Chemical and Isotopic Composition Measurements on Atmospheric Probes Exploring Uranus and Neptune
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Chemical and Isotopic Composition Measurements on Atmospheric Probes Exploring Uranus and Neptune Audrey Vorburger1
· Peter Wurz1 · Hunter Waite2
Received: 29 December 2019 / Accepted: 29 April 2020 © Springer Nature B.V. 2020
Abstract So far no designated mission to either of the two ice giants, Uranus and Neptune, exists. Almost all of our gathered information on these planets comes from remote sensing. In recent years, NASA and ESA have started planning for future mission to Uranus and Neptune, with both agencies focusing their attention on orbiters and atmospheric probes. Whereas information provided by remote sensing is undoubtedly highly valuable, remote sensing of planetary atmospheres also presents some shortcomings, most of which can be overcome by mass spectrometers. In most studies presented to date a mass spectrometer experiment is thus a favored science instrument for in situ composition measurements on an atmospheric probe. Mass spectrometric measurements can provide unique scientific data, i.e., sensitive and quantitative measurements of the chemical composition of the atmosphere, including isotopic, elemental, and molecular abundances. In this review paper we present the technical aspects of mass spectrometry relevant to atmospheric probes. This includes the individual components that make up mass spectrometers and possible implementation choices for each of these components. We then give an overview of mass spectrometers that were sent to space with the intent of probing planetary atmospheres, and discuss three instruments, the heritage of which is especially relevant to Uranus and Neptune probes, in detail. The main part of this paper presents the current state-of-art in mass spectrometry intended for atmospheric probe. Finally, we present a possible descent probe implementation in detail, including measurement phases and associated expected accuracies for selected species. Keywords Descent probe · Instrumentation · Atmosphere · Uranus · Neptune · Mass spectrometry
In Situ Exploration of the Ice Giants: Science and Technology Edited by Olivier J. Mousis and David H. Atkinson
B A. Vorburger
[email protected]
1
Physics Institute, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
2
Space Science and Engineering Division, Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
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1 Introduction The outer planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune were key players during the formation and evolution of our Solar System. They contain over 99.5% of the planetary mass and most of the angular momentum of our Solar System. Having been formed from the same material that constitutes the proto-Sun and the surrounding proto-planetary disk, their chemical composition gives valuable insight into the formation and evolution history of our Solar System (e.g., Mousis et al. 2014 and references therein). Direct access to the bulk composition of the giant planets is impossible, though. Instead, their bulk compositions have to be deduced from the planets’ mean densities and their
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