MARS-96     ROBOTIC SPACECRAFT MISSION TO MARS. Brief description
Table of contents
Inroduction
Scientific goals
Scheme of the mission
Spacecraft
Orbiter
Payload of the Orbiter
Scientific goals of
the experiments
Description of
the instruments
Small Stations
Penetrators
Conclusion
 Experiment: PHOTON

GAMMA-SPECTROMETER

ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF MARTIAN ROCKS



Main scientific objectives:

  • geochemical mapping of the elemental composition of Martian surface rocks with high spatial resolution and high accuracy;
  • determination of the abundance of natural radioactive elements ( K, U, Th ), basic rock-forming elements ( H, C, Mg, Al, Si, S, Cl, Ca, Ti, Fe).

    Method of measurements is based on recording gamma-rays from natural radionuclides in rocks and gamma-rays generated by nuclear interactions of cosmic rays with elements of Martian surface rocks.

    Instrument consists of:

  • detection unit (BD-1) using a CsI crystal, with a bismuth germanate collimator. It is installed on platform PAIS. The collimator provides high spatial resolution measurement of element abundance;
  • omnidirectional detection unit (BD-2) with a large CsI crystal (785 cm3). It is placed on a solar panel. The use of a large volume crystal permits the abundance of rock-forming elements to be determined with a high accuracy;
  • amplitude analyzer of counts with 4096 channels. It records gamma spectra from BD-1 and BD-2 units as well as spectra from the PGS detection unit with a superpure germanium crystal.

    • Main characteristics:
    parameter to be measured energy spectrum of gamma-rays
    Energy range 0.2 to 10 MeV
    Energy resolution at E = 0.661 MeV:7.5%
    Data capacity 3 Mbit/revolution
    Total mass20kg





    Cooperation: Russia

    Contact persons:Y.Surkov (PI), geohi@sovam.com


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