Curiosity's rover environmental monitoring station: Overview of the first 100 sols

Javier Gõmez-Elvira; Carlos Armiens; Isaias Carrasco; Maria Genzer; Felipe Gómez; Robert M. Haberle; Victoria E. Hamilton; Ari-Matti Harri; Henrik Kahanpää; Osku Kemppinen; Alain Lepinette; Javier Martin-Soler; Javier Martin-Torres; Jesús Martínez-Frías; Michael A. Mischna; Luis Mora; Sara Navarro; Claire E. Newman; Miguel Ángel De Pablo; Verónica Peinado; Jouni Polkko; Scot C Randell Rafkin; Miguel A. Ramos; Nilton O. Rennó; Mark E. Richardson; José Antonio Rodríguez Manfredi; Julio J. Romeral Planellõ; Eduardo M. Sebastián; Manuel De La Torre Juárez; Josefina Torres; Roser Urquí; Ashwin R Vasavada; José Verdasca; María Paz Zorzano

doi:10.1002/2013JE004576

Curiosity's rover environmental monitoring station: Overview of the first 100 sols

Javier Gõmez-Elvira^*, Carlos Armiens, Isaias Carrasco, Maria Genzer, Felipe Gómez, Robert M. Haberle, Victoria E. Hamilton, Ari-Matti Harri, Henrik Kahanpää, Osku Kemppinen, Alain Lepinette, Javier Martin-Soler, Javier Martin-Torres, Jesús Martínez-Frías, Michael A. Mischna, Luis Mora, Sara Navarro, Claire E. Newman, Miguel Ángel De Pablo, Verónica PeinadoJouni Polkko, Scot C Randell Rafkin, Miguel A. Ramos, Nilton O. Rennó, Mark E. Richardson, José Antonio Rodríguez Manfredi, Julio J. Romeral Planellõ, Eduardo M. Sebastián, Manuel De La Torre Juárez, Josefina Torres, Roser Urquí, Ashwin R Vasavada, José Verdasca, María Paz Zorzano

^*Corresponding author for this work

Geology and Geophysics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

109 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In the first 100 Martian solar days (sols) of the Mars Science Laboratory mission, the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) measured the seasonally evolving diurnal cycles of ultraviolet radiation, atmospheric pressure, air temperature, ground temperature, relative humidity, and wind within Gale Crater on Mars. As an introduction to several REMS-based articles in this issue, we provide an overview of the design and performance of the REMS sensors and discuss our approach to mitigating some of the difficulties we encountered following landing, including the loss of one of the two wind sensors. We discuss the REMS data set in the context of other Mars Science Laboratory instruments and observations and describe how an enhanced observing strategy greatly increased the amount of REMS data returned in the first 100 sols, providing complete coverage of the diurnal cycle every 4 to 6 sols. Finally, we provide a brief overview of key science results from the first 100 sols. We found Gale to be very dry, never reaching saturation relative humidities, subject to larger diurnal surface pressure variations than seen by any previous lander on Mars, air temperatures consistent with model predictions and abundant short timescale variability, and surface temperatures responsive to changes in surface properties and suggestive of subsurface layering.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1680-1688
Number of pages	9
Journal	Journal of Geophysical Research - Planets
Volume	119
Issue number	7
Early online date	25 Jul 2014
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/2013JE004576
Publication status	Published - Jul 2014

Bibliographical note

We thank the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter team for sharing information about the southern hemisphere dust storm that occurred around sol 97 of the MSL mission. We also acknowledge the strong support, hard work, and dedication of members of the MSL ENV group responsible for planning environmental observations on MSL. The authors would like to acknowledge financial support provided by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (AYA2011‐25720 and AYA2012‐38707) and the Finnish Academy. Part of this research was carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Keywords

Mars
Atmosphere
MSL

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Gõmez-Elvira, J., Armiens, C., Carrasco, I., Genzer, M., Gómez, F., Haberle, R. M., Hamilton, V. E., Harri, A.-M., Kahanpää, H., Kemppinen, O., Lepinette, A., Martin-Soler, J., Martin-Torres, J., Martínez-Frías, J., Mischna, M. A., Mora, L., Navarro, S., Newman, C. E., De Pablo, M. Á., ... Zorzano, M. P. (2014). Curiosity's rover environmental monitoring station: Overview of the first 100 sols. Journal of Geophysical Research - Planets, 119(7), 1680-1688. https://doi.org/10.1002/2013JE004576

Gõmez-Elvira, J, Armiens, C, Carrasco, I, Genzer, M, Gómez, F, Haberle, RM, Hamilton, VE, Harri, A-M, Kahanpää, H, Kemppinen, O, Lepinette, A, Martin-Soler, J, Martin-Torres, J, Martínez-Frías, J, Mischna, MA, Mora, L, Navarro, S, Newman, CE, De Pablo, MÁ, Peinado, V, Polkko, J, Rafkin, SCR, Ramos, MA, Rennó, NO, Richardson, ME, Rodríguez Manfredi, JA, Romeral Planellõ, JJ, Sebastián, EM, De La Torre Juárez, M, Torres, J, Urquí, R, Vasavada, AR, Verdasca, J & Zorzano, MP 2014, 'Curiosity's rover environmental monitoring station: Overview of the first 100 sols', Journal of Geophysical Research - Planets, vol. 119, no. 7, pp. 1680-1688. https://doi.org/10.1002/2013JE004576

@article{25929141c6f848b59053ac6b5cd1c943,

title = "Curiosity's rover environmental monitoring station: Overview of the first 100 sols",

abstract = "In the first 100 Martian solar days (sols) of the Mars Science Laboratory mission, the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) measured the seasonally evolving diurnal cycles of ultraviolet radiation, atmospheric pressure, air temperature, ground temperature, relative humidity, and wind within Gale Crater on Mars. As an introduction to several REMS-based articles in this issue, we provide an overview of the design and performance of the REMS sensors and discuss our approach to mitigating some of the difficulties we encountered following landing, including the loss of one of the two wind sensors. We discuss the REMS data set in the context of other Mars Science Laboratory instruments and observations and describe how an enhanced observing strategy greatly increased the amount of REMS data returned in the first 100 sols, providing complete coverage of the diurnal cycle every 4 to 6 sols. Finally, we provide a brief overview of key science results from the first 100 sols. We found Gale to be very dry, never reaching saturation relative humidities, subject to larger diurnal surface pressure variations than seen by any previous lander on Mars, air temperatures consistent with model predictions and abundant short timescale variability, and surface temperatures responsive to changes in surface properties and suggestive of subsurface layering. ",

keywords = "Mars, Atmosphere, MSL",

author = "Javier G{\~o}mez-Elvira and Carlos Armiens and Isaias Carrasco and Maria Genzer and Felipe G{\'o}mez and Haberle, {Robert M.} and Hamilton, {Victoria E.} and Ari-Matti Harri and Henrik Kahanp{\"a}{\"a} and Osku Kemppinen and Alain Lepinette and Javier Martin-Soler and Javier Martin-Torres and Jes{\'u}s Mart{\'i}nez-Fr{\'i}as and Mischna, {Michael A.} and Luis Mora and Sara Navarro and Newman, {Claire E.} and {De Pablo}, {Miguel {\'A}ngel} and Ver{\'o}nica Peinado and Jouni Polkko and Rafkin, {Scot C Randell} and Ramos, {Miguel A.} and Renn{\'o}, {Nilton O.} and Richardson, {Mark E.} and {Rodr{\'i}guez Manfredi}, {Jos{\'e} Antonio} and {Romeral Planell{\~o}}, {Julio J.} and Sebasti{\'a}n, {Eduardo M.} and {De La Torre Ju{\'a}rez}, Manuel and Josefina Torres and Roser Urqu{\'i} and Vasavada, {Ashwin R} and Jos{\'e} Verdasca and Zorzano, {Mar{\'i}a Paz}",

note = "We thank the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter team for sharing information about the southern hemisphere dust storm that occurred around sol 97 of the MSL mission. We also acknowledge the strong support, hard work, and dedication of members of the MSL ENV group responsible for planning environmental observations on MSL. The authors would like to acknowledge financial support provided by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (AYA2011‐25720 and AYA2012‐38707) and the Finnish Academy. Part of this research was carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.",

year = "2014",

month = jul,

doi = "10.1002/2013JE004576",

language = "English",

volume = "119",

pages = "1680--1688",

journal = "Journal of Geophysical Research - Planets",

issn = "2169-9097",

publisher = "John Wiley & Sons",

number = "7",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Curiosity's rover environmental monitoring station

T2 - Overview of the first 100 sols

AU - Gõmez-Elvira, Javier

AU - Armiens, Carlos

AU - Carrasco, Isaias

AU - Genzer, Maria

AU - Gómez, Felipe

AU - Haberle, Robert M.

AU - Hamilton, Victoria E.

AU - Harri, Ari-Matti

AU - Kahanpää, Henrik

AU - Kemppinen, Osku

AU - Lepinette, Alain

AU - Martin-Soler, Javier

AU - Martin-Torres, Javier

AU - Martínez-Frías, Jesús

AU - Mischna, Michael A.

AU - Mora, Luis

AU - Navarro, Sara

AU - Newman, Claire E.

AU - De Pablo, Miguel Ángel

AU - Peinado, Verónica

AU - Polkko, Jouni

AU - Rafkin, Scot C Randell

AU - Ramos, Miguel A.

AU - Rennó, Nilton O.

AU - Richardson, Mark E.

AU - Rodríguez Manfredi, José Antonio

AU - Romeral Planellõ, Julio J.

AU - Sebastián, Eduardo M.

AU - De La Torre Juárez, Manuel

AU - Torres, Josefina

AU - Urquí, Roser

AU - Vasavada, Ashwin R

AU - Verdasca, José

AU - Zorzano, María Paz

N1 - We thank the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter team for sharing information about the southern hemisphere dust storm that occurred around sol 97 of the MSL mission. We also acknowledge the strong support, hard work, and dedication of members of the MSL ENV group responsible for planning environmental observations on MSL. The authors would like to acknowledge financial support provided by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (AYA2011‐25720 and AYA2012‐38707) and the Finnish Academy. Part of this research was carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

PY - 2014/7

Y1 - 2014/7

N2 - In the first 100 Martian solar days (sols) of the Mars Science Laboratory mission, the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) measured the seasonally evolving diurnal cycles of ultraviolet radiation, atmospheric pressure, air temperature, ground temperature, relative humidity, and wind within Gale Crater on Mars. As an introduction to several REMS-based articles in this issue, we provide an overview of the design and performance of the REMS sensors and discuss our approach to mitigating some of the difficulties we encountered following landing, including the loss of one of the two wind sensors. We discuss the REMS data set in the context of other Mars Science Laboratory instruments and observations and describe how an enhanced observing strategy greatly increased the amount of REMS data returned in the first 100 sols, providing complete coverage of the diurnal cycle every 4 to 6 sols. Finally, we provide a brief overview of key science results from the first 100 sols. We found Gale to be very dry, never reaching saturation relative humidities, subject to larger diurnal surface pressure variations than seen by any previous lander on Mars, air temperatures consistent with model predictions and abundant short timescale variability, and surface temperatures responsive to changes in surface properties and suggestive of subsurface layering.

AB - In the first 100 Martian solar days (sols) of the Mars Science Laboratory mission, the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) measured the seasonally evolving diurnal cycles of ultraviolet radiation, atmospheric pressure, air temperature, ground temperature, relative humidity, and wind within Gale Crater on Mars. As an introduction to several REMS-based articles in this issue, we provide an overview of the design and performance of the REMS sensors and discuss our approach to mitigating some of the difficulties we encountered following landing, including the loss of one of the two wind sensors. We discuss the REMS data set in the context of other Mars Science Laboratory instruments and observations and describe how an enhanced observing strategy greatly increased the amount of REMS data returned in the first 100 sols, providing complete coverage of the diurnal cycle every 4 to 6 sols. Finally, we provide a brief overview of key science results from the first 100 sols. We found Gale to be very dry, never reaching saturation relative humidities, subject to larger diurnal surface pressure variations than seen by any previous lander on Mars, air temperatures consistent with model predictions and abundant short timescale variability, and surface temperatures responsive to changes in surface properties and suggestive of subsurface layering.

KW - Mars

KW - Atmosphere

KW - MSL

U2 - 10.1002/2013JE004576

DO - 10.1002/2013JE004576

M3 - Article

SN - 2169-9097

VL - 119

SP - 1680

EP - 1688

JO - Journal of Geophysical Research - Planets

JF - Journal of Geophysical Research - Planets

IS - 7

ER -

Curiosity's rover environmental monitoring station: Overview of the first 100 sols

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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