BepiColombo – Mission to Mercury

MPO Scientific Aspects

&

System Update

Rita Schulz Johannes Benkhoff AOGS Singapore 20.-24. June 2005 Paper ID: 58-PS-A0320 [email protected]

BepiColombo Elements

AOGS Singapore 20.-24. June 2005 Paper ID: 58-PS-A0320 [email protected]

Mercury Planetary Orbiter Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter

MPO orbit optimized for study of planet itself MMO orbit optimized for study of magnetosphere

AOGS Singapore 20.-24. June 2005 Paper ID: 58-PS-A0320 [email protected]

Mercury Orbits

8000 6000 4000 2000 0 2000 4000 6000 8000 4000 2000 0

MMO: 400 x 11,800 km 9.3 hours

2000

MPO:

4000 6000 X (km) 8000 1 10 4

Parameter

Apocentre height (h A ) Pericentre height (h P ) Inclination (i) Argument of pericentre Period 1.4 10 4 1.6 10 4 ascending node Eclipse duration

Direction of Sun at perihelion Nominal Value

1,500 km 400 km 90° 180° 2.32

hours 248° <42 min

Tolerance

±20 km ±20 km ±2° ±20° ±20° AOGS Singapore 20.-24. June 2005 Paper ID: 58-PS-A0320 [email protected]

MPO Instruments (Selected by SPC; Nov. 2004) & Scientific Objectives

AOGS Singapore 20.-24. June 2005 Paper ID: 58-PS-A0320 [email protected]

BELA BepiColombo Laser Altimeter

CoPI

’

s: N. Thomas / T. Spohn Science Goals • Figure of the Planet • Interior Structure and Composition of Mercury • Formation and Evolution of the Planet

AOGS Singapore 20.-24. June 2005 Paper ID: 58-PS-A0320 [email protected]

MERTIS

MERCURY

(RADIOMETER and)

THERMAL INFRARED SPECTROMETER

PI: E.K. Jessberger

Science goals: – to study the surface composition of Mercury – to identify the key rock-forming minerals – to map the surface mineralogy – to measure surface temperature and thermal inertia AOGS Singapore 20.-24. June 2005 Paper ID: 58-PS-A0320 [email protected]

Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer (MIXS) PI: S. Dunkin

•To produce global elemental maps of key rock forming elements •To perform high spatial resolution mapping of these elemental abundances where solar conditions permit •To confirm that the auroral zone is an intense source of continuum and line X-rays AOGS Singapore 20.-24. June 2005 Paper ID: 58-PS-A0320 [email protected]

SIXS (Solar Intensity X-ray and particle Spectrometer)

PI: J. Houvelin

Scientific Objectives



accurate physical estimates of solar X-ray and particle irradiation at the surface of Mercury.



Data provided by SIXS are mandatory for a valid fluorescence analysis of MIXS spectra.

AOGS Singapore 20.-24. June 2005 Paper ID: 58-PS-A0320 [email protected]

ISA

(ITALIAN SPRING ACCELEROMETER)

PI: V. Iafolla

AN ACCELEROMETER TO MEASURE THE INERTIAL ACCELERATIONS ACTING ON THE MPO

• the

global gravity field

of

Mercury

and its

temporal variations

• the

local gravity anomalies

• the

rotation state

of

Mercury

• the

orbit

of the Mercury center–of–mass around the Sun AOGS Singapore 20.-24. June 2005 Paper ID: 58-PS-A0320 [email protected]

MERMAG Magnetic Field Investigation

PI: A. Balogh

The primary objective

• to provide magnetic field measurements that will lead to the detailed description of Mercury’s planetary magnetic field, and thereby constrain models of the evolution and current state of the planetary interior.

The secondary objective

• to contribute to the study of the interaction of the solar wind with the Hermean magnetic field and the planet itself, the formation and dynamics of the magnetosphere as well as to the processes that control the interaction of the magnetosphere with the planet. AOGS Singapore 20.-24. June 2005 Paper ID: 58-PS-A0320 [email protected]

PHEBUS: A FUV-EUV Spectrometer PI: E. Chassefiere

1) Vertical/ geographic/ seasonal mapping of already detected elements

(H, He, O, Na, K, Ca).

2) Search for

still non-detected compounds (Si, Mg, Al, Fe, S, C, N, OH, H 2 ),

and vertical/ geographic/ seasonal mapping.

3) Search for

noble gases

other than He (

Ne, Ar, Xe, Kr

) and mapping/ monitoring if possible.

4) Search for

ion species (He + , Na + , O + , Mg + , Al + , Ca + , C + , N + , S + , …)

and mapping/ monitoring if possible.

5) Measurement of surface reflectance at 121.6 nm in polar craters in order to search for

surface ice layers.

AOGS Singapore 20.-24. June 2005 Paper ID: 58-PS-A0320 [email protected]

SIMBIO SYS S pectrometer and

SIMBIO-SYS package: It incorporates capabilities to perform:

I magers for M PO B epiColombo I ntegrated

medium space resolution global mapping in stereo and colour imaging using two pan chromatic and 3 broad-band filters St ereo C hannel STC ;

O bservatory SYS tem

high spatial resolution imaging in a pan-chromatic and 3 broad-band filters H igh R esolution I maging C hannel HRIC ;

PI: E. Flamini

imaging spectroscopy in the spectral range 400  2000 nm • Classification of Mercury V isible I nfrared H yperspectral I mager VIHI .

surface features • Mercury surface composition AOGS Singapore 20.-24. June 2005 Paper ID: 58-PS-A0320 [email protected]

SIMBIO-SYS Science

- Surface geology: stratigraphy, geomorphology – Volcanism: lava plain emplacement, volcanoes identification - Global tectonics: structural geology, mechanical properties of lithosphere - Surface age: crater population and morphometry, degradation processes - Surface composition: maturity and crustal differentiation, weathering, rock forming minerals abundance determination - Geophysics: libration measurements, internal planet dynamics AOGS Singapore 20.-24. June 2005 Paper ID: 58-PS-A0320 [email protected]

MORE M ercury O rbiter R adio-science E xperiment

PI: L. Iess

• • • • • • •

Scientific Objectives Determine the gravity field of Mercury Determine the size and physical state of its core Provide crucial experimental constraints to models of Mercury’s internal structure Test theories of gravity Measure the gravitational oblateness of the Sun Test and characterize the most advanced interplanetary tracking system ever built Assess the performances of the novel tracking system in

SERENA S

earch for

E

xospheric

R

efilling and

E

mitted

N

atural

A

bundances PI: S. Orsini

Units:

• ELENA : E mitted L ow E nergy N eutral A toms • STROFIO : St art from a RO tating FI eld spectr O meter • MIPA : M iniature I on P recipitation A nalyser • PICAM : P lanetary I on CAM era

Major Objectives Other Objectives

To measure chemical, elemental, and isotopic composition of the exosphere; to investigate the exo-ionosphere; to derive gas density profile as a function of altitude; to estimate the particle loss rate from Mercury environment; to measure the surface emission rate and investigate the surface release processes; to measure the plasma precipitation rate; to remote sense the surface composition; to derive the magnetosphere structure and dynamics; to observe the solar wind characteristics at 0.3 AU; to study the ENA imaging applications for comparative

Mercury Gamma-ray and Neutron Spectrometer MGNS

PI: I.G.Mitrofanov

Scientific goals:

• to determine the elemental compositions by the measurements of nuclear lines of major soil-composing elements • to determine the elemental compositions by the measurements of the leakage flux of neutrons and of the lines of natural radioactive elements • to determine the regional distribution of volatile depositions on the polar areas of Mercury which are permanently shadowed from the Sun, and to provide a map of column density of this depositions AOGS Singapore 20.-24. June 2005 Paper ID: 58-PS-A0320 [email protected]

MGNS Backup: MANGA

Mercury composition Analysis by Neutron and Gamma-ray spectoscopy

PI: C. d'Uston

AOGS Singapore 20.-24. June 2005 Paper ID: 58-PS-A0320 [email protected]

MPO Payload Selection by SPC

(Nov. 2004)

BELA ISA MERMAG MERTIS MGNS or MANGA MIXS / SIXS MORE PHEBUS ( SERENA Elena, MIPA, PICAM, Strofio ) SIMBIO-SYS (HIRC, STC, VIHI) Laser Altimeter Radio Science Accelerometer Magnetometer IR Spectrometer Gamma Ray and Neutron Spectrometer X-ray Spectrometer Solar Monitor Radio Science Ka-band Transponder UV Spectrometer Neutral Particle Analyser/ N. Thomas / T. Spohn V. Iafolla A. Balogh E.K. Jessberger I. Mitrofanov C. d'Uston S. Dunkin J. Houvelin L. Iess E. Chassefiere S. Orsini Ion Spectrometers High Res.+ Stereo Cameras visual and NIR Spectrometer E. Flamini AOGS Singapore 20.-24. June 2005 Paper ID: 58-PS-A0320 [email protected]

Instruments High Resolution Colour Camera Stereo Camera MPO Surface Science Topics Morphology Topography Composition Temperature Vis-Near-IR Mapping Spectrom.

TIR Map. Spectrom/Radiometer X-ray Spectrom/Solar Monitor γ-Ray Neutron Spectrometer Ultraviolet Spectrometer Neutral & Ion Particle Analyser Laser Altimeter Radio Science Experiment Magnetometer Interior Exosphere State of Core Core/Mantle Composition Magnetic Field Composition Dynamics Surface Release Source/Sink Balance plus MMO Payload Structure, dynamics Magnetosphere Composition Interactions

AOGS Singapore 20.-24. June 2005 Paper ID: 58-PS-A0320 [email protected]

AOGS Singapore 20.-24. June 2005 Paper ID: 58-PS-A0320 [email protected]