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Completed TRL 2 (started at 2, targeting 4)
We propose to develop a proof-of-concept instrument, the Organics and Regolith In-situ Grain Investigation using Near-range photothermal Spectroscopy (ORIGINS), that can non-destructively analyze planetary surfaces (in particular small bodies and icy moons), at a submicron level. To this purpose we will adapt and determine the applicability of a novel photothermal infrared (PT-IR) technology for the analysis of planetary surfaces. The instrument will be developed to perform chemical and structural analysis of the surfaces in-situ, without need for sample preparation and collection. While the principle of PT-IR has been demonstrated, the key components of a future flight-ready ORIGINS instrument need to be defined and prototyped in order to demonstrate the suitability of PT-IR for planetary science missions. The recent development of PT-IR in spectroscopy is an entirely new capability, which does not currently exist in the toolkit available to the planetary science community and has strong potential to increase the scientific value on future missions. The overall goal of the proposed project is to evaluate the applicability of the PT-IR technology to planetary surface sciences and determine its viability for future spaceflight missions. Objectives - The project will (1) Design, build, and characterize a laboratory setup of the ORIGINS instrument. We will focus our efforts on creating a prototype with realistic sample-scanning times and energy usage. (2) Characterize the capability of the laboratory setup for analyzing various planetary surface analogues, including meteorite slabs, regolith simulants, and icy mixtures, to demonstrate its potential as a future spacecraft-based instrument. Methods – To address Objective 1, we will develop a system that can use efficient and small lasers such as quantum cascade lasers (QCLs), displays an optimized optical path to reduce the instrument footprint, and includes a customized 2D sample-scanning stage for planetary science missions. To address Objective 2, we will evaluate the spatial and spectral resolution of the ORIGINS system in detecting minerals and organics from planetary surface analogues, prepared as rough or granular surfaces. Significance – The PT-IR technology has significant advantages over current planetary in-situ analysis instruments: -Better spatial resolution than conventional IR spectrometers. The PT-IR technique can be used to perform chemical analysis down to <500 nm, set by the diffraction limit of its visible beam, not the IR beam. -Non-contact surface probing. This will preserve unique structural and chemical information on pristine material. In particular, the probing of icy surfaces and samples will be simplified. -Compositional and structural analysis of the probed surface, at sub-micron resolutions, within a single instrument. This will allow chemical species localization and visualization of organic-mineral associations, combining the capabilities of several instruments into one. Relevance – The proposed development of ORIGINS will help overcome key limitations of conventional IR and is a first step towards an instrument that can be carried on landed missions to a variety of planetary bodies, in particular small bodies such as asteroids, comets, icy moons, as well as our Moon. This future ORIGINS instrument will provide for the following advances: (1) enhance our understanding of surface formation and evolution; (2) characterize the distribution of organics on planetary surfaces; (3) disentangle structural and compositional features in remote-sensing spectra of surfaces. It therefore is relevant for addressing several key questions of the Planetary Decadal Survey on the initial conditions and processes of Solar System formation, accretion of the Jovian planet satellites, and the primordial sources of organic matter. ORIGINS also aligns with the 2018 NASA Strategic Plan goals to expand human knowledge and understand the Solar System.
Developing Instrument technology to improve measurements for future planetary science missions
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