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First atmospheric results produced by the SuperCam instrument on Mars2020
  • +13
  • Franck Montmessin,
  • Timothy McConnochie,
  • Thierry Fouchet,
  • Olivier Forni,
  • Paolo Pilleri,
  • Clément Royer,
  • Elise Knutsen,
  • Tanguy Bertrand,
  • Olivier Gasnault,
  • Jeremie Lasue,
  • Carey Legett,
  • Mark Lemmon,
  • Raymond Newell,
  • Dawn Venhaus,
  • Sylvestre Maurice,
  • Roger Wiens
Franck Montmessin
LATMOS, CNRS, Univ. Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Sorbonne Univ.

Corresponding Author:franck.montmessin@latmos.ipsl.fr

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Timothy McConnochie
University of Maryland College Park
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Thierry Fouchet
LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris
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Olivier Forni
IRAP, CNRS, Université de Toulouse, UPS-OMP
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Paolo Pilleri
IRAP, CNRS, Université de Toulouse, UPS-OMP
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Clément Royer
LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris
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Elise Knutsen
LATMOS Laboratoire Atmosphères, Milieux, Observations Spatiales
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Tanguy Bertrand
Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique Palaiseau
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Olivier Gasnault
IRAP, CNRS, Université de Toulouse, UPS-OMP
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Jeremie Lasue
Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie (IRAP)
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Carey Legett
Stony Brook University
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Mark Lemmon
Space Science Institute
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Raymond Newell
Los Alamos National Laboratory
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Dawn Venhaus
Los Alamos National Laboratory
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Sylvestre Maurice
IRAP, CNRS, Université de Toulouse, UPS-OMP
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Roger Wiens
Space Science and Applications
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Abstract

The SuperCam instrument [1,2] onboard Mars2020 disposes of a variety of active and passive techniques, including passive spectroscopy in the 0.40-0.85 (VIS) and 1.3 to 2.6 microns (IR, [3,4]) wavelength ranges. Since the landing on Mars of Perseverance in February 2021, Supercam has acquired numerous observations of its near and distant environment, exploring the geological and mineralogical context of Jezero crater. In addition, several measurements were devoted to probing the atmosphere surrounding the Perseverance rover. The technique of using sky spectra in passive mode, known as “passive sky”, has already been demonstrated with ChemCam on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover [4]. SuperCam provides a superset of the ChemCam capabilities used in [4], and in particular adds a near-infrared component that includes absorption and scattering characteristics of key gases and aerosols/clouds. “Passive sky” measurements have typically been performed every other week to allow a consistent monitoring of the seasonal evolution of the main quantities (CO2, O2, H2O, CO, aerosols/clouds). Particular attention was given to joint measurements of O2 and CO, as they appear as key components of the Martian chemical cycle and have never been measured together at the same time on the surface of Mars. As the 2 μm wavelength region is used for the first time at the surface of Mars, it enables the detection of CO (around 2.35 μm). CO possesses a small absorption that has made it difficult to identify in SuperCam spectra so far. An overview of SuperCam’s progress to date in its attempt to characterize the Martian atmosphere at Jezero will be presented. References : [1] Wiens, R.C., et al. , 2021. Space Sci Rev 217, 4, [2] Maurice, S., et al., 2021. Space Sci Rev 217, 47, [3] Royer, C., et al.., 2020. Review of Scientific Instruments 91, 063105, [4] Fouchet, T., et al., 2021, Icarus, submitted. [5] McConnochie T. H et al., 2018. Icarus 307, 294