M. Hamelin

THE CHARACTERISATION OF TITAN'S ATMOSPHERIC PHYSICAL PROPERTIES BY THE HUYGENS ATMOSPHERIC STRUCTURE INSTRUMENT (HASI)

The Huygens Atmospheric Structure Instrument (HASI) is a multi-sensor package which has been designed to measure the physical quantities characterising the atmosphere of Titan during the Huygens probe descent on Titan and at the surface. HASI sensors are devoted to the study of Titans atmospheric structure and electric properties, and to provide information on its surface, whether solid or liquid.

An experimental investigation of atmospheric electricity and lightning activity to be performed during the descent of the Huygens Probe onto Titan

Abstract No terrestrial-like electrical activity was observed during the Voyager 1 flyby of Titan on 12 November 1980, in spite of a predicted global lightning energy dissipation rate of 4 × 10 −6 Wm −2 . This lack of evidence does not, however, rule out the existence of electrical discharges with magnitudes, rates of occurrence and spectral characteristics drastically different from those known on Earth, owing to large dissimilarities between the temperatures, chemical compositions and, especially, electrical conductivities of the two atmospheres. Towards the end of the year 2004, the ESA probe Huygens will be jettisoned from the NASA Saturn orbiter, Cassini. This probe will descend onto Titan and perform in situ measurements during a period of 3 h, from an altitude of 170 km down to the satellite surface where the atmospheric pressure reaches 1.6 × 10 5 Pa. The Huygens scientific payload will include a set of instruments entirely dedicated to the detection of lightning and to the characterization of the electrical properties of the atmosphere and surface. An electric antenna will search for natural emissions in the frequency range 0–10 kHz, at altitudes lower than those of ionized layers opaque to electromagnetic waves, and measure the magnitude of static electric fields due to charge separation. The conductivity of the atmosphere and the existence of free electrons will be checked during the whole descent with a combination of quadrupolar and relaxation probes; a microphone will also record acoustic phenomena associated with electrical discharges and atmospheric processes. The impedance of the surface will be evaluated from the measurements collected with a radar during the descent and a quadrupolar array after touch down.

Electromagnetic wave propagation in the surface-ionosphere cavity of Venus

The propagation of extremely low frequency (ELF) waves in the Earth surface-ionosphere cavity and the properties of the related Schumann resonances have been extensively studied in order to explain their relation with atmospheric electric phenomena. A similar approach can be used to understand the electric environment of Venus and, more importantly, search for the evidence of possible atmospheric lightning activity, which remains a controversial issue. We revisit the available models for ELF propagation in the cavity of Venus, recapitulate the similarities and differences with other planets, and present a full wave propagation finite element model with improved parameterization. The new model introduces corrections for refraction phenomena in the atmosphere; it takes into account the day-night asymmetry of the cavity and calculates the resulting eigenfrequency line splitting. The analytical and numerical approaches are validated against the very low frequency electric field data collected by Venera 11 and 12 during their descents through the atmosphere of Venus. Instrumentation suitable for the measurement of ELF waves in planetary atmospheres is briefly addressed.

A comparison between the Earth's and Mars' bow shocks detected by the Phobos plasma-wave system

Abstract Among the scientific instruments on the Phobos spacecraft, one was expected to study the plasma and wave phenomena in the Martian environment: the Plasma-Wave System, PWS. Here we report on the PWS plasma and electric-field spectrum measurements during two Martian bow shock crossings by Phobos 2: one is located near the subsolar point and the other near the dusk terminator. A comparison is also made with the Earths shock crossed by Phobos 1. As at Earth, three main regions were identified: the upstream region, the shock transition region and the downstream region. A shock foot boundary is often observed in front of the bow shock. This foot is known to be associated with gyrating ions reflected from the shock. Electric-field spectra are presented and tentatively interpreted. The dynamic spectrograms shown in this report differ from the ones published previously, for the fact that the filter channels are not sampled at the same time has been taken into account.

The Comas sola mission to test the HUYGENS/HASI instrument on board a stratospheric balloon

Abstract The HUYGENS Atmospheric Structure Instrument (HASI) was designed to characterise the atmosphere of Titan during the descent of the HUYGENS probe in the framework of the NASA/ESA CASSINI/HUYGENS mission in November 2004. A balloon campaign was conducted in Leon, Spain, in December 1995, in order to test the HASI hardware and software in the terrestrial atmosphere and investigate the influence of the HUYGENS probe on the electrical measurements in a real environment. The subsystems from the HASI instrument: the Pressure Profile, the Accelerometer, the Temperature Profile and the Permittivity, Wave and Altimetry packages with their corresponding sensors were accommodated on a HUYGENS 1:1 mock-up and launched by a stratospheric balloon crossing a distance of 340 km and reaching a maximum altitude of around 30 km. The Huygens mission at Titan was simulated by a drop test; the probe was separated from the balloon in order to descent to ground dragged by a parachute. Measurements have been performed both in the ascending and descending phases.

Polar ionic conductivity profile in fair weather conditions. Terrestrial test of the Huygens/Hasi-PWA instrument aboard the Comas Sola balloon

Abstract The permittivity wave and altimetry (PWA) instrument is a part of the CASSINI/HUYGENS HASI experiment and was designed to determine the electrical parameters of the atmosphere of Titan in 2004. In December 1995, a balloon campaign was conducted in Leon, Spain, to test the HASI onboard hardware and software using a HUYGENS probe mock-up in an electromagnetic-disturbance-free environment (mainly from power emission lines at 50 Hz ). This work is concerned with the measurements of small ion polar conductivities and DC fields using the PWA relaxation probes (RP). The two RP electrodes were periodically set to ±5 V relative to the conductive surface of the mock-up and allowed to discharge in the surrounding atmosphere. The polar components of conductivity are calculated from the discharge time, and the DC field from the floating potential differences once the electrodes reach equilibrium. In spite of some observed effects, such as mock-up charging or oscillations in the measurement of potential, the conductivity measurements are coherent and in good agreement with the obtained results in other experiments. The conductivity data were collected in ‘fair-weather’ conditions, up to 30 km during a 4-h flight, every 72 s , giving an altitude resolution better than 400 m . We also discuss the DC field data that do not lead, in presence of charging effects, to a straightforward measurement of the natural DC field. The Comas Sola balloon flight, first real test of the PWA experiment in the terrestrial atmosphere, confirmed the validity of the ionic conductivity measurements but raised the problem of a reliable interpretation of the DC field.

Detection of subsurface ice and water deposits on Mars with a mutual impedance probe

[1]xa0A mutual impedance probe, also called quadrupolar probe or permittivitymeter, measures the complex permittivity of materials with a spatial resolution comparable to the average separation between its four sensors. This instrument is ideally suited for the detection of subsurface water deposits at shallow depths on Mars, since water mixtures are generally characterized by relatively large dielectric constant and conductivity. Permittivitymeters have been developed for commercial and space applications. An instrument identical to that which will land on Titan in 2004 has been tested with success in the field, and the results obtained on humid sand and in dry snow are presented. The possible applications of mutual impedance probes to the localization of water on Mars are discussed.