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R. E. Arvidson (Washington University in St. Louis), Athena Science Team
The two Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, landed in January 2004 and have been operating on the surface on the floor of Gusev Crater and Meridiani Planum, respectively. In addition to acquiring multi-spectral imaging, emission spectra, elemental abundance, and iron mineralogy data from the Athena Payload, the rover engineering telemetry and camera data have been used to reconstruct topography and soil properties along rover traverses, and soil mechanical properties from wheel-trenching operations. During traverses two types of science sequences have been developed, one focused on detailed soil and rock characterization, and one focused on a reconnaissance measurements of surface materials and a campaign of atmospheric observations, including optical depth, sky brightness, sky temperature profiles, and thermal sky ``stares." Results from the traverse and trenching experiments will be discussed in detail, along with approaches for conducting remote science operations with planetary rovers.
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 36 #2
© YEAR. The American Astronomical Soceity.