sufficient numbers to be measured from low-altitude lunar orbit. Secondary ions of Na, Mg, Al, Si, K, Ca, Mn, Ti, and Fe have been observed sputtered from sample simulants of mare and highland soils. While solar wind ions are hundreds of times less efficient than those used in standard secondary ion mass spectrometry, secondary ion fluxes expected at the Moon under normal solar wind conditions range from approximately 10 to greater than 10(exp 4) ions cm(sup -2)s(sup -1), depending on species. These secondary ion fluxes depend both on concentration in the soil and on probability of ionization; yields of easily ionized elements such as K and Na are relatively much greater than those for the more electronegative elements and compounds. Once these ions leave the surface, they are subject to acceleration by local electric and magnetic fields. For typical solar wind conditions, secondary ions can be accelerated to an orbital observing location. The same is true for atmospheric atoms and molecules that are photoionized by solar EUV. The instrument to detect, identify, and map secondary ions sputtered from the lunar surface and photoions arising from the tenuous atmosphere is discussed

Feasibility and Definition of a Lunar Polar Volatiles Prospecting Mission

The recent Lunar Crater Observing and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) mission has provided evidence for significant amounts of cold trapped volatiles in Cabeus crater near the Moon's south pole. Moreover, LRO/Diviner measurements of extremely cold lunar polar surface temperatures imply that volatiles can be stable outside or areas of strict permanent shadows. These discoveries suggest that orbital neutron spectrometer data point to extensive deposits at both lunar poles. The physical state, composition and distribution of these volatiles are key scientific issues that relate to source and emplacement mechanisms. These issues are also important for enabling lunar in situ resource utilization (ISRU). An assessment of the feasibility of cold-trapped volatile ISRU requires a priori information regarding the location, form, quantity, and potential for extraction of available resources. A robotic mission to a mostly shadowed but briefly .unlit location with suitable environmental conditions (e.g. short periods of oblique sunlight and subsurface cryogenic temperatures which permit volatile trapping) can help answer these scientific and exploration questions. Key parameters must be defined in order to identify suitable landing sites, plan surface operations, and achieve mission success. To address this need, we have conducted an initial study for a lunar polar volatile prospecting mission, assuming the use of a solar-powered robotic lander and rover. Here we present the mission concept, goals and objectives, and landing site selection analysis for a short-duration, landed, solar-powered mission to a potential hydrogen volatile-rich site

Prospecting for Polar Volatiles: Results from the Resolve Field

Both the Moon and Mercury evidently host ice and other volatile compounds in cold traps at the planets poles. Determining the form, spatial distribution, and abundance of these volatiles at the lunar poles can help us understand how and when they were delivered and emplaced. This bears directly on the delivery of water and prebiotic compounds to the inner planets over the solar system s history, and also informs plans for utilizing the volatiles as resources for sustained human exploration as well as the commercial development of space. Temperature models and orbital data suggest near-surface volatile concentrations may exist at polar locations not strictly in permanent shadow. Remote operation of a robotic lunar rover mission for the 7-10 days of available sunlight would permit key questions to be answered. But such a short, quick-tempo mission has unique challenges and requires a new concept of operations. Both science and rover operations decisionmaking must be done in real time, requiring immediate situational awareness, data analysis, and decision support tools

A study of ionopause perturbation and associated boundary wave formation at Venus

Magnetometer and electron spectrometer data from Venus Express (VEX) are used to investigate the occurrence of boundary wave phenomenon occurring in the vicinity of the Venusian terminator. On 26 June 2006, VEX data show the ionosphere to be unmagnetized (≈0 nT), a common observation usually expected during solar maximum. This results in the respective Venusian boundaries to be higher than the nominal altitudes. This paper reports the occurrence of rippling of the ionopause boundary in the terminator plane. The ripples appear to propagate mainly in the Y direction in the Venus solar orbital coordinates. Further examination of the first oscillation in magnetic field suggests that it is a flux rope. The flux rope is found to be just inside the ionosphere close to the ionopause. The diameters of the flux rope and boundary wave oscillations are estimated to be ∼113 km and ∼133 km, respectively. We suggest that the boundary wave is generated by the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. This research provides evidence of the ionopause boundary existing in a wave-like state and its relation to Venus atmospheric loss into space