Ground-Based Observations of the Martian Atmosphere in Support of Space Missions     

Thérèse Encrenaz 《Earth, Moon, and Planets》2009,105(2-4):127-134

Although Mars is a favored target for planetary exploration, there is still a need for complementary ground-based observing programs of the Martian atmosphere, and this need will remain in the future. Indeed, as the atmosphere is very tenuous (less than 0.01 bar at the surface), the lines are very narrow and a high spectral resolving power (above 10⁴) is required over large spectral intervals. In addition, ground-based observations of Mars allow the instantaneous mapping of the whole planet, and thus the study of diurnal effects, which cannot be achieved from an orbiter. Recent ground-based achievements about the Martian atmospheric science include the first detection of H₂O₂ in the submillimeter range, the measurement of winds from CO millimetric transitions, the first detection of CH₄ and the O₃, H₂O₂, H₂O, and CH₄ mapping in the infrared. With an ELT, it will be possible to study at high spatial resolution transient atmospheric phenomena and to search for traces of minor constituents with unprecedented sensitivity. With ALMA, it will be also possible to search for minor species and to map the mesospheric winds for better constraining the climate models.  相似文献   

Luciola hypertelescope space observatory: versatile, upgradable high-resolution imaging, from stars to deep-field cosmology     

Antoine Labeyrie  Hervé Le Coroller  Julien Dejonghe  Olivier Lardière  Claude Aime  Kjetil Dohlen  Denis Mourard  Richard Lyon  Kenneth G. Carpenter 《Experimental Astronomy》2009,23(1):463-490

Luciola is a large (1 km) “multi-aperture densified-pupil imaging interferometer”, or “hypertelescope” employing many small apertures, rather than a few large ones, for obtaining direct snapshot images with a high information content. A diluted collector mirror, deployed in space as a flotilla of small mirrors, focuses a sky image which is exploited by several beam-combiner spaceships. Each contains a “pupil densifier” micro-lens array to avoid the diffractive spread and image attenuation caused by the small sub-apertures. The elucidation of hypertelescope imaging properties during the last decade has shown that many small apertures tend to be far more efficient, regarding the science yield, than a few large ones providing a comparable collecting area. For similar underlying physical reasons, radio-astronomy has also evolved in the direction of many-antenna systems such as the proposed Low Frequency Array having “hundreds of thousands of individual receivers”. With its high limiting magnitude, reaching the m _v?=?30 limit of HST when 100 collectors of 25 cm will match its collecting area, high-resolution direct imaging in multiple channels, broad spectral coverage from the 1,200 Å ultra-violet to the 20 μm infra-red, apodization, coronagraphic and spectroscopic capabilities, the proposed hypertelescope observatory addresses very broad and innovative science covering different areas of ESA’s Cosmic Vision program. In the initial phase, a focal spacecraft covering the UV to near IR spectral range of EMCCD photon-counting cameras (currently 200 to 1,000 nm), will image details on the surface of many stars, as well as their environment, including multiple stars and clusters. Spectra will be obtained for each resel. It will also image neutron star, black-hole and micro-quasar candidates, as well as active galactic nuclei, quasars, gravitational lenses, and other Cosmic Vision targets observable with the initial modest crowding limit. With subsequent upgrade missions, the spectral coverage can be extended from 120 nm to 20 μm, using four detectors carried by two to four focal spacecraft. The number of collector mirrors in the flotilla can also be increased from 12 to 100 and possibly 1,000. The imaging and spectroscopy of habitable exoplanets in the mid infra-red then becomes feasible once the collecting area reaches 6 m², using a specialized mid infra-red focal spacecraft. Calculations (Boccaletti et al., Icarus 145, 628–636, 2000) have shown that hypertelescope coronagraphy has unequalled sensitivity for detecting, at mid infra-red wavelengths, faint exoplanets within the exo-zodiacal glare. Later upgrades will enable the more difficult imaging and spectroscopy of these faint objects at visible wavelengths, using refined techniques of adaptive coronagraphy (Labeyrie and Le Coroller 2004). Together, the infra-red and visible spectral data carry rich information on the possible presence of life. The close environment of the central black-hole in the Milky Way will be imageable with unprecedented detail in the near infra-red. Cosmological imaging of remote galaxies at the limit of the known universe is also expected, from the ultra-violet to the near infra-red, following the first upgrade, and with greatly increasing sensitivity through successive upgrades. These areas will indeed greatly benefit from the upgrades, in terms of dynamic range, limiting complexity of the objects to be imaged, size of the elementary “Direct Imaging Field”, and limiting magnitude, approaching that of an 8-m space telescope when 1,000 apertures of 25 cm are installed. Similar gains will occur for addressing fundamental problems in physics and cosmology, particularly when observing neutron stars and black holes, single or binary, including the giant black holes, with accretion disks and jets, in active galactic nuclei beyond the Milky Way. Gravitational lensing and micro-lensing patterns, including time-variable patterns and perhaps millisecond lensing flashes which may be beamed by diffraction from sub-stellar masses at sub-parsec distances (Labeyrie, Astron Astrophys 284, 689, 1994), will also be observable initially in the favourable cases, and upgrades will greatly improve the number of observable objects. The observability of gravitational waves emitted by binary lensing masses, in the form of modulated lensing patterns, is a debated issue (Ragazzoni et al., MNRAS 345, 100–110, 2003) but will also become addressable observationally. The technology readiness of Luciola approaches levels where low-orbit testing and stepwise implementation will become feasible in the 2015–2025 time frame. For the following decades beyond 2020, once accurate formation flying techniques will be mastered, much larger hypertelescopes such as the proposed 100 km Exo-Earth Imager and the 100,000 km Neutron Star Imager should also become feasible. Luciola is therefore also seen as a precursor toward such very powerful instruments.  相似文献   

The DynaMICCS perspective     

S. Turck-Chièze  P. Lamy  C. Carr  P. H. Carton  A. Chevalier  I. Dandouras  J. M. Defise  S. Dewitte  T. Dudok de Wit  J. P. Halain  S. Hasan  J. F. Hochedez  T. Horbury  P. Levacher  M. Meissonier  N. Murphy  P. Rochus  A. Ruzmaikin  W. Schmutz  G. Thuillier  S. Vivès 《Experimental Astronomy》2009,23(3):1017-1055

The DynaMICCS mission is designed to probe and understand the dynamics of crucial regions of the Sun that determine solar variability, including the previously unexplored inner core, the radiative/convective zone interface layers, the photosphere/chromosphere layers and the low corona. The mission delivers data and knowledge that no other known mission provides for understanding space weather and space climate and for advancing stellar physics (internal dynamics) and fundamental physics (neutrino properties, atomic physics, gravitational moments...). The science objectives are achieved using Doppler and magnetic measurements of the solar surface, helioseismic and coronographic measurements, solar irradiance at different wavelengths and in-situ measurements of plasma/energetic particles/magnetic fields. The DynaMICCS payload uses an original concept studied by Thalès Alenia Space in the framework of the CNES call for formation flying missions: an external occultation of the solar light is obtained by putting an occulter spacecraft 150 m (or more) in front of a second spacecraft. The occulter spacecraft, a LEO platform of the mini sat class, e.g. PROTEUS, type carries the helioseismic and irradiance instruments and the formation flying technologies. The latter spacecraft of the same type carries a visible and infrared coronagraph for a unique observation of the solar corona and instrumentation for the study of the solar wind and imagers. This mission must guarantee long (one 11-year solar cycle) and continuous observations (duty cycle > 94%) of signals that can be very weak (the gravity mode detection supposes the measurement of velocity smaller than 1 mm/s). This assumes no interruption in observation and very stable thermal conditions. The preferred orbit therefore is the L1 orbit, which fits these requirements very well and is also an attractive environment for the spacecraft due to its low radiation and low perturbation (solar pressure) environment. This mission is secured by instrumental R and D activities during the present and coming years. Some prototypes of different instruments are already built (GOLFNG, SDM) and the performances will be checked before launch on the ground or in space through planned missions of CNES and PROBA ESA missions (PICARD, LYRA, maybe ASPIICS).  相似文献   

Mars’ atmospheric 40Ar: A tracer for past crustal erosion     

F. Leblanc  E. Chassefière  C. Gillmann  D. Breuer 《Icarus》2012,218(1):561-570

Noble gas ⁴⁰Ar may be used as a tracer of the past evolution of volatiles in Mars’ crust, mantle and atmosphere. ⁴⁰Ar is formed by the radioactive decay of ⁴⁰K in the mantle and in the crust and is released from the mantle to the atmosphere due to volcanism and from the crust by erosion such as eolian and hydrothermal erosion. Furthermore, ⁴⁰Ar can escape from the atmosphere into space via atmospheric escape mechanisms. The evolution of the atmospheric abundance of ⁴⁰Ar thus depends on these three processes whose efficiencies vary with time.In the present study we reconsider atmospheric escape mechanism efficiencies and describe various possible scenarios of the evolution of ⁴⁰Ar with a model describing the three main reservoirs of ⁴⁰Ar, the mantle, crust and atmosphere. First, we show that atmospheric escape, which is stronger in the early evolution, does not significantly influence the present abundance of the atmospheric ⁴⁰Ar. In the early evolution the atmospheric concentration of ⁴⁰Ar is very low as the outgassing of ⁴⁰Ar from the mantle occurs relatively late in the martian evolution. Thus, the atmospheric ⁴⁰Ar concentration is essentially a tracer of Mars’ outgassing history and not of the escape processes. Second, using the results of the most recent published crustal formation models, the calculated present ⁴⁰Ar atmospheric abundance is smaller than its observed value. This discrepancy may be explained by a significant ⁴⁰Ar supply from the crust by erosion (16–30% of the ⁴⁰Ar content of the upper first 10 km of crust). The knowledge of the fraction of crustal ⁴⁰Ar outgassed to the atmosphere is an important constraint for any future global modelling of past Mars’ hydrothermal activity aiming at better characterizing the role of subsurface aqueous alteration processes in Mars climate evolution. One of the main sources of the uncertainty of these results is the present uncertainty in the measured atmospheric ⁴⁰Ar value (±20%). More precise measurements of ⁴⁰Ar and ³⁶Ar in the martian atmosphere are therefore required to better constrain the model.  相似文献   

Long-term groundwater resource observatory for Southwestern Madagascar     

Simon D. Carrière  Thomas Health  Pascale F. M. Rakotomandrindra  Chloé Ollivier  Riva E. Rajaomahefasoa  Heritiana A. Rakoto  Jean Lapègue  Yves E. Rakotoarison  Marie Mangin  Jean Kempf  Théodore Razakamanana  Konstantinos Chalikakis 《水文研究》2021,35(3):e14108

Madagascar has one of the highest poverty rates in the world and consequently the long-term monitoring of groundwater resources is not a priority for the authorities. However, groundwater is often the only sustainable resource that has a satisfactory quality to supply the population. This is especially true in the south-west of the country, which is a semi-arid region and a global change hot spot (intense land use and climate changes). In response to the lack of data, the Groundwater Resource Observatory for Southwestern Madagascar (GROSoM) was established to monitor piezometry and meteorology over the longer term as part of a humanitarian response. The first site was setup in 2014 in a catchment located over a carbonate plateau; in 2018, a second site was installed in an alluvial setting within a crystalline basement catchment and a third site will be installed in 2020 to monitor groundwater dynamics in a coastal setting. The three sites, located between Toliara and Taolagnaro cities, are complementary and representative of various hydrogeological systems in Southwestern Madagascar. Each site includes a weather station and between 3 and 6 piezometric probes. The monitoring data indicate a strong inter-annual variability in precipitation, which induces a strong variability in aquifers recharge. One of the driest years in 2016 seems to be consistent with strong El Niño – Southern Oscillation (ENSO) effects observed at the global scale, while years with higher recharge appear to be related to cyclones such as Fundi in 2015 and Eketsang in 2019. Preliminary results of cross-disciplinary studies demonstrated a link between groundwater and health issues (i.e., admissions to basic health centres). This observatory aims to produce long-term data and has two objectives: (i) strengthening the early warning system for humanitarian crises in Madagascar; (ii) contributing to a better understanding of the effects of climate change on groundwater resources in this semi-arid region.  相似文献   

Dynamics and transport from the boundary Northern Current toward the Toulon Bay: multi-platform observations and downscaling modelling approaches     

Molcard  Anne  Gramoullé  Anthony  Mazoyer  Camille  Bourg  Natacha  Ourmières  Yann 《Ocean Dynamics》2021,71(10):993-1009

Ocean Dynamics - Coastal regions are vulnerable areas with often high population density, as well as tourism and maritime activities that may have negative impact on the environment. From a...  相似文献   

Simultaneous mapping of H₂O and H₂O₂ on Mars from infrared high-resolution imaging spectroscopy     

T. Encrenaz  T.K. Greathouse  B. Bézard  F. Lefèvre  F. Forget  S.K. Atreya 《Icarus》2008,195(2):547-556

New maps of martian water vapor and hydrogen peroxide have been obtained in November-December 2005, using the Texas Echelon Cross Echelle Spectrograph (TEXES) at the NASA Infra Red Telescope facility (IRTF) at Mauna Kea Observatory. The solar longitude Ls was 332° (end of southern summer). Data have been obtained at 1235-1243 cm⁻¹, with a spectral resolution of 0.016 cm⁻¹ (R=8×¹⁰⁴). The mean water vapor mixing ratio in the region [0°-55° S; 345°-45° W], at the evening limb, is 150±50 ppm (corresponding to a column density of 8.3±2.8 pr-μm). The mean water vapor abundance derived from our measurements is in global overall agreement with the TES and Mars Express results, as well as the GCM models, however its spatial distribution looks different from the GCM predictions, with evidence for an enhancement at low latitudes toward the evening side. The inferred mean H₂O₂ abundance is 15±10 ppb, which is significantly lower than the June 2003 result [Encrenaz, T., Bézard, B., Greathouse, T.K., Richter, M.J., Lacy, J.H., Atreya, S.K., Wong, A.S., Lebonnois, S., Lefèvre, F., Forget, F., 2004. Icarus 170, 424-429] and lower than expected from the photochemical models, taking in account the change in season. Its spatial distribution shows some similarities with the map predicted by the GCM but the discrepancy in the H₂O₂ abundance remains to be understood and modeled.  相似文献   

Mary Anning,Alfred Nicholson Leeds and Steve Etches. Comparing the three most important UK ‘amateur’ fossil collectors and their collections     

Leslie F. Noè  Marcela Gómez-Pérez  Robert Nicholls 《Proceedings of the Geologists' Association. Geologists' Association》2019,130(3-4):366-389

Mary Anning, Alfred Nicholson Leeds and Steve Etches form part of a long line of individuals who furnished a substantial addition to our understanding of marine and terrestrial ecosystems through collecting significant numbers of superb fossils. For all three collectors, fossils became a factor that dominated their lives, and their fossil collecting led to the discovery of numerous taxa new to science. Extensive collecting was made possible by the fortunate circumstances of living ‘in the right place at the right time’, close to fine-grained UK Jurassic deposits (Lagerstätten) with well-preserved large Jurassic marine reptiles. All three were highly-motivated and developed a considerable skill sets for discovering, collecting, preparing, conserving and displaying fossils. They developed personal and professional interactions with family and friends, and university and museum professionals, although their collecting resulted in variable recognition of their work. Each collector can be considered a complex mix of amateur and professional: Mary Anning, a professional fossil collector and amateur palaeontologist; Alfred Leeds transitioned from amateur to professional fossil collector, but remained an amateur palaeontologist; and Steve Etches has remained an amateur fossil collector and palaeontologist. However, all three exhibited an entirely professional outlook to collecting, and should be considered professionals of the highest degree. The impact of Mary Anning, Alfred Nicholson Leeds and Steve Etches has been critical for the development of Palaeontology as a science, and without whom palaeontology, with all its associated benefits to a wide scientific and non-scientific audience, would not be as rich as we currently know it.  相似文献   

The information system of the French Peatland Observation Service: Service National d'Observation Tourbières – A valuable tool to assess the impact of global changes on the hydrology and biogeochemistry of temperate peatlands through long term monitoring     

Sébastien Gogo  Jean-Baptiste Paroissien  Fatima Laggoun-Défarge  Jean-Marc Antoine  Léonard Bernard-Jannin  Guillaume Bertrand  Philippe Binet  Stéphane Binet  Guillaume Bouger  Yohann Brossard  Thierry Camboulive  Jean-Pierre Caudal  Stéphane Chevrier  Geneviève Chiapiuso  Benoît D'Angelo  Pilar Durantez  Chris Flechard  André-Jean Francez  Didier Galop  Laure Gandois  Daniel Gilbert  Christophe Guimbaud  Louis Hinault  Adrien Jacotot  Franck Le Moing  Emilie Lerigoleur  Gaël Le Roux  Fabien Leroy  Alexandre Lhosmot  Qian Li  Elodie Machado Da Silva  Jean-Sébastien Moquet  Juanita Mora-Gomez  Laurent Perdereau  Thomas Rosset  Marie-Laure Toussaint 《水文研究》2021,35(6):e14244

Mitigating and adapting to global changes requires a better understanding of the response of the Biosphere to these environmental variations. Human disturbances and their effects act in the long term (decades to centuries) and consequently, a similar time frame is needed to fully understand the hydrological and biogeochemical functioning of a natural system. To this end, the ‘Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique’ (CNRS) promotes and certifies long-term monitoring tools called national observation services or ‘Service National d'Observation’ (SNO) in a large range of hydrological and biogeochemical systems (e.g., cryosphere, catchments, aquifers). The SNO investigating peatlands, the SNO ‘Tourbières’, was certified in 2011 ( https://www.sno-tourbieres.cnrs.fr/ ). Peatlands are mostly found in the high latitudes of the northern hemisphere and French peatlands are located in the southern part of this area. Thus, they are located in environmental conditions that will occur in northern peatlands in coming decades or centuries and can be considered as sentinels. The SNO Tourbières is composed of four peatlands: La Guette (lowland central France), Landemarais (lowland oceanic western France), Frasne (upland continental eastern France) and Bernadouze (upland southern France). Thirty target variables are monitored to study the hydrological and biogeochemical functioning of the sites. They are grouped into four datasets: hydrology, fluvial export of organic matter, greenhouse gas fluxes and meteorology/soil physics. The data from all sites follow a common processing chain from the sensors to the public repository. The raw data are stored on an FTP server. After operator or automatic processing, data are stored in a database, from which a web application extracts the data to make them available ( https://data-snot.cnrs.fr/data-access/ ). Each year at least, an archive of each dataset is stored in Zenodo, with a digital object identifier (DOI) attribution ( https://zenodo.org/communities/sno_tourbieres_data/ ).  相似文献   

The 1‐million‐year‐old quartz assemblage from Pont‐de‐Lavaud (Centre,France) in the European context          下载免费PDF全文

Jackie Despriée  Marie‐Hélène Moncel  Marta Arzarello  Gilles Courcimault  Pierre Voinchet  Jean‐Jacques Bahain  Christophe Falguères 《第四纪科学杂志》2018,33(6):639-661

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